Classic Crown of Lamb Recipe and Gravy

Gather the ingredients. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 40 minutes (it will be difficult to cut and shape the lamb if it is too cold).

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425 F. Flip the lamb over so that the bones are facing you. Using a sharp boning knife or chef's knife, make a 1-inch incision between the bottom of each bone on both racks.

Turn the lamb so the bones are facing away from you. Slice under the bones (no more than 1/2-inch) along the entire length of the rack. This incision is where you will be tying kitchen twine to form a circular "crown" shape. Be extra careful not to cut too deep or the meat will separate from the bone and possibly tear when you shape it.

Lay the racks fat-side up, on a work surface in front of you. Rub the fat side of a rack with half the olive oil, and half of the salt and pepper. Gently rub and press the salt and pepper into the fat to help it stick. Repeat with the second rack and remaining ingredients.

Stand the racks up, resting the bones on the work surface, and gently bend each into a semi-circle with the fat/meat side toward the inside. Press the racks together to form a circle.

Measure the diameter of the inside of the crown (you don’t need to be too precise, you just need an approximate size) and find a can or jar to fit comfortably in the middle. Cover the can or jar with aluminum foil. The covered jar will help to support the lamb while you tie the twine. 

With a length of kitchen twine long enough to tie around the racks twice, slip the twine into the sliced space under the bones. Pull firmly—but not too tightly or you'll cut into the meat—and secure with a knot.

With another double length of twine, tie twice around the center of the crown, pull firmly, and secure with a knot. Remove the can or jar. The crown will stand up very nicely all by itself.

Place the lamb onto a rack in a roasting pan, lightly scrunch up the foil you used to cover the can, and pop this into the center of the crown (the heat reflected by the foil helps to cook the lamb). Wrap each of the exposed bones with a small piece of foil to prevent them from burning during roasting.  Slip the sprigs of rosemary into twine around the crown to infuse the lamb with wonderful flavor and aroma.

Roast to your preferred doneness. Using a temperature probe will give you a precise guide by measuring the internal temperature of the meat.Rare: 115 to 120 F; medium-rare: 120 to 125 F; medium: 130 to 135 F; medium-well: 140 to 145 F; well-done: 150 to 155 F. If you don’t have a probe, roast 30 to 35 minutes for medium, reducing or adding 5 minutes each way for more or less doneness.

Once cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and transfer the lamb to a cutting board, leaving the roasting juices behind in the pan. Tent the lamb with foil and let rest for 15 minutes while you make the gravy. The internal temperature of the lamb will rise about 5 degrees more as the lamb rests. This is known as carryover cooking.

Place the roasting pan with the juices on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the juices start to bubble, add the red wine, stir and scrape up any browned bits stuck on the pan with a wooden spoon.

Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and let the sauce reduce by one-third.

Combine the flour and butter in a bowl to form a thick paste.

Once the sauce has reduced, turn the heat to high, add the flour paste, whisking until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Strain into a warmed gravy pitcher. Gently remove the rosemary sprigs and kitchen twine from the lamb. Serve the lamb on a platter garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs, hot gravy, roast potatoes, and vegetables, if desired.