Basque Lamb neck chops .

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

I am putting this here because its not smoked & its a secondary cut.

Its a cut that used to go in Irish stews & Lancaster hot pots or whatever a stew was called in your language of choice.

I will get a picture up shortly.Up at the local they must have been breaking up lamb bodies this morning.The actual neck gets cross cut on the bandsaw ,I got those chops from the very top of rib cage & a couple of bits of collar.

The recipe I found called for these radishes that were cooked in with the lamb.I don't have them near me but I have seen them before.I will have to wing it

I cook a bit of Spanish food so I have everything else on hand.

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

IMG_0128.jpg

moikel
Apr 7, 2016

I am not going to trim these.

First step will be dust with mix of salt,CBP,paprika & cayenne.Then brown in big sauté pan in some EVO

smoking b · Apr 7, 2016

This has potential! Standing by to see how this turns out...

daveomak · Apr 7, 2016

Good lookin' meat Mick....

chef jimmyj · Apr 7, 2016

I would not have expected the neck to be so meaty. Looks like a nice meal in the works...JJ

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

Chef JimmyJ said:
I would not have expected the neck to be so meaty. Looks like a nice meal in the works...JJ

They are meaty!The fat is more between muscle than over the outside so I won't trim them.I can skim fat off the top before serving.

Other ingredients are,sherry vinegar,sugar,anchovies,chicken stock,cinnamon ,fresh rosemary,fresh mint.

I have never eaten a cooked radish! The recipe has them cooked in with the meat like a little potato. I can see that it makes sense but its that pink & white oval radish & I haven't seen them in my 'hood.

chef jimmyj · Apr 7, 2016

Sounds like the French Breakfast Radish. Pretty mild, I would imagine 2cm Cubed Daikon would work well and be available locally...JJ

dirtsailor2003 · Apr 7, 2016

Mik I'm all in! Send a plate this way please!

tc fish bum · Apr 7, 2016

I have 5 neck roasts in the freezer from the lambs I processed this year. I really don't do neck all that much, but the old timer loves them so I save them for him instead of grinding them. that looks really interesting but how are they cut ? I have a saw , so all I need is to know how to,/what the cut is called , and where to look online. can you help me? I would love to try that.

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

Its the last couple of ribs cut as a chop then the collar cut crossways. Best end of neck it used to be called back in the day. I am not a butcher & its a long while since I helped out when we processed our own animals back in the day.

The actual neck can just be cut into equal pieces with a saw. It is a bit bonier but still tasty.A great cut if you were doing a Turkish lamb & bean casserole or some other shepherd inspired dish.

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

tc fish bum said:
I have 5 neck roasts in the freezer from the lambs I processed this year. I really don't do neck all that much, but the old timer loves them so I save them for him instead of grinding them. that looks really interesting but how are they cut ? I have a saw , so all I need is to know how to,/what the cut is called , and where to look online. can you help me? I would love to try that.

I tried to answer as best I can.If you looked for "best end of neck" that would be a good start. Thats the British tradition but you see it used in all sorts of farmhouse style dishes. I have posted a lot of lamb dishes over the years .The Moroccan tagine I have done with shanks will work with neck.

Let me roll this Basque shepherds dish out & see what you think.

The nose to tail section is all about those less fashionable but seriously underrated cuts that make cooks really cook .

moikel · Apr 7, 2016

tc fish bum said:
I have 5 neck roasts in the freezer from the lambs I processed this year. I really don't do neck all that much, but the old timer loves them so I save them for him instead of grinding them. that looks really interesting but how are they cut ? I have a saw , so all I need is to know how to,/what the cut is called , and where to look online. can you help me? I would love to try that.

Have a look at this mate ,it might give you a clearer picture of the actual cut.Another shepherds dish.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/176211/lamb-puglia-style

tc fish bum · Apr 8, 2016

your a rock star!! We raise rabbits, turkeys, sheep, chickens and goats and its nose to tail food in the freezer for all of them. mutton liver is probably my death row last meal pick of choice. so yes I agree farmhouse cooking is the best test of a chef. poor people have devised some of the best food in the world! MY kids think that's how everyone eats, thanks for the info

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

IMG_0131.jpg

moikel
Apr 8, 2016

IMG_0133.jpg

moikel
Apr 8, 2016

OK to this point was easy now I have decisions to make about radish!

Salt,CBP,paprika,cayenne over the neck pieces.

I put 2 big cloves of garlic in the pan just smashed with cleaver,fried removed.

Browned meat then took it out .

Then to the pan I put a fat half a wine glass of dry sherry , 2 tabs of sherry vinegar, 1 tab light brown sugar ( Cant find the white

) & 4 anchovy fillets ,mashed them up as I stirred & reduced it down.

Then in went chicken stock ,finely chopped fresh rosemary,about a teaspoon,1/2 stick cinnamon .I don't have powdered .

Put meat back in.

I can't find these posh radishes & there wasn't daikon at the shops either.

I have the standard red ones that go in salads but I am going to divert & use red shallots instead.

I will leave them whole ,arranged in with the meat & put it in the oven for ??? 2 hours.

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

I found this recipe on the net when I was looking for something else on youtube.to try to assist somebody with lamb ideas.

Its very well executed by its creator.I only changed a few things .I added garlic,I subbed shallots,& I went 50/50 sherry & vinegar instead of 100% vinegar so I could back the sugar off a bit.I am cutting it out of my diet as best I can.

I dont change things just to be a smart arse & this looks a real good recipe.

Neck is 1/2 the cost of rack. Its a very tasty cut not to fatty.My late mother used to make fricassee of lamb neck ,she was a hell of a cook.

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

I kept shallots whole trimmed roots on bottom .Last step is remove lamb & shallots,reduce liquid ,add finely chopped fresh mint & a lump of cold butter.

If its to fatty I will skim it before the above step.

Pour liquid back over lamb & veg that you have kept warm.

Sides will be little potatoes & some green thing.

This recipe was originally for shoulder chops cut quite thick,I reckon it would work with whole shoulder if thats what had on hand.It will soft enough to pull the bone.

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

Now that was something.!
I will get photos up in a minute I can't post from I pad .
I skimmed it after 2 hours in the oven & an hour stove top lid off.
I skipped the butter,it was rich enough from the marrow ,EVO.
I had cavolo Nero & little potatoes with it & a nice red wine.
The sauce was killer. Really something. Shallots was a good sub.
The anchovy ,sherry vinegar,sherry,sugar really gave it some depth.
I wouldn't change a thing,nothing . I grow my own herbs,cooking sherry is cheap. It just had a background warmth from paprika & cayenne
I can't say now, hand on my heart that I can improve on it. No tinkering ,it's a done deal.
You can make it with shoulder chops or even whole shoulder ,I wouldn't use other cuts .I would use goat.

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

tc fish bum said:
your a rock star!! We raise rabbits, turkeys, sheep, chickens and goats and its nose to tail food in the freezer for all of them. mutton liver is probably my death row last meal pick of choice. so yes I agree farmhouse cooking is the best test of a chef. poor people have devised some of the best food in the world! MY kids think that's how everyone eats, thanks for the info

I can't eat mutton liver or even lamb it's just a taste I can't deal with.
I just like that old school cookery where you worked out how to eat everything because you couldn't waste food.
It's sophisticated cookery with unsophisticated ingredients. It's real kitchen skill to turn out a meal from the lesser meat.In a Basque farmhouse there would be sherry,sherry vinegar, herbs,garlic,root veg out of the garden ,chicken stock,paprika was probably home made .The only thing they bought was the sugar , salt & pepper!!!!
I envy your home grown produce. I do have a thing for goat!

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

IMG_0135.jpg

moikel
Apr 8, 2016

IMG_0138.jpg

moikel
Apr 8, 2016

IMG_0144.jpg

moikel
Apr 8, 2016

moikel · Apr 8, 2016

Thats locked in from this day forward

.Really something,clever cookery but also very old school.

I didn't create the recipe I just tinkered with it to use neck & varied it in a very minor way to cater to my own palette .

That sherry vinegar,anchovy ,sugar deal is really nuanced cookery,its a great base flavour to build off.I had some dry cooking sherry on hand so I drifted that way but mostly I stuck to the original recipe.

It does have a real farm house feel,very traditional & traditions exist for a reason.

This a recipe for people who haven't had good lamb yet.

Thanks for watching.

Mick

Basque Lamb neck chops .

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Smoking Guru

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

Epic Pitmaster

Meat Mopper

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Meat Mopper

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Master of the Pit

Similar threads

Hot Threads

Featured A couple thick strips please!