How to Make Pork Neck Bones with Homemade Brown Gravy and White Potatoes

This recipe has been in my family for three generations, it is a secret recipe that I would like to share with everyone whom enjoys creating a hearty, fulfilling, down-home, soul food meal. This recipe is time consuming to prepare, it would be well advised to follow each step I present herein – to enjoy and savior in the preparation of this soul food recipe. Overall; this recipe is a long standing tradition based in the African-American and Caribbean community, which has now become a staple of the traditional American cuisine.

Serves 10 to 12

1.  Presoak 3lbs of fresh pork neck bones for 1 hour in iodized salt water. Remove neck bones from water, rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove sediments and fatty inert from meat. After meat has been rinsed and cleaned properly, add 10 cups of water to large pot, bring to a boil, and add neck bones to pot.

2.  Let neck bones boil uncovered for 1 hour, before reducing to minimum heat, skim excess grease several times before placing lid on cooking pot.

3.  Simmer neck bones for another hour.

4. While neck bones are cooking, peel and cut 6 whole white potatoes into halves or chunks.

5. After neck bones have simmered for an additional hour, stop cooking, let stand for 15 minutes.

6. Remove neck bones from pot, discard water, fresh water will be needed to re-start the last cooking process. Bring to a boil 10 cups of fresh water, add neck bones to pot.

7.  Add pre-cut potatoes and 1 ½ finely sliced Spanish (red-onion) to pot, add a generous amount of salt-free Mrs. Dash seasoning blend.

8.  Add 2 tablespoons of Goya Adobo seasoning

9.  Add Texas Pete hot sauce (use discretion-to your liking)

10. Add 1 tablespoon of thyme and oregano

11.  Add 2 tablespoons of Spice-World Garlic

12. Add 1 teaspoon of corn starch, add 1 tablespoon of flour

13. Stir in all ingredients reduce heat and let simmer for 1 and ½ hour. During the final stage of the cooking, skim excess grease, there should be no trace of meat grease visible. Pick meat with fork, if meat is tender, almost falling off the bone – then this delightful soul food recipe is ready to serve.

Photo Credit: Alfonso Coley -- Showing two neck bones well done before adding to the pot