Frugal Neck Bone Stew

This is an old Southern standby. I make the stew base with the neck bones(pork) by slow cooking them all day in a pot of water(fill to cover meat) with some salt and pepper, and a little vinegar. When the meat falls away from the bones, I let it cool, and then skim away the fat layer that floats to the top. The soup will need straining, so use cheese cloth to catch all the grizzle and bones. Return the meat to the stock and add whatever you like. Traditionally, cut up potatoes are added with lima beans(good source of high fiber), *collard greens, and sauteed onions and garlic. I add a few bay leaves, sage, and hot sauce(or a small can of spicy tomatoes) to mine. This gets cooked until the potatoes are soft and served over some homemade corn bread. Add a side of baked sweet potatoes sprinkled with a little sugar and cinnamon. Yum-o!

Other variations substitute rice for potatoes, and add chopped tomatoes with chili peppers to the pot. I like this with black-eyed peas cooked in the stock with sauteed onion and garlic, frozen collard greens, and corn. The rice is added during the last 30 minutes. I season this dish with Adobo, a Latino seasoning with turmeric. Hot sauce is added to individual servings as preferred.

You can make this stew or stock with a leftover ham bone, but the neck bones give off a good amount of savory meat if slow cooked. Even more tasty is leftover turkey bones/parts cooked down with the neck bones - yummy! It's good eating for a fraction of the cost - comfort food at its best.

* If you use mixed greens such as mustard and turnip, add a little white sugar to the stew. The milder taste of collard greens taste best.