Pork Neck Bones & Beer Beans
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“Pork Neck Bones & Beer Beans” Just typing those words together makes us feel butch-er. Speaking of which, next time you go to the grocery store, you should talk to yours. (Your butcher, that is.) Chances are he has a pile of neck bones somewhere stashed away in the back. They’re as underused as they are inexpensive. While they lack in meat, they make up for in flavor. The meat that they do have is tender and sweet (as the saying goes: “the meat is always sweetest next to the bone,) but the stock made from them is tremendously rich.
We use neck bone stock from our pigs all winter long to flavor our slow cooked dried beans. We also add a bottle of beer, because, if you can add a bottle of beer to anything, why wouldn’t you? As the stock and the beans cook all day long, the house fills with a fantastically rich smell – one that belies the overall cost of the meal, which is less than $.95 per person. (And that’s WITH the beer.)
This is definitely an all-day recipe. (Actually it also takes the night before to soak the beans.) But the process is very simple, and the results are worth it. Watch how we make ours in the slide show, and get the recipe below:
Beekman 1802 Pork Neck Bones & Beer Beans
Ingredients
1 lb dried beans. Navy, or any light variety.
Approx 3lbs of fresh pork bones (Not smoked.)
2 medium onions, cut in quarters
2 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
1 Tablespoon of dried rosemary (or 1.5 Tablespoons fresh, finely chopped)
2 teaspoons whole pepper cloves
2 bay leaves
1 bottle of medium or dark beer
Salt to taste
1 bunch Fresh flat-leafed parsley for garnish, chopped.
Night before: Place beans in large bowl, picking out any small stones or discolored beans. Cover with several inches of cool water. (Beans can soak up to three times their volume.) Remove any beans that float. Soak overnight. In morning, drain beans.
Heat oven to 350F. Wash and rinse neck bones. Place bones on elevated rack in large roasting dish. Roast approximately 45 minutes until meat is brown. Remove from oven, let cool. Once cool to touch, use fingers to remove meat, discarding any fat and cartilage. Reserve meat.
Place bones, onions, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves in large, oven proof, lidded soup pot. Pour in beer. Add enough water to cover bones. Return pot to oven and cook for 3 hours, with lid. Remove. Strain and reserve all liquid through fine steel mesh. Discard bones and other solids.
Add drained, soaked beans to pot. Return strained stock. Liquid should cover beans by 2-3 inches. If it doesn’t, add more water. Cover and return to oven. (If there seems to be too much stock, return pot to over without cover to speed evaporation.) Cook beans anywhere from 1.5 – 3 hours. Check for done-ness after 1 hour. If all liquid has been absorbed, but beans aren’t yet tender, simply add more water.
After beans are cooked tender, stir in cooked pork neck meat scraps. Serve hot, in bowls, with parley garnish, and side of buttered bread
Serves 4-6
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Thanks for sharing the recipe! Can half of this be frozen after cooking? Would love to save some for later!
sure can!
I’m going to start this tonight for tomorrow nights dinner.
You guys have such great recipes and like to party. Have you special plans for Super Bowl Sunday? Personally, I hate football but what an excuse for a party! Perhaps you can help we the people who wish to party fabulously! Food for thought! (Ha ha!)
With beans its always “sweet corn bread”
So I made this recipe (all day) yesterday. Best beans I have ever had! Worth all the work. I highly recommend making a nice loaf of french bread to go along with it.
I can’t wait to make the pork neck bones and beer beans. We just visited a farmer who raises pigs and we were impressed with his farm. The pigs have all kinds of room to run around in the field and are only confined by an electric fence around the edge. We are purchasing one that is about 250 lbs and the next time we see our pig it will be packaged and frozen. The in between process would not be something I would want to do. I will be sure to ask for the neck bones so I can make this recipe.
Are those October Cranberry beans in the pot?
We always have neckbones, beans, greens (I like chard) and CORN BREAD!
Will definitely try this recipe. Usually use pork neck bones to make soup with sauerkraut, onion, & bit of carrot. (A llittle catsup or tomato paste added to soup gives it a nice color.) Serve soup with potatoes that you boil separately. Cathybytheriver
Brent and Josh, to make any type of beans you cook creamier, and a little thicker, after beans are cooked and tender, remove 1-1 1/2 cups of beans from pot to a bowl and smash beans to a paste, then return to pot and continue with your recipe
Looks delicious! Glad to know another way to use neck bones. Can’t wait to try this out.
When testing the beans for done-ness remember to try at least 3 beans. Better to be sure than sorry.
I but pork shanks (smoked) at my local butcher and cook them all day in my crock pot with a 15 bean mix. I usually add chopped carrots too. Yummy. I will have to ask about necks next time I go to the butcher.
Looks delicious and hearty. I usually use neck bones for my Posole. I’m going to make this. Thanks!
Sounds like a good stick to the ribs meal, I’m gonna have to try it. BTW, my mother would always add a little baking soda to the water the beans soaked in overnight. She said it helped to get rid of the “gas”….
My mom did too.
Sometimes you make me wish I would consider pork in my repertoire.
Ya’ll crack me up about the neck bones. They are always in the grocery stores down south!
It sounds wonderful until….you pour beer in. Does it taste like beer when it’s done? If it does, can I use something else for a liquid?
I bet the flavors are amazing. You have a gift for blending those salty, savory, sitting by the fire on a cold winter’s night kind of flavors.
I’m not so sure I could ask my butcher for “neck bones” with a straight face….but I’ll try and report back to you!
Finally! I have looked for a recipe for neck bones for two years now…ever since we started raising our own pork….can’t wait to try it! I rendered lard today (another lost skill revived) and that was another pleasant bonus for the pantry!
I grew up with neck bones and greens, a dish courtesy of my Ozark Mountain mama. Delighted you’re spreading the word so far north. Can’t say they made me feel anything other than loved and well-fed.
Sounds absolutely delicious! All you need is some good crusty bread and you’re good to go.