NECK

An uncommon cut to find in a butcher's as the hard meat is often ground into mince.

Keep in mind

Chuck, clod or brisket are good alternatives when planning a meal.

How to cook neck of beef

The meat is tasty and contains only about 3 per cent fat, but it is not tender. Mince from the neck should be blended with more fatty, softer mince from other parts of the animal. Or with about 30 per cent pork mince.

Rich meat packing a lot of umami mixes well with ingredients that bring some bitterness into the equation (see Taste, the basics). A good example of this comes from the French who balance the richness of the ox cheek with (both sweet and bitter) carrots in a classic casserole. Or you might think about braising the meat in beer (see below).

The classic

A casserole made of half beer and half broth. The sweetness and bitterness of the beer goes well with the rich, umami meat flavors.