 | I decided to go into the kitchen and talk to my papa about one of my favorite southern dishes, Neck Bones: a dish that has been passed down for generations. -- MIa Haskins |
It’s a meal that fills you up and can feed a family of seven for up to three days, depending on how much you decided to make. I got to experience how to prepare and cook this meal with my grandfather (papa) and through it we were able to make a connection through food.
Being in the kitchen with his mom, my papa became a better cook. After many attempts papa finally mastered the dish. Neck Bones isn’t that hard of a meal to prepare other than the prep time, which can be a little long, but that will be the least of your worries. When going to the meat market you should always ask for the meatiest pork neck bone because if you don’t when you finish cooking them you’ll just have bone… not neckbone.
Neck isn’t the only part of the pig that my family eats. I can remember the days playing outside, waiting for my papa to pick me up from daycare so that I could go home and sleep. I’m only joking. I would actually go home and have my daily snack of crackers and peanut butter, and sit down to do my homework. I could remember coming home one day and having the house smell like feet. In fact, I was correct. The smell was indeed, PIG FEET. I ask “Papa why are you eating oink oink feet?” To which he responded, “Because that’s what I was raised on!” he said laughing at my childish behavior. Afterward, I saw both of my grandparents tearing up pig feet with Crystal's Hot Sauce on the dining room table with a glass of Kool Aid.
But today we’re gonna focus on one part of the pig: Neck Bone. This recipe has been passed on for generations, as far back from slave days. My papa was born 1941 and this recipe has been passed down from his dad, and his grandfather, and so on, and now it's being passed down to me--and now to you.
Mia Haskins:What is the food that you’re going to be cooking today?
Stephen Johnson: Smoked Neckbones and red beans and rice.
MH: Who taught you how to cook?
SJ: Self taught, I just burnt up pots, pans, and food until I learned how to cook it well.
MH: How many generations has this recipe been passed down?
SJ: Five generations everybody eats red beans and rice on Monday.
MH: Why is food important in Pascagoula, Mississippi?
SJ: Most people in the first generation were sharecroppers and worked the fields… needed food like red beans for nourishment to and strengthen the body.
MH: How does food represent Mississippi culture?
SJ: Plenty of food and different types of food were available by farmers who grew everything for themselves also to share with their neighbors.
Being in the kitchen with his mom, my papa became a better cook. After many attempts papa finally mastered the dish. Neck Bones isn’t that hard of a meal to prepare other than the prep time, which can be a little long, but that will be the least of your worries. When going to the meat market you should always ask for the meatiest pork neck bone because if you don’t when you finish cooking them you’ll just have bone… not neckbone.
Neck isn’t the only part of the pig that my family eats. I can remember the days playing outside, waiting for my papa to pick me up from daycare so that I could go home and sleep. I’m only joking. I would actually go home and have my daily snack of crackers and peanut butter, and sit down to do my homework. I could remember coming home one day and having the house smell like feet. In fact, I was correct. The smell was indeed, PIG FEET. I ask “Papa why are you eating oink oink feet?” To which he responded, “Because that’s what I was raised on!” he said laughing at my childish behavior. Afterward, I saw both of my grandparents tearing up pig feet with Crystal's Hot Sauce on the dining room table with a glass of Kool Aid.
But today we’re gonna focus on one part of the pig: Neck Bone. This recipe has been passed on for generations, as far back from slave days. My papa was born 1941 and this recipe has been passed down from his dad, and his grandfather, and so on, and now it's being passed down to me--and now to you.
Mia Haskins:What is the food that you’re going to be cooking today?
Stephen Johnson: Smoked Neckbones and red beans and rice.
MH: Who taught you how to cook?
SJ: Self taught, I just burnt up pots, pans, and food until I learned how to cook it well.
MH: How many generations has this recipe been passed down?
SJ: Five generations everybody eats red beans and rice on Monday.
MH: Why is food important in Pascagoula, Mississippi?
SJ: Most people in the first generation were sharecroppers and worked the fields… needed food like red beans for nourishment to and strengthen the body.
MH: How does food represent Mississippi culture?
SJ: Plenty of food and different types of food were available by farmers who grew everything for themselves also to share with their neighbors.
Ingredients:
8 pounds of Neck bones
One yellow onion
Seasoning Salt- season to taste
1 Stalk of Celery
3 cups of Water (and water to refill pot)
1 tablespoon of vinegar
Prep:
Cooking:
8 pounds of Neck bones
One yellow onion
Seasoning Salt- season to taste
1 Stalk of Celery
3 cups of Water (and water to refill pot)
1 tablespoon of vinegar
Prep:
- In a bowl, soak in cold water until all blood is gone for 1-2 hours
- Bring neckbones to a boil in water and vinegar- about 3 cups of water
- After bring water to a boil, Carefully pour out the water, leaving the meat in the pot.
Cooking:
- Add enough cold water to cover the meat
- Dice one full white onion and cut celery into pieces of 2 inches
- Add one teaspoon of seasoning salt
- Let meat cook for 1hr on medium heat with lid on
- Pour off water
- Place meat in dish