There’s something incredibly satisfying about a dish that takes its time. In this chapter of PIG Tales: in the Kitchen, Head Chef Andy from THE PIG-at Bridge Place gets stuck into one of those slow-cooked dishes that delivers big comfort with very little fuss.
We’re talking braised lamb neck, a flavour-packed cut that softens beautifully with a few hours in the oven, paired with the best of the garden: crisp asparagus, sweet peas, and foraged wild garlic gently wilted in butter.
It’s a one-pot wonder. The kind of thing you can start in the afternoon and let bubble away while you get on with your day, and then serve up with pride when the time is right.
Scroll down for the full recipe - and don’t forget to catch Andy cooking it up in our latest YouTube episode!
Ingredients
For the Lamb
- 2 lamb neck fillets (bone-in or boneless, approx. 500–700g total)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 500ml lamb or chicken stock
- Sea salt & black pepper
- A splash of white wine
For the Garnish
- 150g peas (fresh or frozen)
- 6–8 asparagus spears, trimmed
- A handful of wild garlic leaves
- Knob of butter
- Lemon zest
- Sea salt
Method
- Season your lamb necks generously with salt and pepper. In a heavy cast iron pan or Dutch oven, heat a splash of oil (or pop the pan directly into a wood oven if you’ve got one going) and brown the lamb well on all sides. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and let it reduce by half in the oven.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Nestle the lamb necks back into the pan, cover with a lid or foil, and place them into the oven. Cook gently for 2.5–3 hours, basting now and then, until the meat is tender and starting to fall away.
- While the lamb finishes, blanch the peas and asparagus in salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes until just tender. Refresh in iced water to keep them bright. In a separate pan, melt a knob of butter, then gently wilt the wild garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in the peas and asparagus to warm through. Season with a pinch of salt and a little lemon zest to finish.
- Lift the lamb necks from the braising liquor and plate with the buttery greens. Spoon over some of the cooking juices and serve straight away – rich, vibrant, and packed with flavour.
Watch the full episode of PIG Tales: in the Kitchen and see Andy walk through this dish step by step – watch it now on YouTube here!
