The Extremities

The most popular lamb extremities are the shanks. They are cut from the lower portion of the leg, most commonly the front leg. This is a tough part of the lamb, but when slowly braised, it becomes very tender and its abundant collagen yields a rich sauce. You can ask the butcher to cut the shanks into thick pieces to make lamb osso buco.

Often overlooked, lamb neck is also rich in collagen. It is sold whole or cut into pieces. Pieces are more practical and they can be cooked like shanks or used in stews.