Neck of Mutton

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow metal roasting pan
• •Instant-read meat thermometer
• •Boning or narrow utility knife
• •Unwaxed kitchen string
• •6 to 8 simple parchment cutlet frills
• •Long warm serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Order the correct cut

   Ask for the bone-in best end of a mature sheep, carrying six to eight ribs and never more than ten. The butcher should remove the chine so the chops can be separated after roasting, shorten the rack as for cutlets, strip away the tough outer skin, and clean only the final ⅔ inch (1.7 cm) of each rib. Do not accept chopped neck, boneless neck fillet, or scrag. Those are excellent braising cuts, but they cannot hold the shape this roast requires.

   Show the butcher that you want a compact rack rather than a long modern French trim. The source bares only the bone ends, preserving the meat between the ribs.
2. 2

   Trim and dry

   Take the rack from the cold 30 minutes before roasting. Remove any loose membrane, ragged scraps, or thick pockets of hard underlying fat, but leave the firm cushion of meat intact. Pat every surface dry, then season it with most of the salt and pepper. A wet roast colours poorly, while a dry one gives the pan a proper fond.

3. 3

   Bard and tie

   Rub 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) of the butter over the cushion. Lay the bacon slices across it with their edges slightly overlapping, covering the meat without swaddling the exposed rib tips. Tie the rack between the bones at three or four points, making each loop snug enough to hold the bardage but loose enough that a fingertip still slips beneath the string. If the joint bulges between tight cords, cut and retie them now. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Start the roast

   Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C), or 425°F (220°C) with a fan. Set the rack bones down and cushion up in a shallow metal roasting pan, leaving air around it. Roast for 15 minutes, until the bacon begins rendering and its high points turn bronze, then lower the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (180°C) with a fan.

5. 5

   Roast to temperature

   Continue roasting for 25 to 40 minutes, beginning to test the thickest centre after 25 minutes without touching bone. Remove the rack when it reaches 136 to 140°F (58 to 60°C); during its rest it should reach 145°F (63°C), leaving the meat rosy and the mutton fat properly softened. If the bacon darkens before the centre is ready, shield only the cushion loosely with foil and keep roasting. Pale meat can wait, burnt bacon cannot be argued with.

6. 6

   Butter the Macédoine

   While the mutton roasts, warm the well-drained Macédoine over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 28 g) of the butter. Turn the vegetables gently until each piece glistens and the butter clings rather than pooling beneath them, then season with some of the remaining salt and pepper. If water collects in the pan, raise the heat briefly and let it evaporate before adding any more butter.

7. 7

   Handle referenced garnishes

   The source preserves two complete cross-referenced preparations rather than repeating their formulas here. For an expanded ceremonial table, reach for either the finished Filets de Bœuf Andalouse (No. 1044) or the finished Filet de Bœuf Talleyrand (No. 1074) from its own entry and follow that preparation's service. Do not re-derive either component here, and do not serve both. For four people, the buttered Macédoine is the balanced home-scale choice.

8. 8

   Rest and make jus

   Move the roast to a warm board and rest it loosely covered for 15 minutes. Pour away the clear surface fat from the roasting pan without disturbing the brown glaze, add the hot water, and scrape over medium heat until every bit of fond dissolves. Reduce the liquid by about half, taste, and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 14 g) of cold butter. This is a light jus, not a thick sauce. If the bacon has made it salty, add another spoonful of hot water; if it remains greasy, skim it rather than reaching for flour.

9. 9

   Dress and carve

   Remove the string without dislodging the bacon. Set the rack on a long warm platter, arrange the Macédoine generously around it, and fix a simple parchment frill to each cleaned rib tip. Present the roast whole, then carve straight down between the ribs into thick chops. Spoon only a little jus over the cut meat and send the rest separately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The name causes trouble at the butcher's counter. You need the best end carrying the rib rack, not the lower neck cut into pieces for stew. Order it in advance and ask for the chine to be removed; that bone requires a saw, and the butcher's block is its proper home.
• •Mutton has a deeper flavour and firmer texture than lamb. A lamb rack can follow the same arrangement, but it will cook faster and taste milder, so begin checking it at least 10 minutes sooner. The change is real.
• •Use thin, flexible streaky bacon. Thick rashers tighten as they roast and pull the joint out of shape; thin slices render over the cushion and protect it without becoming a separate crust.
• •The source prefers vegetable and rice garnishes because a large mutton joint already carries richness. Macédoine gives the platter colour and structure without burying the roast beneath sauce.
• •Serve with a firm red that respects the mutton rather than sweetening it, such as a red from the northern Rhône or Cahors. The jus belongs alongside in a small sauceboat.

Advance Preparation

• •Have the butcher trim the rack up to one day ahead. Keep it uncovered on a rack in the cold overnight so its surface dries, then bring it out 30 minutes before roasting.
• •The vegetables for the Macédoine can be cut and cooked earlier the same day. Chill them promptly, then reheat them in butter while the mutton roasts.
• •The parchment frills can be folded several days ahead and kept dry. They are presentation, not protection, so attach them only after roasting and resting.
• •Leftover mutton keeps for up to three days in the cold. Slice it only as needed and warm it gently with a spoonful of jus so the cut surfaces do not dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 460g)