Grilled Lamb Ribs
“Every holiday I think of lamb,” says Los Angeles chef Ari Kolender. “Grandma used to make rack of lamb with mint jelly every winter when I was growing up. This version swaps the Ninja Turtle–colored condiment for an anchovy-spiked salsa verde. The lamb can be braised well in advance and will hold in the fridge for a few days if need be. That way, all you need to do is grill or sear the meat to heat it back up during the rest of your busy holiday celebration.”
Pairs with: 2021 Timeline Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “Drink the Issue: Sunset Wine Club’s Perfect Pairings from the 2023 Holiday Issue.”
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 325°F on convection, or 350°F standard.
Season the ribs with kosher salt, dried thyme, and ground cumin. Let them sit 20 minutes in the fridge.
Meanwhile, put the red wine, shallots, four cloves of garlic, and tomatoes in a medium bowl and stir, breaking the tomatoes in half.
Arrange the ribs in one even layer in a baking dish (you may need a second dish, depending on size). The ribs will stick together if you stack them. Ladle the tomato-wine mix over the lamb and cover the dish(es) tightly with foil. Bake 2½ to 3 hours. You are looking for the meat to be fork-tender, starting to separate from the bones.
While the lamb is baking, make the salsa verde. Place all remaining ingredients except breadcrumbs and lemon wedges into a blender and blend on high for about 20 seconds, making sure that everything is well incorporated. Add a touch more olive oil if needed. Set aside.
Remove the ribs from the oven and let cool to room temperature, so you can handle them properly. Slice them into 2-bone pieces, and reserve all the goodies from the pan for later.
When it’s time to eat, briefly grill the ribs to mark them, or sear them in a heavy-bottomed pan. You can also warm them back up in the oven.
To serve, place a dollop of the salsa verde onto each piece of lamb and give it a good smear. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the salsa, and place the ribs onto a platter. Serve with lemon and a sidecar of all the leftover tomatoes and shallots from the pan drippings.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F on convection, or 350°F standard.
Season the ribs with kosher salt, dried thyme, and ground cumin. Let them sit 20 minutes in the fridge.
Meanwhile, put the red wine, shallots, four cloves of garlic, and tomatoes in a medium bowl and stir, breaking the tomatoes in half.
Arrange the ribs in one even layer in a baking dish (you may need a second dish, depending on size). The ribs will stick together if you stack them. Ladle the tomato-wine mix over the lamb and cover the dish(es) tightly with foil. Bake 2½ to 3 hours. You are looking for the meat to be fork-tender, starting to separate from the bones.
While the lamb is baking, make the salsa verde. Place all remaining ingredients except breadcrumbs and lemon wedges into a blender and blend on high for about 20 seconds, making sure that everything is well incorporated. Add a touch more olive oil if needed. Set aside.
Remove the ribs from the oven and let cool to room temperature, so you can handle them properly. Slice them into 2-bone pieces, and reserve all the goodies from the pan for later.
When it’s time to eat, briefly grill the ribs to mark them, or sear them in a heavy-bottomed pan. You can also warm them back up in the oven.
To serve, place a dollop of the salsa verde onto each piece of lamb and give it a good smear. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the salsa, and place the ribs onto a platter. Serve with lemon and a sidecar of all the leftover tomatoes and shallots from the pan drippings.