Slow Roast Rack of Lamb

Rack of lamb is one of those cuts that rewards slow cooking and bold spicing. This recipe roasts it in the oven until the fat renders down and crisps up, then serves it over a tomato fondue that’s somewhere between a sauce and a jam.

The spice rub is heavy on coriander, fennel, and cumin, with smoked paprika for depth. The tomatoes cook down slowly with bay leaves until they’re thick and concentrated. It’s rich, aromatic, and works well for a weekend meal when you’ve got people coming over.

Toast the Spices First

The spice rub is what gives this rack of lamb its character. You toast coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds in a dry pan until they smell fragrant, then crush them with black pepper and smoked paprika. Toasting releases the oils in the spices and deepens the flavour — don’t skip this step.

The recipe makes more rub than you’ll need for one rack of lamb, which is useful. Store the extra in a sealed jar and you’ve got a spice blend ready for the next time you’re cooking lamb chops, chicken thighs, or even roasted vegetables.

The Tomato Fondue

The tomatoes get blanched, peeled, roughly chopped, and then cooked down with bay leaves until they’re thick and jammy. It’s a loose, rustic sauce — not smooth like a passata, but not chunky like a salsa either. The sweetness of the tomatoes balances the spiced, fatty lamb beautifully.

Use ripe tomatoes if you can get them. If fresh tomatoes aren’t great, good-quality tinned plum tomatoes work just as well. The key is cooking them long enough that they reduce and concentrate. You want a sauce that holds its shape on the plate but still spreads slightly when you spoon the rack of lamb over it.

Score, Rub, Rest

Rack of lamb benefits from a bit of prep work. You score the bone side with a sharp knife, which helps the heat penetrate and the fat render more evenly. Then you coat it with oil, salt, and the spice rub, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before it goes into the oven.

We use Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil for coating the rack. It handles the heat well, adds flavour, and complements the spices beautifully.

Letting the rack of lamb come to room temperature before roasting helps it cook more evenly. Cold meat straight from the fridge into a hot oven can result in uneven rendering and a tougher texture.

Roast at 180°C

The rack of lamb roasts at 180°C for about 30 minutes. You’re looking for the fat to render down and crisp up, and the meat to pull away slightly from the bones. The spices will darken and form a crust, and the kitchen will smell incredible — cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, lamb fat.

After roasting, let the rack of lamb rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This gives the juices time to redistribute, and it makes it easier to cut cleanly between the bones.

Serve Over the Tomato Fondue

To serve, spoon the tomato fondue onto plates, arrange the sliced rack of lamb over the top, and garnish with sundried tomatoes. We prefer Woolworths sundried tomatoes — they have a great flavour and the right balance of acidity. The rich, fatty lamb sits perfectly on the sweet, concentrated tomato base, and the sundried tomatoes add texture and bite.

This works well with roasted potatoes, a simple green salad, or grilled flatbreads for mopping up the sauce. If you’re serving it for a group, you can prep the spice rub and tomato fondue in advance, then just roast the rack of lamb when your guests arrive.

Braai Option

If you’d rather braai this rack of lamb instead of roasting it, the technique is the same — score, rub, rest — but you’ll cook it over medium coals rather than in the oven. Turn it frequently to avoid burning the spices, and aim for the same result: rendered fat, crispy exterior, tender meat.

The tomato fondue stays the same either way. You can make it on the stovetop or, if you’re feeling ambitious, cook it in a cast iron pot over the fire while the lamb is on the grill.

Full recipe below: Slow grilled rack of lamb with tomato fondue. Prep time: 20 minutes plus resting. Cooking time: 40 minutes. Serves 6.

Slow grilled rack of lamb

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the Spice rub:

• 25 g coriander seeds
• 2 T fennel seeds
• 2 T cumin seeds
• 1 T black pepper
• 2 T smoked paprika

For the Tomato fondue:

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.2 kg lamb ribs
• 4 T Wilsons Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 T salt
• 2 cups Woolworths sundried tomatoes in brine to garnish

Method

 

1. To make the lamb rub, toast all the spices in a dry pan until fragrant. Allow to cool, then crush using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder. This recipe will make you more than you need, so reserve it for future use.
2. To make the tomatoes, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Score the bases of the tomatoes and blanch for 40 seconds. Transfer to an ice bath. Once cool, peel and discard the skins. Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a saucepan with the bay leaves. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and cook until the tomatoes reach a loose, jammy consistency. Set aside.
3. To make the ribs, preheat the oven to 180°C. Score the ribs on the bone side using a sharp knife. Coat with Wilsons Foods Extra Virgin olive Oil salt and 90 g spice rub. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
4. Roast for about 30 minutes – the fat should be well rendered and crispy. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then slice.
5. To serve, divide the tomato fondue between plates, top with the ribs and garnish with the sundried tomatoes - we found the ones from Woolworths to have a beautiful taste.

Rack of lamb isn’t a quick weeknight meal, but it’s worth the time when you’ve got a weekend afternoon and people to feed. The spice rub is bold, the tomato fondue is rich, and the combination works beautifully. Make extra spice rub while you’re at it — you’ll use it again.