ROASTED RACK OF LAMB
WITH STRAWBERRY MINT MARINADE
Eating meat comes with a large amount of responsibility and awareness. It is so important to understand where your meat is coming from and how it got to your table. Here are a few things to consider when sourcing out your next dinner.
Pasture Raised
Animals that are pasture raised spend the majority, if not all of their time outside and not in cages. These happy animals roam the land eating plants and insects that they naturally digest and improve the fertility of the soil with their manure.
Grass Fed
Animals that are grass fed are also pasture raised. They eat what they are intended to and not feed that is indigestible causing digestive problems, bloating, inflammation and pain. The grazed grass animals tend to have leaner meat providing a higher amount of Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants.
Growth Hormone and Antibiotics free
In Canada hormones are only allowed in cattle (beef) only with the exception of dairy cows. Hormones are used to speed up the growth of an animal to sell at a faster rate.
Antibiotics are used in raising animals to treatment of sickness caused by bacteria, prevention of disease, and to enhance feed efficiency.
Regenerative Agriculture
This new movement in agriculture rehabilitates and enhances the farm's ecosystem focusing on topsoil regeneration. These sustainable practices increase soil biodiversity and organic matter, leading to more resilient soils that can better withstand climate change.
Reduce Your Consumption
Not only will eating less meat benefit your health, it will also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. Agriculture is one of the largest contributors to emitting greenhouse gases with deforestation to make land and crops for grazing animals, methane is produced by composting manure and cow’s passing gas and nitrous oxide is released when with the use of nitrogen heavy fertilizers.
Ethically sourced Lamb Farms in Southern Ontario
Whispering Meadows whisperingmeadows.ca
Buschbeck Farms buschbeckfarms.ca
Linc Farms lincfarm.com
Woolley Farms woolleyslamb.ca
Harley Farms harleyfarms.ca
INGREDIENTS
STRAWBERRY MARINADE
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup strawberries (fresh or thawed if frozen)
1 garlic clove
½ shallot
handful of fresh mint
3-4 sprigs of thyme
sprinkle of sea salt
dash of pepper
LAMB
1 lamb rack 1.15-1.25 lbs
METHOD
STRAWBERRY MARINADE
Add the strawberries, garlic, shallot, and mint into a blender
Blend until all combined (about 30 seconds)
Pour 3/4 of the marinade overtop of lamb and rub in covering the whole lamb
Add springs of thyme on top and underneath the lamb, keep in the fridge overnight
Keep the rest of of marinade in a container in the fridge to use for the next day as a sauce
Take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to let the lamb come to room temperature
GRILLING:
Place your rack of lamb skin side down on the grill over direct heat with lid closed for 5 minutes
Turn the rack of lamb over on the other side and cook for the remaining time which is about 8 -10 minutes
Take the lamb off the grill about 5 degrees before it reaches your desired temperature as it will raise to that temp while resting.
Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes and slice between the ribs to serve
BAKING:
Start the oven at 350°F
Bake with the lamb skin side up for 20 minutes
Turn the temperature up to 425°F and cook for another 10 minutes.
Test the temperature to see where the lamb is at and continue to cook and check the thermometer every 5 minutes until you reach your desired cooking temperature.
Blue Bloody Rare – 125 degrees F (51 degrees C)
Med Rare – 135 degrees F (57 degrees C)
Medium – 145 degrees F (62 degrees C)
Med Well – 155 degrees F (68 degrees C)
Well Done – 165 degrees F (73 degrees C)
