Neckbones....yuck and yum

OLS · 01-25-2012, 11:59 AM

I was rifling through the reduced meat yesterday at the Piggly Wiggly, and I saw some beef ribs that
had been cut, and another package that looked like the same thing, but a different part of the rack.
So I picked up both as the light wasn't right to see through the over-stuck price and info tag.
The markdown tag has no cut name on it. So I got home where the light was better and it was
beef neckbone, which I usually leave to the po-folks cause it's such a nightmare getting any
decent meat off it. I was shopping for jerky meat and bargain steaks. ANYWAY,
I heated up some oil in a pot, dredged the cut neckbones in a shopping bag with some flour in it,
then browned the chunks on all sides in the oil, added some more flour and fast-cooked a roux.
I then tossed in a medium onion chopped, about 8 toes of garlic sliced thin like on goodfellas,
cajun seasoning to taste and cut up a big fat sweet potato into 3/8 inch slices and covered with water.
I let it simmer covered with a little steam gap for about two hours. I then slid all the meat off the bones
and put the gravy, potato and meat in a tupperware container for later. The taste of the sweet tater AND
the dank sweetness of such a weird, bony cut was magical. There is plenty of collagen in and around the
bones that just made a wonderfully thick gravy. But again, it was the sweet combo of the all-but-mashed
potato and the meat that just sang out with flavor. Can't wait for supper tonight.

Of course now I am kicking myself for not throwing the cut up rib bones in there, too. They won't
be so hot smoked on a grill next weekend. That's the job of a FULL RACK of dino bones. Still, I will smok'em.

shilala · 01-25-2012, 12:06 PM

That'd make some badass vegatable beef soup, Brad. Well played.

Smokin Gator · 01-25-2012, 04:53 PM

Never heard of beef neck bone. Are you sure it wasn't tail? Sounds great either way!

Chainsaw13 · 01-25-2012, 07:46 PM

Mmm...ox tails. Never saw neck bones, even at the Mexican grocery. Might have to look for them and pick some up. I bet braised for a while they'd be good in some chili.

01-25-2012, 08:45 PM

Same here.. I've never seen neck bones. Anyway, that's a tasty treat!

OLS · 01-26-2012, 11:01 AM

It was beef, not pork, so I think that's correct. And the wrapper sticker did say neckbones, so yeah,
I am guessing that's correct. Around here ox tails are marked as such. These look like vertebrae cut in half
with a band saw. Who knows who gets the neck muscles.

01-25-2012, 11:59 AM	#1
OLS Suck It Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Brad Location: TN Posts: 7,912 Trading: (19)	Neckbones....yuck and yum I was rifling through the reduced meat yesterday at the Piggly Wiggly, and I saw some beef ribs that had been cut, and another package that looked like the same thing, but a different part of the rack. So I picked up both as the light wasn't right to see through the over-stuck price and info tag. The markdown tag has no cut name on it. So I got home where the light was better and it was beef neckbone, which I usually leave to the po-folks cause it's such a nightmare getting any decent meat off it. I was shopping for jerky meat and bargain steaks. ANYWAY, I heated up some oil in a pot, dredged the cut neckbones in a shopping bag with some flour in it, then browned the chunks on all sides in the oil, added some more flour and fast-cooked a roux. I then tossed in a medium onion chopped, about 8 toes of garlic sliced thin like on goodfellas, cajun seasoning to taste and cut up a big fat sweet potato into 3/8 inch slices and covered with water. I let it simmer covered with a little steam gap for about two hours. I then slid all the meat off the bones and put the gravy, potato and meat in a tupperware container for later. The taste of the sweet tater AND the dank sweetness of such a weird, bony cut was magical. There is plenty of collagen in and around the bones that just made a wonderfully thick gravy. But again, it was the sweet combo of the all-but-mashed potato and the meat that just sang out with flavor. Can't wait for supper tonight. Of course now I am kicking myself for not throwing the cut up rib bones in there, too. They won't be so hot smoked on a grill next weekend. That's the job of a FULL RACK of dino bones. Still, I will smok'em. Last edited by OLS; 01-25-2012 at 12:13 PM.

01-25-2012, 12:06 PM	#2
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: Neckbones....yuck and yum That'd make some badass vegatable beef soup, Brad. Well played. __________________

01-25-2012, 04:53 PM	#3
Smokin Gator Just plain insane! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Swamp Posts: 6,237 Trading: (106)	Re: Neckbones....yuck and yum Never heard of beef neck bone. Are you sure it wasn't tail? Sounds great either way! __________________ Check out the Cigar Asylum Newbie Sampler Trade

01-25-2012, 07:46 PM	#4
Chainsaw13 Møøse bites can be nasty Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Bob Location: The Enchanted Mitten Posts: 7,180 Trading: (96)	Re: Neckbones....yuck and yum Mmm...ox tails. Never saw neck bones, even at the Mexican grocery. Might have to look for them and pick some up. I bet braised for a while they'd be good in some chili. __________________ My neighbor came by my house this morning at 2AM, pounding on the door. Good thing I was still up playing the drums.

01-25-2012, 08:45 PM	#5
BnBTobacco Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Neckbones....yuck and yum Same here.. I've never seen neck bones. Anyway, that's a tasty treat!

01-26-2012, 11:01 AM	#6
OLS Suck It Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Brad Location: TN Posts: 7,912 Trading: (19)	Re: Neckbones....yuck and yum It was beef, not pork, so I think that's correct. And the wrapper sticker did say neckbones, so yeah, I am guessing that's correct. Around here ox tails are marked as such. These look like vertebrae cut in half with a band saw. Who knows who gets the neck muscles.