Korean Barbecued Rack of Lamb

Name: Korean Barbecued Rack of Lamb
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 8 h 50 min
Yield: 2 racks of lamb
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste); 6 cloves garlic, crushed; ¼ cup minced green onions, white and light green parts only; 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar; 3 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 (1 pound) racks of lamb, trimmed; kosher salt to taste

Rating: 4.79 stars

14 Ratings
10 Reviews
6 Photos

Lamb's subtly sweet gaminess works perfectly with the funky goodness of gochujang chile paste. The salt and sugar content of the simple Korean marinade acts as a brine for the lamb, producing a juicy interior when soaked overnight. In the final stage, the marinade is reduced, doubling as a sauce. I love using rack for this, since it's more tender and easier to work with than leg and a little more user-friendly than chops.

By Chef John

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Recipe Summary

prep:

15 mins

cook:

25 mins

additional:

8 hrs 10 mins

total:

8 hrs 50 mins

Servings:

Yield:

2 racks of lamb

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
Combine gochujang, garlic, green onions, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt. Whisk marinade until thoroughly combined.

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Step 2
Trim any excess fat along the surface of lamb. Cut a slash about 1 1/2 inches deep between each rib bone, stopping above the loin. Transfer racks to a zip-top bag. Place bag in a bowl; pour marinade inside. Seal the bag and massage the marinade onto the lamb. Marinate in the refrigerator, turning once or twice, 8 to 24 hours.
Step 3
Remove racks of lamb to a plate and return marinade to the fridge. Blot off extra moisture from the fatty side of the lamb. Sprinkle more kosher salt on top.
Step 4
Preheat grill to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add racks fat side-down and cook until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F (52 degrees C), 12 to 15 minutes more. Plate lamb and let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; continue cooking until reduced to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes more. Brush glaze over the lamb.

Chef's Notes:

You should find gochujang at any grocery store where the cool kids shop, but if not, it's available online.

The ingredient amounts below will only allow for a few tablespoons of sauce, once reduced. If you want more, just double the amounts, and save half to add to your reduction.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

421 calories; protein 24.2g; carbohydrates 12.4g; fat 30g; cholesterol 97mg; sodium 1626.3mg. Full Nutrition

Reviews (10)

Most helpful positive review

Soma Bars

08/13/2018

Excellent marinade and it really did cut down on the gamey flavor. I grilled it over charcoal and finished it in the oven. Read More

Helpful

(1)

Most helpful critical review

NevadaMike

04/02/2020

As presented, this recipe is an absolute salt bomb for people who must restrict their sodium. I cut the soy sauce in half and eliminated the salt. I added low sodium sweet chili paste-about 2 tablespoons- and the results were delicious. Note to Chef John, keep those who should keep an eye on their salt intake in mind. Most people get entirely too much. Read More

14 Ratings

5 star values: 13
4 star values: 0
3 star values: 0
2 star values: 1
1 star values: 0

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Panat Do

06/22/2020

Amazing! Read More

Helpful

(1)

Soma Bars

08/13/2018

Excellent marinade and it really did cut down on the gamey flavor. I grilled it over charcoal and finished it in the oven. Read More

Helpful

(1)

Pam

04/13/2020

Used Hosisin sauce instead of the Gochujang( hot pepper paste) it turned out perfect. Sweet and spicy. I didn't find it overly salty and it did cut down on the gamey flavor of the lamb. Reduced the marinade down and used at the table. Served the lamb with the cool cucumber salad, perfect combination. Read More

sunamcm

06/14/2020

This is a REALLY good recipe. I reduced the sauce, but didn't use any of it because they were so flavorful right off of the grill. I put the sauce in the fridge for some ribs I'm getting ready to cook on the grill! Read More