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Slow braised lamb neck served over creamy Parmesan polenta with glossy red wine sauce and fresh parsley

Slow Braised Lamb Neck with Polenta

Lamb neck braised in red wine and stock for 3 hours, served over creamy Parmesan polenta with reduced braising juices.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 720
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Braised Lamb Neck
  • 1.4 kg bone-in lamb neck slices (about 4 cm thick) roughly 8 cross-cut pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 large brown onion, roughly diced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 250 ml dry red wine Shiraz or Grenache
  • 500 ml lamb or beef stock
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
Creamy Polenta
  • 200 g coarse stone-ground polenta
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 500 ml water or light chicken stock
  • 40 g unsalted butter
  • 50 g Parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 tsp fine salt plus more to taste
To Finish
  • small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Method
 

Sear the Lamb
  1. Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
  2. Pat lamb neck slices dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until just smoking. Sear lamb in two batches, 3 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Lower heat to medium. Add onion, celery, and carrot to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
  5. Add garlic and tomato paste. Stir for 1-2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly and smells fragrant.
Build the Braise
  1. Pour in the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift all the browned bits. Let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol.
  2. Add stock, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Return lamb pieces to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat.
  3. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with the lid and transfer to the oven.
  4. Braise for 2.5 hours covered. Remove the lid and braise for a further 30 minutes so the surface caramelizes and the liquid reduces slightly.
  5. Check the lamb - it should be fork-tender and starting to pull from the bone. If not, cover and return for another 30 minutes.
Make the Polenta
  1. About 45 minutes before the braise is done, combine milk and water (or stock) in a large heavy-based saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  2. Add salt, then pour in polenta in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly.
  3. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes with a wooden spoon, until polenta is thick, creamy, and pulls away from the sides of the pot as you stir.
  4. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and Parmesan until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm with a lid on.
Finish and Serve
  1. Remove lamb from the pot and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
  2. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract all the juice. Discard the spent vegetables and herbs.
  3. Simmer the strained liquid over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until it reduces to a glossy, coating sauce.
  4. Spoon polenta into wide shallow bowls. Place 2 pieces of lamb neck on top. Spoon sauce generously over the meat.
  5. Scatter chopped parsley over each bowl and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

The braise can be made up to 2 days ahead and gently reheated - the flavor deepens considerably overnight. Make polenta fresh on the day of serving for best texture.