How to French a Rack of Lamb

The classic presentation for a roasted rack of lamb, such as rack of lamb with rosemary and thyme, calls for frenching the meat—removing the layer of muscle and fat that extends to the end of the rib bones. Here are step-by-step instructions.

Start with a 3½-lb. untrimmed rack of lamb, a sharp boning knife, and a few 12" lengths of kitchen twine.
Remove the thick cap of muscle-streaked fat covering the chops by slicing along the seam and pulling away fat as you go.
Make a crosswise cut all the way across the fatty top side of the rib bones, as high or as low as you like (shown here at 1½" above the rib chops).
Slip your blade under the crosswise cut, against the bone, and slice off the rectangular layer of fat, which should pull away from the ribs easily.
Remove the strips of meat between the rib bones by cutting along inner edges of bones until you reach the crosswise cut.
Tie kitchen twine securely around the base of each bone and pull the twine outward to scrape off any remaining bits of meat or membrane.
ANDRÉ BARANOWSKI
Techniques

How to French a Rack of Lamb

The classic presentation for a roasted rack of lamb, such as rack of lamb with rosemary and thyme, calls for frenching the meat—removing the layer of muscle and fat that extends to the end of the rib bones. Here are step-by-step instructions.

Start with a 3½-lb. untrimmed rack of lamb, a sharp boning knife, and a few 12" lengths of kitchen twine.
Remove the thick cap of muscle-streaked fat covering the chops by slicing along the seam and pulling away fat as you go.
Make a crosswise cut all the way across the fatty top side of the rib bones, as high or as low as you like (shown here at 1½" above the rib chops).
Slip your blade under the crosswise cut, against the bone, and slice off the rectangular layer of fat, which should pull away from the ribs easily.
Remove the strips of meat between the rib bones by cutting along inner edges of bones until you reach the crosswise cut.
Tie kitchen twine securely around the base of each bone and pull the twine outward to scrape off any remaining bits of meat or membrane.

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