Instant pot neck bones are perfectly seasoned, fall-off-the-bone tender, and covered in a savory brown gravy. This warm and cozy dish can be made in just 50 minutes and served with steamed white rice or creamy mashed potatoes.
From the neck or collar area of the pig, pork neck bones are a very cheap cut of meat. Neck bones are often used in southern cooking and give any dish a rich flavor. When cooked for a long time, they become tender and juicy and have a strong meaty flavor like ox tails or short ribs.
I love cooking neck bones in my Instant Pot because this part of the animal can be tough and hard to cook. As with any tough cut of meat low and slow is the best way to cook it.
But pressure cooking is great if you don’t want to do all the extra work that comes with slow cooking on the stove or just don’t want to wait hours and hours for the neck bones to cook!
Pressure cookers can tenderize the meat much faster than boiling over the stove, saving you time.
Before putting everything in the Instant Pot, you only need about 15 minutes to get it ready. In less than an hour, the pork will be so tender that it will melt in your mouth, and the brown gravy will make your fingers itch!
Neck bones. 3lb of cleaned pork neck bones. Look for packages with the most amount of meat on them.
White pepper. This spice has a strong earthy and slightly fermented taste. It is musty and mildly peppery.
Instant pot neck bones are perfectly seasoned, fall-off-the-bone tender, and covered in a savory brown gravy. This warm and cozy dish can be made in just 50 minutes and served with steamed white rice or creamy mashed potatoes.
Pork neck bones are an ideal cut of meat for the instant pot. Their collagen content makes them perfect for becoming melt-in-your-mouth tender with high pressure cooking. Simmering neck bones on the stove or in the oven can take hours. But the instant pot slashes that time to under an hour!
With just a few simple steps you can have the most flavorful spoon-tender pork neck bones smothered in rich gravy. Keep reading to learn how to easily make this comforting soul food classic in your instant pot or other electric pressure cooker.
Why Cook Pork Neck Bones in the Instant Pot?
Pork neck bones come from the fatty collar area of the pig. This part gets a lot of movement so the meat is tough and loaded with collagen. The bones need long moist cooking to become tender.
This makes neck bones ideal for braises, stewing, and slow cooking. But traditional slow cooking can take 4+ hours watching on the stove or in the oven. Using the instant pot cuts that time down to under 1 hour thanks to the high pressure environment!
The pressurized steam penetrates deep into the meat and bones. It quickly breaks down the collagen for fall-off-the-bone texture in a fraction of regular cooking time.
Tips for Choosing Pork Neck Bones
When buying pork neck bones for the instant pot, look for:
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Meaty bones – Pick bones with more meat, less bone. More meat equals more flavor.
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Uniformly sized bones – Bones of similar size will cook evenly. Avoid a mix of giant and tiny bones.
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Fresh, not frozen – Thawing can draw out moisture. Use fresh for ideal texture. Frozen works too but may be less moist.
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1 – 2 pounds – This provides enough for 2 hungry people. Adjust amount as needed.
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Affordable cut – Neck bones are cheap! Save money over pricier cuts like loin or chops.
Instant Pot Pork Neck Bones Step-By-Step
With just a few minutes of prep, you can have delectable pork neck bones using this simple instant pot method:
Step 1 – Sear the Neck Bones
Select the “Saute” function to heat up your instant pot. Add 1 tbsp oil then arrange neck bones in a single layer. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned.
Browning adds deeper flavor and texture. Work in batches to avoid crowding.
Step 2 – Add Aromatics and Liquid
Return all neck bones to the pot. Add chopped onions, garlic, spices, and other aromatics like smoked paprika or bay leaves.
Pour in chicken or beef broth to cover bones by 1 inch. Broth adds delicious flavor as it creates the gravy.
Step 3 – Pressure Cook
Lock the lid. Make sure valve is set to “sealing.” Press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and set to high pressure for 25 minutes. The high pressure tenderizes the tough meat and collagen.
Step 4 – Natural Release, then Serve
When cooking completes, allow 10 minutes natural release to safely decrease pressure. Then quick release remaining pressure.
Carefully remove lid. The pork should be fall-apart tender and drenched in savory gravy. Serve over rice, potatoes, or greens.
Tips for the Most Tender Neck Bones
- Add liquid smoke, Cajun seasoning, or chipotle powder for extra flavor
- Garnish with chopped green onions for freshness
- Let meat rest 5 minutes before pulling bones out to allow juices to redistribute
- Spoon gravy over meat and rice or use for dipping
- Blend gravy for ultra-smooth texture (optional)
- Freeze leftovers up to 4 months
Flavor Variations
This basic instant pot neck bones recipe lends itself to endless flavor twists. Try one of these tasty options:
BBQ Neck Bones – Use barbecue sauce instead of broth. Finish with vinegar-based sauce.
Ranchero Neck Bones – Add diced tomatoes, green chiles, cumin, and cilantro. Top with queso fresco.
Hawaiian Neck Bones – Pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes. Garnish with pineapple.
Cajun Neck Bones – Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic.
Side Dishes for Neck Bones
These sides pair perfectly with instant pot pork neck bones:
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White Rice – The gravy soaks right in. Rice rounds out the meal.
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Collard or Mustard Greens – Classic southern side. Greens cut richness.
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Baked Beans – Sweet, smoky beans match the pork flavor.
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Cornbread – Directly sop up delicious gravy. Needs no plate!
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Mac and Cheese – Comforting and compliments hearty pork.
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Mashed Potatoes – Loaded mashed potatoes smothered in gravy? Yes please!
Storing and Freezing Pork Neck Bones
Properly stored, pork neck bones in gravy will keep:
- Fridge – 3 to 5 days
- Freezer – 4 to 6 months
Let cool completely before storing. Split into smaller portions so you’re not reheating a huge batch.
The gravy may separate after freezing. Simply stir or flip container upside down to reincorporate before reheating.
Satisfying and Simple Pork Neck Bones
Pork neck bones cooked in the instant pot become meltingly tender in a fraction of the time of conventional braising. With just a few minutes of hands-on time, the instant pot does the tough collagen-breaking work for you. The result is finger-licking pork that falls off the bone and into heavenly gravy.
This satisfying southern staple is budget-friendly and fills the kitchen with mouthwatering aroma. The instant pot helps unlock the rich flavor and tender texture of pork neck bones. Now you can enjoy this hearty, soul-warming meal any night of the week!
How to make Instant Pot neck bones
Wash pork neck bones thoroughly with running cold water. Put in the pressure cooker. You can use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder if you’d like. Add chicken or beef bullion, a little liquid smoke, and black and white pepper to taste.
Chop one medium size yellow onion and add to the pork. Add brown gravy or au jus packet and water. There is no need to premix it.
Mix all ingredients in the pot, close and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. If you want to make twice as much, add 20 minutes to the pressure cooking time to make sure all the meat is soft enough to fall off the bone.
There is no need for an Instant Pot to make this pork neck bones recipe. You can use a Ninja Foodi or any other pressure cooker. Time and ingredients will remain the same. Make sure you cook it under HIGH pressure.
Neck bones. Substitute pork bones for beef or turkey necks instead.
Bullion seasoning. Use a little bit of chicken broth for flavoring. Don’t use too much because the gravy won’t be as thick.
Liquid smoke. If you don’t have liquid smoke, use smoked paprika or chipotle powder instead, or simply leave it out.
White pepper. Ground ginger or ground mustard both have an earthy flavor profile similar to white pepper. Again you can leave it out if you want.
Use chicken or veggie broth instead of water for more flavor.
Turn this recipe into a soup by adding veggies and extra water to the pressure cooker. Chopped carrots, corn, peas, string beans, or potatoes are great options.
Serve pork neck bones and gravy over mashed potatoes, or rice for a rich and hearty dinner.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker you can still make this recipe. Add the neck bones to a crockpot or a large pot over the stove. Cook on low heat until the meat is very tender and falls off the bone. If you’re cooking on the stove, cover them with more water if you need to keep the bottom from burning.
You can add neck bones to soups, stews, beans, or make bone broth with them. You can also pressure cook them with gravy, like in this recipe. They add great flavor to any dish.
Yes. Pork neck bones can oftentimes have cartilage or tiny bones still attached to them. Simply remove any debris you see and then rinse them with cool water.
Yes, the Instant Pot is great because the neck bones cook quickly and become very tender, even if the meat wasn’t thawed first.
Neck bones are mostly bone and contain a very small amount of meat. Try to look for packages that are meatier for this recipe.
The best side dish for pork neck bones is of course just plain white rice. It soaks all the flavors and gravy and will be absolutely delicious!.
My second favorite side dish is creamy dreamy mashed potatoes. So yummy and pairs well with pork gravy. Love it!.
Collard greens, mac and cheese or green beans are amazing to compliment that rice or potatoes with pork. Make it an amazing comforting dish that everybody will love.
Instant Pot pork neck bones leftovers
Keep leftovers in the fridge in a separate container for up to 5 days. Sometimes I have a lot of pork neck bones left over. I just put them in the inner pot of my Instant Pot, cover it with foil, and put it in the fridge. Reheat right in the pot in the instant pot using saute button.
If using container just place it in the microwave for a minute or two, until heated through.
Freezer. You can freeze leftovers as well. Make sure to use a freezer friendly container or a zip lock bag. Thaw and reheat in the microwave.
Instant Pot Pork Neckbones Recipe | Cook With Me | Tanny Cooks
FAQ
How long do you cook smoked neck bones in an Instant Pot?
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Can you cook pork too long in Instant Pot?