Braised Lamb Neck

2-3lb lamb neck, whole or cut

2 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed & peeled

2 to 3 whole carrots, roll cut

1 pint mushrooms, baby bellas are good

1 med to large onion, sometimes red sometimes white

1 handful thyme

1 handful rosemary

1 to 1 1/2 cups wine

half cup water

Instructions:

Pat lamb dry. Liberally coat in salt & pepper. Press smashed garlic into grooves & crevices all over neck. Leave loosely wrapped in butcher paper overnight in the fridge (if prepping the night before) or on the counter to come to room temperature for 1-2 hours (optional). Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat dutch oven over med-hi, add EVOO. Once oil is hot add lamb and let sear on each side for 1 to 2 minutes. Once browned on all sides, remove and set aside. Bring heat back up in dutch oven and add more oil. Once oil is hot again, add in carrots, mushrooms and onion creating a "rack" at the bottom of the dutch oven. Place lamb carefully on top and add in herbs. Pour in liquid to cover 1/2" at bottom of Dutch Oven.

Fit with lid and place in 300 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours. Check halfway to make sure there’s still liquid in the base of the pan. Be sure to rest the meat as long as you can stand. Sometimes I pull the meat & veg to a platter then reduce the braising likker over the stove to finish on top of a bed of cheesy white grits.

*amberoncini tip: sometimes I toss in potatoes, sometimes I add tomato paste, sometimes I just use water, sometimes I use bay leaf, sometimes I use sage. Point is….don’t let the exact ingredients inhibit you from creating this dish. It’s one hundred percent cozy. one hundred percent impressive.