Turkish cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Stuffed Lamb Rib Rack

A rack of lamb ribs stuffed with spiced rice, sewn shut and slow-cooked in the oven for hours until tender.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.5 kg whole lamb rib rack
• 300 g long-grain rice
• 2 onions
• 60 g butter
• 50 g almonds
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp baharat spice blend
• 600 ml rich beef broth
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in warm salted water for 30 min. and rinse; cut a large pocket into the lamb rib rack between the meat and the bones with a sharp knife without severing the edges, and have kitchen twine and a needle ready.
2. Finely dice the onions and sauté in the butter for 6–8 min. until golden; coarsely chop the almonds and roast with the raisins for 2 min. until the almonds smell fragrant.
3. Add the drained rice, stir for 2–3 min. until translucent, season with allspice, cinnamon, baharat, salt and pepper, pour in 200 ml broth and let swell for 5 min. until half-cooked.
4. Season the inside of the meat pocket with salt and pepper, loosely fill with the rice stuffing – it will swell further – and sew the opening tightly shut with kitchen twine.
5. Place the rib rack in a deep roasting pan, pour in the remaining broth, seal tightly with a lid or double layer of foil and cook at 160 °C (320 °F) for 2.5 hrs. until the meat easily pulls away from the bone.
6. Remove the cover, brown uncovered for a further 25–30 min. at 200 °C (400 °F), let rest for 15 min., remove the twine and carve the rack between the ribs at the table.