Alright, let’s talk about them Alabama neck bones. You know, the kind that sticks to your ribs and warms you up good on a cold day. I ain’t no fancy chef or nothin’, but I know how to make some good neck bones, the kind that’ll have everyone lickin’ their plates clean.
First off, you gotta get yourself some neck bones. Pork neck bones, that’s what I use. You can find ’em at most grocery stores, but the best ones come from a good butcher. Make sure they look fresh, you know, not all slimy and smelly. You want nice, meaty ones, with a good amount of bone in ’em, cause that’s where the flavor is.
- Get yourself about 2-3 pounds of pork neck bones.
- You’ll also need some salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- A big onion, chopped up.
- Some celery, too, chopped up just like the onion.
- And a couple of bay leaves, if you got ’em. They give it a nice smell.
Now, some folks like to boil their neck bones first, to get rid of the… well, you know… the extra stuff. I do that sometimes, sometimes I don’t. If you want to, just put them neck bones in a big pot, cover ’em with water, and let ’em boil for about 15 minutes. Then drain the water and rinse ’em off. Gets rid of the scum, you see.
But if I am in a hurry, I just rinse them good with cold water. Make sure you get all the blood and stuff off. You don’t want that in your gravy. I take some lemon sometime and rub them good, get them all clean. Some folks use that vinegar water too. That works just fine.
Next, you gotta season them bones up good. Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. I use a good tablespoon of each, maybe a little more if I’m feeling it. And garlic powder, gotta have garlic powder! A good sprinkle of that all over the neck bones. Rub it in good, get it all over, every nook and cranny. That’s where the flavor is gonna come from.
Then, get yourself a big pot, the kind you use for stew or soup. Put a little oil in the bottom, just enough to coat it. Heat it up over medium heat. Toss in your chopped onion and celery and let them cook for a bit, until they get soft and see-through. That smell reminds me of my kitchen when I make good food. You know it is getting ready to get delicious in there.
Now, add your neck bones to the pot. Let ’em brown up a bit on all sides. This takes a little time, you gotta be patient. Don’t rush it. You want them nice and brown, that’s what gives them that good flavor. Low and slow, that’s the key to good neck bones.
Once the neck bones are browned, add enough water to cover ’em completely. I use hot water, it gets things going quicker. Toss in your bay leaves, if you got ’em. Bring it all to a boil, then turn the heat down low, real low. You want it to simmer, not boil. Just barely bubbling. That’s it! Now you just gotta wait.
This is the part where you gotta be patient. Neck bones ain’t somethin’ you can rush. They need time to cook, to get tender. I let mine simmer for at least three hours, sometimes four. You’ll know they’re done when the meat is fallin’ off the bone. It should be so tender, that it just melts in your mouth.
While them neck bones are cookin’, you can make some rice or mashed potatoes to go with ’em. And don’t forget the cornbread! Gotta have cornbread with neck bones. It soaks up all that good gravy. You just crumble it up in that bowl, and oh, man, that’s good eatin’. Or, you just eat that cornbread with some butter and honey, that’s good too.
Once the neck bones are done, you can take ’em out of the pot and serve ’em up. Or, you can do what I do, and make a gravy out of the liquid that’s left in the pot. Just thicken it up with a little flour and water, or cornstarch if that’s what you got. Season it to taste, and pour it all over them neck bones and rice. Now, you can use that gravy over them mashed potatoes too! You can’t go wrong!
And that’s it! That’s how you make some good ol’ Alabama neck bones. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good, honest food. The kind that sticks to your ribs and warms you up from the inside out. Perfect for a cold day or any day you want some good comfort food.
So, go on and try it. You might just surprise yourself. And who knows, maybe you’ll be makin’ neck bones just like a seasoned old cook in no time. Just remember, low and slow, that’s the secret. And don’t forget the cornbread! You gotta have the cornbread!