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Lamb Rack

Lamb · Rack
GrillRoast
Raw Lamb Rack — Lamb Rack cut
Also called
🇬🇧Rack of Lamb🇲🇽🇦🇷Rack de cordero🇫🇷Carré d'agneau🇪🇸Costillar de cordero🇵🇹Carré de borrego🇧🇷Carré de cordeiro🇮🇹Carrè d'agnello🇩🇪Lammkarree
→ See all Lamb Rack substitutes by country

The rack is the most prized primal cut on the lamb, comprising 6 to 8 rib bones of the upper back between the neck and the loin. When trimmed and frenched, the exposed rib bones make it one of the most elegant presentations in butchery. It is sold whole for roasting, as two racks formed into a crown roast, or separated into individual rib cutlets. A classic of French haute cuisine as carré d'agneau, and a centrepiece of fine dining worldwide.

Names by country

CountryNameNotes
🇺🇸United StatesLamb Rackprimary
🇬🇧United KingdomRack of LambAlso called best end of neck in traditional British butchery.
🇲🇽MexicoRack de cordero
🇦🇷ArgentinaRack de cordero
🇫🇷FranceCarré d'agneauOne of the great classic roasts of French cuisine, often served with persillade crust.
🇪🇸SpainCostillar de corderoAlso called carré de cordero in fine dining contexts.
🇵🇹PortugalCarré de borrego
🇧🇷BrazilCarré de cordeiro
🇮🇹ItalyCarrè d'agnelloTraditional Italian preparation from at least the Renaissance; the French term is also used.
🇩🇪GermanyLammkarreeOften presented as 'Lammkrone' (crown roast) on holiday menus.

Free Lamb Rack reference card

Diagram, cooking notes, and 8 names on one printable page.

Free. One-page reference.

Similar cuts

Abbacchio
Abbacchioapproximate

Same anatomical primal but younger animal — abbacchio is whole-animal-young, regular lamb rack comes from older lambs.

Saddle of lamb
Saddle of lambapproximate

Anatomically adjacent — rack is the rib end (8 ribs), saddle is the loin section behind it. A whole rack-plus-saddle is sometimes called a *long saddle* or sold as a guard-of-honour preparation.

NeckRackLoinChumpLegShoulderBreast

Classic recipe

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb25 min

The herb-crusted rack of lamb is the centrepiece of formal dining — frenched ribs, rosy pink meat inside a crust of brea…

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More Rack cuts

Abbacchio

All Rack cuts →

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