When you switch from store bought beef to farm fresh beef, you have the opportunity to cook with cuts that are often excluded from the grocery store. One of these cuts is the neck bone. If you order a package of neck bones from Spring Forest Farm, you’ll find that you actually get more than just bones for beef stock or bone broth. The neck bone is a meaty bone that can be braised to produce a rich and tender meat for use in soups, stews, and sauces. In this recipe, I use the meat (and some of the stock) from braised neck bones to create a variation of southern collard greens.
THE BEEF NECK BONE
The beef neck bone is exactly as it sounds. It comes from the neck of the cow. Because of the tendons in the neck, the meat on neck bones can be tough if not cooked properly. The good news is that any tough cut of beef can be softened and tenderized by slow cooking. Aside from time, when tenderizing a tough cut of beef, I also like to use a bit of tomato paste in the sauce. The acid in the tomato paste helps to break down the tough textures of the beef. Additionally, it adds to the rich and flavorful essence that’s noted in the final product.
This is a very economical option for a healthy, nourishing protein. Even the highest quality neck bones are sold much cheaper than other cuts of beef. At Spring Forest Farm, at the time of this writing, beef neck bones are sold for $3.00 a pound.
After searing the beef, remove it from the pot, add a bit of olive oil, and cook the onion and garlic until fragrant.
Deglaze the pot with the red wine. once that has reduced by half, add the tomato paste to thicken the sauce. Add beef stock before returning the beef to the pot.
WHAT IS BRAISING?
Braising is a technique that is generally used for tough cuts of meat which need time to slow cook in order to produce fall-apart tender results. Braising makes use of moist heat for cooking. First the beef is seared to brown all sides, then it is placed in some sort of liquid (stock or bone broth or wine) and the pot is sealed with a lid for cooking. Braising is done in the oven over several hours.
USES FOR BRAISED BEEF NECK BONES
The meat from the finished neck bones can be served over mashed potatoes. You might also opt to use the meat in a soup or stew. For this recipe, I’ve chosen to use the meat to finish a batch of collard greens. Most often, to make collard greens, I use bacon and bacon grease as a flavor enhancer. In this case, I use the neck bone beef with a bit of the stock that’s created by cooking the neck bones. These collard greens are rich, flavorful, and unique. They would make an amazing addition to the Thanksgiving table.
SAVE THE BONES FOR STOCK
After pulling the beef from the beef neck bones, be sure to save the bones for beef stock. Post-braising, they are full of caramelized flavor. They will make the best stock! If you have any braising liquid left over, add that to the stock pot. You can follow this recipe. (No need to roast the bones as they’ve already been cooked.)
Braised Beef Neck Bones with Collard Greens
Ingredients
– Dutch Oven
For the Neck Bones:
– 3-4 lbs beef neck bones
– 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
– 1/2 tsp white or black pepper
– 2 tbsp olive oil (for searing)
– 1 onion, sliced
– 4 cloves garlic, smashed
– 1 c dry red wine
– 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
– 2 c beef stock (and more as needed)
– 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
– 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
For the Collard Greens:
– 2 bunches of collard greens, washed and chopped
– 1 c of the neck bone braising liquid
– 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
– shredded beef from the braised neck bones
– sea salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To prepare the neck bones, remove them from the packaging and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place them on a plate. Spread the salt and pepper over the meaty portion of the bones. Set aside. Take a minute here to slice the onion and smash the garlic.
- On the stovetop, heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sear the beef neck bones in the oil. Be sure to brown as much of the exterior as possible. Turn the bones, leaving the meat to touch the pot for 60-90 seconds on each side. Temporarily remove the bones from the pot once seared.
- In the same pot, add the sliced onion and smashed garlic. If the pot is dry, add a bit more olive oil. Saute these until they are fragrant and beginning to soften, then add the dry red wine. Use the wine to deglaze the pot, then reduce the heat to low. Allow the wine to simmer with the onion and garlic until it is reduced by half.
- Once the wine is reduced, add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the beef stock to thin out this mixture. Return the beef neck bones to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Add the fresh (or dried) thyme and the red pepper flakes (optional).
- Turn off the burner. Place a lid on the Dutch oven. Cook the neck bones in the 300 degree oven for three hours. Check the bones halfway through cooking. The pot should not be dry. If it is, add more beef stock or add water.
- Once the neck bones are fall-apart tender, permenantly remove the pot from the oven. Turn off the oven. Remove the neck bones and meat from the pot. Shred the meat to use as desired. If using this meat to accompany collard greens, continue to the following steps.
- Prepare the collard greens by washing and chopping. Set aside to dry.
- You can use the same Dutch oven to cook the collard greens or use a separate pan if desired. You need about a cup of stock from the braising liquid. If there is too much liquid and you want to use the same pot, remove some of the liquid and hold it in reserve. Heat about one cup of stock over medium heat. Once hot, add the collard greens. Stir. They will likely pop if wet. As they begin to wilt, add the apple cider vinegar. Place a lid over the pot and reduce the heat to low. Allow the greens to simmer for about twenty minutes.
- Once the collard greens are soft, remove the lid and add the shredded beef. Stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes. Add more stock if desired. You may also add more sea salt, pepper, and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Serve warm.
If you like this recipe, check out Jennifer’s new book, “The Grass-Fed Guide.” In this book, you will learn how to: find a local farmer, understand the labels and lingo, identify the cuts, and calculate the best deals. You will also learn how to cook with each of the varied cuts that come when buying beef in bulk.
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. She also offers recipes and nourishment for body, mind, and soul at RealFoodRealHealing.com.
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