You want deep red meat that is nicely marbled with a little fat, and that isn’t slimy or greying and grass-fed lamb, which is better for the animal and tastier too. One fillet generally weighs around 450g–600g so feeds 2–3 people well.

This cut of meat does contain a little sinew and silver skin, which can easily be trimmed away. Do this with a sharp knife or ask your butcher to trim it for you. 

Lamb neck is a muscle that, when cooked well, can be tender and delicious. But if not treated properly it can end up being chewy and tough. This is why it’s a classic choice for stews and braises, where it is cooked low and slow until meltingly soft. The strong, slightly gamey flavour of lamb also means it stands up well to bold flavours, so it's ideal for a heavily spiced curry or tagine.

It’s usually best to sear the meat in a pan first then scrape up the lovely bits from the bottom of the pan, soften your veg, then add to an ovenproof dish with you liquid and cook on low for a few hours until the meat falls apart easily when pressed with the back of a spoon. For a very special version of Lancashire hot pot using this method try Phil Fanning’s recipe.

The slow and low method means that lamb neck is perfect for cooking in the slow cooker. Set to low, cooked in a sauce, it should take around 6-7 hours. If you are braising on the hob, the same gentle cooking principles apply. As with Richard Corrigan’s traditional Scotch broth. 

Although often cooked slowly in a one-pot, lamb neck can also be pan-fried and served pink. Cooking it this way gives it a nice brown crust and tender middle. Try rubbing with oil and spices, or marinate it in a herby or garlicky mix to tenderise the meat even further. Fry the meat in a large frying pan for around 3-5 mins until nicely browned on each side. Allow to rest before serving as part of a salad, on a sarnie or with potatoes. Follow this recipe for the perfect pink lamb.

Alternatively, you can do as many chefs do, and brown the piece of meat off in the pan on all sides, then put into an oven to cook through. Serve with braised baby gem lettuce and peas as we do with this tasty recipe. Or for even speedier results, slice the neck thinly before frying, as Karen Burns-Booth does with this Mongolian curry dish. 

Lamb neck fillets work well on the barbecue, you can treat it almost like a pork tenderloin, rubbing with spices and oil and roasting as a large piece for around 30 minutes. And the meat tastes delicious marinated and charred on the outside, whilst remaining pink in the middle. 

The meat has a robust, slightly sweet flavour that works brilliantly with all sorts of pairings, such as earthy root veg, creamy and lemony sauces, punchy or spicy sauces and herby dressings. It is a favourite in classic British dishes, where it is often treated simply but with delicious results. As with William Drabbles rustic stew which uses just a few rustic ingredients simmered on the stove. Lamb and aubergine is a classic Mediterranean pairing, try it cooked down in a rich tomatoey sauce with lemon potatoes with our recipe. Or marinate the meat in a fragrant mix of Middle Eastern spices and yogurt with Imad Alarnab’s spin on shawarma.

Lamb neck will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days, but if you aren’t planning on cooking with it in this time then your fillet can easily be frozen. Put them in a sealed freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to keep leftover cooked lamb, cool to room temperature then chill in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Or to freeze put the cooled leftover meat in a sealed freezer bag or lidded tupperware and put in the freezer where it will keep for up to 2 months.