At a glance
Season fresh pork neck bones and smoke them at 250°F for about 2 hours until deep brown. Then braise them, covered, with onion, pepper, garlic and broth for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat falls off the bone. Serve them with the broth over rice, greens or beans.
Pork neck bones are a soul food staple: cheap, meaty and full of flavor and collagen. Simmered for hours, they turn tender and make a rich broth for greens and beans. Smoking them first adds a deep, smoky layer that takes the dish to another level, and the long braise afterward makes the meat slide right off the bone.
Fresh vs smoked neck bones
Stores sell both fresh pork neck bones and smoked neck bones. The smoked kind are cured and cooked and are mostly used like ham hocks, to season a pot of beans or greens. This recipe starts with fresh, raw neck bones that you smoke yourself, which gives you meatier, less salty results and full control over the seasoning.
Why smoke and braise?
Neck bones are full of connective tissue around small pockets of meat. Smoke gives them color and flavor, but only a long braise in liquid breaks the collagen down. It is the same two step approach as our smoked turkey necks and pork shanks.
Recipe
Smoked Pork Neck Bones
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 4 hr
- Total
- 4 hr 15 min
- Makes
- 4 to 6 servings
- Smoker 250°F (121°C) for about 2 hours
- Then braise, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours
- Done when the meat falls off the bone
Ingredients
Neck bones
- 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) fresh pork neck bones
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp barbecue rub or seasoned salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Braise
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 cups (720 ml) chicken broth
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 bay leaf
Equipment
- Smoker
- Deep foil pan or Dutch oven
- Foil or lid
Method
- Rinse the neck bones and pat dry. Toss with the oil and seasonings.
- Heat the smoker to 250°F (121°C) with hickory, pecan or apple.
- Smoke the neck bones on the grates for about 2 hours, until deep brown.
- Put the onion, pepper, garlic, broth, vinegar, hot sauce and bay leaf in a deep pan or Dutch oven and add the neck bones.
- Cover tightly and cook in the smoker at 275°F (135°C), or simmer gently on the stove, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat falls off the bone.
- Serve with the broth and vegetables spooned over, with rice, greens or beans.
Notes
- Fresh pork neck bones are raw. Smoked neck bones sold in stores are already cured and are mostly used to season greens and beans.
- Keep the braising liquid. It is a rich, smoky stock for greens, beans and soups.
Serving ideas
- Over rice with the braising broth and vegetables.
- With collard greens, black eyed peas and cornbread.
- Simmered into a pot of pinto beans or butter beans.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to smoke pork neck bones?
About 2 hours of smoking at 250°F, then 1 1/2 to 2 hours of braising until tender.
Can I eat neck bones straight from the smoker?
They are safe once they reach 145°F, but they will be chewy. The braise is what makes them tender.
Can I finish them in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add the smoked neck bones and braising ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.