I’m back again with another recipe for pork neck bones. This recipe utilizes some canned whole tomatoes I had on hand one day. (There’s no point in stocking your pantry if you don’t cook from it.) It also has red pepper flakes for a bit of heat and Italian seasoning for savory herbaceousness. I originally made this recipe during the summer, so all of the braising takes place on the stovetop instead of turning on the oven.
I do have one small confession to make: in all of my note taking, it looks like I forgot to write down the time it takes for this dish to finish cooking. Originally I was going to list an educated estimate, but I literally just figured it out today—I wrote down the start time of the braise, and thanks to the power of technology, I can see the time stamp on my photos to figure out the end time. Yay technology!
Regardless of if I did put down my best guess, you wouldn’t walk away for hours with something on the stove anyway, right? (The answer is a resounding “no.”) The only liquid in this recipe is from the tomatoes, so be sure to check on it every so often to give it a stir and make sure the pot isn’t burning.
Click here for the recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when the pork neck bones are tender enough during the braising process?
You can check for tenderness by using a fork to see if the meat easily pulls away from the bone. This typically takes a few hours of braising.
What should I do if the sauce from the canned whole tomatoes is too thick during cooking?
If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a little water or broth to loosen it while continuing to stir occasionally.
Can I adjust the level of heat in this recipe if I find the red pepper flakes too spicy?
Yes, you can reduce the amount of red pepper flakes to your taste, or omit them entirely for a milder flavor.
I braised these low and slow all afternoon and the house smelled incredible, so good and fall-apart tender in a rich deep gravy. Pork neck bones are cheap and so underrated, and this fed a whole crowd for almost nothing. We spooned the gravy over mashed potatoes and barely spoke through dinner. A proper comfort meal for cold nights that I will be making again.