Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1½ pounds fresh pork neck bones
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Two tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided
- 1 pound of smoked pork neck bones
- One large onion, finely chopped
- One large green bell pepper, chopped finely
- Two celery stalks, chopped finely
- Four garlic cloves, chopped finely
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or enough to taste
- Three tablespoons (you can include extra) of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup of thinly sliced scallions, add extra to garnish
- 8 to 10 cups of hot cooked white rice
Instructions
- Lightly toast the flour over medium heat using a small skillet, stirring regularly, until it turns a light tan color; put the flour aside after this process.
- Using salt and pepper, sprinkle and season the fresh neck bones. With one tablespoon of oil heated in a Dutch oven or a large soup pot, brown the freshly seasoned neck bones on all sides. Place the neckbones on a plate to cool.
- Warm up the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pot. Combine the onion, celery, bell pepper, cayenne, garlic, and one teaspoon of black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Cook this mixture for 5 to 7 minutes, frequently stirring, until it gets softened and aromatic.
- Put the browned neck bones back into the saucepan and the smoked bones. Fill the pot halfway with water (pour in about 8 cups). Let the water boil, then reduce the heat to a medium-low level and cook for 1 hour, or until the flesh falls off the bones.
- Take the bones out of the pot. Cut the meat off the bones using a knife or clean hands once they have cooled down enough to be handled. Put the meat back into the pot, making sure there are no small bones between them.
- Make a slurry in a small basin by combining a little water with 1/2 cup of the remaining toasted flour. Bring the water to a boil in the pot. Check the consistency of your gravy; if it appears too thin, prepare another slurry with part or all of the leftover flour.
- Taste after adding the Worcestershire sauce. Add some salt to taste—it could take up to 1 tablespoon, depending on your preference and how much salt content was in your smoked bones. Afterward, pour in 1 cup of scallions and stir.
- Pour a cup of cooked rice in each serving bowl, top with gravy, and then top with additional scallions.
- The gravy can be made up to a week ahead of time without the scallions. Allow it to cool after cooking before covering and chilling in the refrigerator. Bring to a boil when ready to serve.
This recipe for neckbones is so soulful and delicious, and you may find yourself wanting to prepare it again and again. The entire cooking duration for this recipe is 2 hours, including a prep time of 1 hour. We recommend this video recipe for delicious ideas if you’d like to see more ideas to cook with neckbones.