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I am not ashamed to say that Vito, my Shiba Inu, is pretty spoiled. It's hard to look into those pitch-black shark eyes as he shakes his plush, tightly coiled tail and say no. It took a while to find Vito a brand and type of food that would agree with his sensitive stomach. After a lot of trial and error, we landed on Stella and Chewy's freeze-dried lamb patties. Now the mere scent of lamb is enough to whip him into a wide-eyed frenzy.
It got me thinking about all the delicious cuts that make it into pet food because many people only shop for lamb chops or shanks rather than the neck or belly. So I'd like to introduce you to Off-Cuts! I'll be dropping my favorite recipes for all those under-appreciated meaty bits in this mini-series. So the next time you're shopping around for some meat, pick up a cut you wouldn't usually. Don't let all the good stuff go to the dogs! Let's kick things off with lamb neck, a wonderland of soft, sticky, tender meat, especially when cooked low and slow.
What makes lamb neck so special?
High activity muscles, aka muscles that spend their time doing hard work like legs and cheeks, are loaded with collagen. Collagen is a protein that is the primary building block of our skin, and it is what makes a really good stock or broth set when it's chilled. It's that sticky feeling on your lips when you eat a perfect rib. Collagen and fat are the elements of meat that melt during cooking and make these cuts so succulent and tender. Lamb necks are incredibly high in collagen and fat, making it almost impossible to turn out dry.
Super Sticky & Tender Dry Roasted Lamb Neck (Or Whatever Tough Cut Calls to Your Heart)
As with most proteins, the best place to start is with a dry brine. The salt on the exterior draws out moisture and dissolves, creating a concentrated wet brine on the surface of the meat. This (now) wet brine gets pulled into the muscle fibers over time. The brine seasons the meat while restructuring the internal protein strands to retain more moisture. It also aids in the breakdown of collagen and fat once the heat is applied.
Dry roasting a brined lamb neck results in a crispy, lacy exterior of rendered fat and crackly meat encasing tender, moist strands of lamb. And it's just as a "set it and forget it" method as a braise. This dry roasting technique isn't just for lamb neck either. Try it with any other tough cut, from pork belly to short ribs and even shanks. Keep in mind that various cuts will take a different length of time to roast, so start checking for doneness after 2 hours.
One 4-pound lamb neck
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons Lebanese 7-spice
3 tablespoons olive oil
In a medium bowl, combine the kosher salt and Lebanese 7-spice, and stir until evenly combined. Toss the lamb neck in the spice mixture.
Line a sheet tray with foil and top with a rack. Place the seasoned lamb neck on top and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 and up to 48 hours.
Heat oven to 350F. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the sheet tray with the lamb neck and cover with foil.
Roast in the oven until the meat is tender and easily pulls off the bone, about 3 to 3 1/2 hours. (Be sure to check the tray every hour to ensure that it hasn't dried out, replenish with more water as needed.)
Remove lamb from the oven, increase heat to 400F.
Uncover the lamb, rub evenly with olive oil, and return to the oven to roast until golden brown, crisp, and crackly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Wrap the neck in a layer of parchment, then foil, and rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving.
This dry roasting method yields two vastly varying textures: The exterior crackles with crisp shards of intense lamb savoriness. At the same time, the interior holds glistening, tender fibers of moist meat perfumed with warmth from the spice blend.
Besides just digging in, there is so much you can do with roasted, tender meat. Shred it and stir it into a pot of beans, tear big chunks onto a warm tortilla, or toss into pasta. I just know that I have to keep my guard up. Whenever I'm at my counter picking at lamb neck, Vito is lurking around a corner waiting for his opportunity to get back what he thinks is rightfully his.
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