Neck bones are the bones (with some meat attached) from edible animals, such as cows and pigs. You can also cook poultry neck bones, although those are much smaller.
There isn’t a huge amount of meat attached to a typical neck bone, but boiling them right means you can expect a juicy, delicious result. Once you know how long to boil neck bones, you can make all kinds of wonderful dishes with them, including:
- Soups
- Stews
- Curries
- Roasts
- Braises
- …and more
You should be able to find this type of meat at butchers and specialty markets, such as Asian and African food stores, along with some of the better-stocked grocery stores. Neck bones are an economical cut of meat, known for their rich, hearty taste.
Not only are neck bones rich in flavor, but they are also protein-packed and boast various minerals, including iron, phosphorus and calcium.
Boiling is the most traditional way to cook neck bones, because they need the long, slow cooking time to become tender. This also maximizes their flavor.
As well as learning how long to cook neck bones, it is also important to ensure you start off with good quality, fresh ones.
Boiling Neck Bones Step by Step
- Put a couple of pounds of neck bones in a colander, and rinse them under cold running water, using your fingers to remove loose pieces of fat, cartilage and blood, before rinsing them one last time.
- Use a sharp knife to remove any stubborn pieces of loose fat.
- Put the neck bones in a big pot on the stove and grind in some salt and black pepper.
- Add cold water to cover the neck bones by 2 inches or so.
- Turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- After about 15 minutes, skim off any froth from the surface of the water.
- Turn the heat down to low, put a lid on the pot and cook the neck hones for another hour, or until done to your liking.
- You might need to top up the water during this time, as the neck bones should be submerged.
- Add any vegetables and seasonings you want to the pot during the final half hour of cooking time.
How Long to Boil Neck Bones
The exact boiling time depends on the type and size of your neck bones, as well as how tender you prefer them:
| Small (turkey or chicken) | 1 – 1½ hours |
| Medium (small pig or similar) | 1½ hours – 2 hours |
| Large (cow or similar) | 1½ hours – 3 hours |
How to Tell When Neck Bones Are Cooked
Because the cooking time can vary, it is best to check on the progress every half hour or so, taking note of the following:
| Meat still hard and on the bone | Undercooked and not tender |
| Meat loose on the bone | Cooked and quite tender |
| Meat falling off the bone | Cooked and very tender |
Some Tips for Great Boiled Neck Bones
- Browning them first in oil helps seal in the juices and enriches the flavor of the meat.
- If you prefer, you can boil them in a baking dish in the oven rather than on the stove.
How Long to Boil Frozen Neck Bones
If you have frozen neck bones, you can either boil them frozen or thaw them first. If you’re starting with frozen neck bones, the cooking time will be longer – anywhere from half an hour to a whole hour more.
In Conclusion
Knowing how long to boil neck bones is important if you are looking for a succulent, delicious result. Neck bones are cheap, flavorful, easy to cook and versatile.
