Want to see this in action? Check out our video on how to french a rack of lamb.
Removing the meat from around the bone ends of a lamb, beef, pork, or veal rib rack—called “frenching”— results in a more elegant, finished look. Though it’s a task often left up to the butcher, it’s actually a pretty cool and uncomplicated technique that’s easy to pull off at home. And learning to do it yourself will make you feel like a real culinary pro. For tools, all you need is a sharp boning knife and a little elbow grease.
1. Make a single, long cut down the length of the meaty side of the rack, positioning the knife perpendicular to the bones 2 to 3 inches from the rib-eye meat. Cut all the way through to the bones.
2. Set the rack on end. Using the long cut as a guide, pierce through the meat between each bone.
3. Starting from the points where you pierced the meat, score the membrane along each bone so the bones can break through the membrane more easily.
4. With your thumbs on the bone side and your fingers on the meaty side, bend the meat back from the bones until the bones come free down to the points where you pierced between them. Use a fair amount of force; in some sections, you may need to use a fingertip to help free the bone from the meat.
5. Remove the flap of meat from the bones—it may come away on its own, or you may need to make a few small cuts to free it completely. If the shoulder blade bone is present, pull it out, too. If any patches of meat or membrane remain on the bones, scrape them off with the knife.
6. Separate and pull off the layer of meat and fat (the fat cap) over the remaining meaty part of the rack, leaving just the layer of fat directly over the rib-eye meat. Discard the meat and fat scraps or save for another use.
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