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How to Cook Pork Neck

Enjoy delicious pork neck: juicy meat cooked in a Dutch oven with apples and beer and served with an excellent gravy.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 423 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: German , American

Ingredients

  • 3– 4.5 lbs pork neck 1.3 kg – 1.8 kg, Note 1
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Seasoning (Note 2):
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes more to taste
Gravy:
  • 4 medium onions roughly chopped
  • 2 small apples cored and roughly chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 bottle beer Pils lager beer, 11.2 - 12 fl. oz/ 330 - 350 ml, Note 2
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock, low sodium, 250 ml
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2-3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 320°F/ 160°C.
  2. Seasoning: Mix the spices in a small bowl. 2 teaspoon fine sea salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + 1 teaspoon cumin + ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  3. Season pork neck: Dry it with kitchen towels and rub it with the mustard all over. Sprinkle it with the seasoning mixture and rub it again. 3 – 4.5 lbs/ 1.3 kg – 1.8 kg pork neck + 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  4. Sear: Heat the oil in the pot. Sear the meat on all sides until it is nicely browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer it to a large plate or platter.2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  5. Sauce: While the meat sears, roughly chop the onions, apples (core removed), and garlic. Heat another tablespoon of oil and cook them all for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the beer and the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. 4 medium onions + 2 small apples + 2 large garlic cloves + 1 tablespoon oil + 1 bottle beer + 1 cup/ 250 ml chicken broth
  6. Roast pork neck: Return the meat to the pot. Cook in the oven for 90 minutes, basting the pork with the sauce every 20 minutes or so and flipping it halfway through. Carefully lift the meat from the pot, transfer it to a serving platter, and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for about 15 minutes.
Gravy (Note 3):
    Cup of Yum
  1. Fine, elegant version: Sieve the gravy into a small saucepan and discard the vegetables. Whisk the cornstarch and the cold water in a small bowl to obtain a thick yet pourable slurry. Bring the meat sauce to a light boil, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, and let it bubble for 30-60 seconds or until slightly thickened while whisking constantly.2 tablespoon cornstarch + 2-3 tablespoon cold water
  2. Rustic version: Use an immersion blender to blend the apples and onions into the gravy. You will not need any cornstarch now; the vegetables are enough to thicken the sauce.
  3. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper if required (it might not be necessary).

Notes

  • Pork neck: The piece I had weighed 3.3 lbs/ 1.5 kg. The cooking time will not change if your piece is slightly smaller or larger. For larger pieces (around 5 lbs/ 2 kg), increase the cooking time slightly and check that the meat is very tender and cooked through (internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer (the Amazon link opens in a new tab) should be 145°F/ 63°C.
  • Seasoning: Alternatively, rub the meat with the mustard and then with your favorite meat seasoning. Try our Pork Roast Seasoning.
  • For the beer, I typically go for a single bottle of Pils lager, though dark beer works great, too. Most Pils bottles hold around 11.2 - 12 fl. oz or 330 - 350 ml, so using a whole bottle is ideal; the slight variation in size won't affect the recipe.
  • Gravy: You could make the gravy in two ways: the fine version or the rustic one. While I value the sauce's rustic charm and the idea of reducing waste, I prefer the smoother, finer sauce.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice from 8 Calories 423kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 15g (5%) Protein 44g (88%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 7g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 137mg (46%) Sodium 875mg (36%) Potassium 936mg (27%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 296IU (6%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 58mg (6%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 423

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice from 8
Calories 423kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 15g 5%
Protein 44g 88%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 137mg 46%
Sodium 875mg 36%
Potassium 936mg 20%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 296IU 6%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 58mg 6%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.