Pork neck bones - cured?

[HankB]

Our kids get animals at the fair and then have them butchered. They don't care for (or know what to do with) some parts so they give them to me. Among other things I have some pork hocks and pork neck bones. And a heart or two. My plan is to wet cure them using Tenderquick and then smoke them. Once smoked, I will make a stock that is the beginnings of split pea soup (or beans or black eyed peas ...)

Curing the hocks seems pretty straight forward. I'm just curious if anyone has tried curing neck bones. I found a couple reports of smoking and serving them but these look like they're a lot more bone than meat so stock seems like the way to go. Let me know if you've done this and how it worked.

The next challenge is the pork and lamb livers. I'm thinking liverwurst. The ultimate challenge will be the pigs head. I recall that when I was a little boy my grandfather made a sausage from a pigs head called jaternice (correct pronunciation in Czech is Yih-ther-Nit-zee) and I'd really like to have a go at that. But one adventure at a time. :wink:

Thanks!

 

[Joshw]

I just roast neck bones, and make stock. I wouldn't think they would have enough meat to cure. If want to cure them, you will probably need to brine them, because doing a dry cure would be hard to get good coverage. I say make posole out of them, and skip the brine all together.

 

[IamMadMan]

Liverwurst
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/braunschweiger

Jaternice
https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/cooked/jaternice-czech

 

[Ronwig]

Grill neck bones like baby backs...not alot of meat but delicious!

 

[Hoss]

Slow roast some neck bones like the above poster said.Peel the meat off,good eats.Simmer the bones and have awesome stock.Smoked neckbones in a pot of greens or sphagetti is Awesome!

 

[WareZdaBeef]

You are in luck. I recently cured Beef neck bones for our dog. I used 4 tsp of cure#1 per gallon of water for 8 days. Then dehydrated for 2 days at a temp of 140F. Our dog loved them, and im sure your kids will love them too.

 

[Melt In The Sun]

As for the liver, it's hard to beat some good cajun boudin:
https://acadianatable.com/2014/02/03/the-great-boudin-debate/

Have you seen the face bacon thread on this site?!?!? If I ever get a pig head...

 

[Joshw]

As for the liver, it's hard to beat some good cajun boudin:
https://acadianatable.com/2014/02/03/the-great-boudin-debate/

Have you seen the face bacon thread on this site?!?!? If I ever get a pig head...

No better use that I can think of. You could also cook those neck bones down with the pork, and add even more flavor.

 

[Sid Post]

Smoked Pork Neck bones are really yummy! I really like them, much more so than even ham hocks.

I like to use them with a pot of greens but, they also work really well with beans.

 

[Coat]

I cook em just like a rib. Not a ton of meat so they get done faster than the main course and you'll pick those bones clean while you wait.

 

[HankB]

Thanks for all of the helpful suggestions!

That Jaternice recipe was the one I was already looking at so I guess I was looking at the right one.

I think the pig head already has the face removed, but I could be wrong. I have not examined it carefully.

I do like smoked pork and already have a good supply of pulled pork in the freezer and even one rack of back ribs left over from my last cook. I'm going to do something different this time.

Thanks!

 

[Sid Post]

I think the pig head already has the face removed, but I could be wrong. I have not examined it carefully.

You might want to do a search in this forum for the thread where the pig's head was peeled and prep'ed for a great meal. Can't remember who did it but, it looked really good.

 

[HankB]

In process as I type this. I found Tender Quick at a local grocery and bought a bag. I think I got the last one on the shelf. It was on the bottom and all the way at the back. I had to get on my hands and knees to reach it. :mmph: Doesn't make me want to go back to Meijer.

Anyway, I made the solution per directions (1C mix to 4C water) and got all of the hocks and neck bones and one heart covered. I wound up using the entire bag to get enough brine for all of it. The bag suggested brining for 24 hours but some of the pieces were fairly meaty so I went about a day and a half. This morning I took the pieces out and soaked in fresh water about half an hour before putting on my 26" Weber fired with left over lump, KBB and a couple chunks of hickory. I was shooting for a lid temp of about 250° F. It started a little high but came down when I closed the lid vent to about half. The meat didn't really look different - maybe a little darker - and I wondered if it was cured.

After about 2 1/2 hours I refueled as the temperature started dropping (or more correctly I noticed the temperature dropping. :razz: ) I grabbed one of the smallest pieces and brought it in for sampling. It tastes very hammy. :grin: Also very salty. It will be interesting how the other pieces come out.

Now I'm wondering how long to smoke. I'm not looking for something ready to put on the table. I plan to make stock so it will finish cooking in the pot. I guess at a minimum I should get the big pieces up to about 165° F.

I don't know if this picture will work. Google is really getting to be a pain about that.

 

[Joshw]

those are the meatiest neck bones, I have ever seen. Now I know why you wanted to cure them. If you plan on boiling after smoking, temp really doesn't matter. Just a few hours in smoke should be fine.

 

[HankB]

those are the meatiest neck bones, I have ever seen. Now I know why you wanted to cure them. If you plan on boiling after smoking, temp really doesn't matter. Just a few hours in smoke should be fine.

The really big pieces are hocks and yeah, that's what I thought.

 

[Joshw]

The really big pieces are hocks and yeah, that's what I thought.

You are going to have some fine food there. If you like greens, you should definitely use some of them for collards. My mouth is watering, just thinking about it.

 

[HankB]

Here's what they looked like when they came off. I used a couple small neck bones to make a little pea soup (I think they call it porridge in UK.) It's a little salty and very good.

I'll have to see if I can find collards at the grocery. I think I would like that.

Edit: need to get some black rye bread too. Makes awesome croutons for pea soup.

 

[Joshw]

Collards, Mustard, Turnip, or even kale would go great with those, or even a combination of all. Collards are my favorite, but I am not picky. A big hunk of cornbread, would be my crouton for the soup, and greens.