Tony Zentgraf
Mongolian Lamb is a dish usually found in Australia made from small cuts of lamb leg. Depending on the recipe, you may find five spice powder in the ingredient list. If you are a fan of rack of lamb and five spice seasoning with a sweet & spicy sauce, Five Spice Marinated Lamb Chops with Six Spice Mongolian Sauce is for you.
Try these other Lamb recipes from Culinary Seasons
Rack of Lamb a Tender Cut
Rack of lamb marinated in a five spice & honey soy marinade then grilled. Grilling produces char, and brings out some flavors that you would not get from a saute pan, oven or even a wok.
Pair the char of the marinated lamb with the sweet and spicy sauce laced with five spice. Thai chilis bring in the sixth spice in the sauce for the kick of heat.
Five Spice Powder – Its all about the number 5
Traditional spice combination for Five Spice Powder is Star Anise, Cinnamon, Cloves, Sichuan Peppercorns and Fennel Seeds. Depending on the regional chef preference the mix may have dried orange peel, ginger, nutmeg or white pepper. Some regions may favor sweeter mixes using more cinnamon where other regions may increase the sichuan peppercorns for more spice.
Five Spice the Medicinal Spice Mix
Five Spice Powder has origins in traditional Chinese medicine. The belief is that the spice blend brings balance to one’s Yin and Yang. Each spice brings elements that aid in the health of different organs.
The number five has several meanings in Chinese culture, one being the five elements – Fire, Metal, Earth, Water & Wood; it is thought that the five spices may represent these elements.
In Chinese cooking the number five also has meaning – Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter & Spicy: the flavors that you will find in the cuisine.
Buy some Chinese 5 Spice
Lamb: the Meat of Choice for much of Asia
2019 lamb production in the world ranks highest in Asian countries overall. China leads the pack by more than double the next two positions combined. Australia and New Zealand ranking 2 and 3 respectively. Their lamb production is known in the U.S. as a high quality lamb import.
The U.S. produces lamb but falls way down on the list at 30 for production numbers. The lamb produced in the U.S. is good quality. Sadly lamb is not as popular a meat as beef, pork and chicken.
Give the Five Spice Marinated Lamb Chops a try! The rack of lamb is a mild meat that adapts well to different flavor enhancements.
Enjoy!
Five Spice Marinated Lamb Chops with Six Spice Mongolian Sauce
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5 Spice Marinated Rack of Lamb Ingredients
- 1 ea Lamb Rack (1.5-2 lb)
- 2 oz Soy Sauce
- 2 ½ tbsp Tbl Honey
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 ½ tbsp 5 Spice Powder
- ¼ tsp White Pepper
Mongolian Sauce Ingredients
- 1 1 Tbl Vegetable Oil
- 4 ea Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 ea Thai Chilis sliced
- 3 ea Scallions sliced ¼"
- ½ tsp 5 Spice Powder
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 2 oz Michiu Chinese Wine or Sherry
- 4 oz Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 3 oz Water
- Cornstarch to thicken (1 Tbl cornstarch 1-2 Tbl water combined) Should be the thickness of cream.
Instructions
Trim and Marinate the Lamb
- Clean the lamb rack if it is not done. Remove any excess meat and trim from the bones.
- Combine the ingredients for the marinade.
- In a resealable gallon size bag or container, place the lamb and pour the marinade over the lamb. Ensure the lamb is coated in the marinade.
- Marinate the lamb for 3-4 hours. Longer may start to cure the meat because of the soy sauce in the marinade.
Grilling Rack of Lamb
- Preheat the grill to a medium high heat.
- Grill the fat side down of the rack of lamb. Monitor the grilling to ensure that the lamb is not burning.
- Turn the rack of lamb to avoid flare ups from the fat.
- Rotate the rack of lamb every few minutes to keep from burning.
- Pull the rack of lamb from the heat when the internal temperature is 130°F for medium rare. Let the lamb rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting. The lamb will rise in temperature approximately 5° while it rests.
Making the 6 Spice Mongolian Sauce
- Combine the Sugar, Michiu Wine or Sherry, Oyster Sauce and Water. Mix to dissolve the sugar. These sauce ingredients can be mixed ahead and held aside until lamb is ready to serve.
- When ready to make the sauce, add the oil to a pan over medium high heat.
- Add the Garlic and saute. Avoid browning the garlic.
- Add the Scallions and Thai Chilis and saute briefly.
- Add the premixed sauce ingredients and the 5 spice powder, whisk together to incorporate the powder. Bring to a boil.
- Make the cornstarch slurry, mix cornstarch and water to remove any lumps.
- While whisking, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry and stop adding the cornstarch when the desired thickness is reached.
- Cut the rack of lamb between the bones to make chops with the bone attached. Serve with the sauce drizzled over and on the plate. Serve with Jasmine Rice and grilled vegetables. ENJOY!
