"Beef Neckbone Stew with Corn and Potatoes is a hearty, slow-simmered dish featuring tender beef, sweet corn, and creamy potatoes in a rich, flavorful broth. The neckbones and their marrow infuse the stew with deep, savory flavors, while a touch of chipotle and lime adds smokiness and brightness."
Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes
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Recipe Description
Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes is a rich, hearty dish that combines tender beef, earthy potatoes, sweet corn, and bold spices, simmered in a savory broth. Simmered low and slow, this stew transforms simple, affordable ingredients into a satisfying meal, perfect for cold days or whenever you need something warm and hearty.
Neck bones are often neglected but are a budget-friendly cut of meat that turns wonderfully tender and flavorful when cooked slowly. After a few hours of simmering, the otherwise tough meat easily separates from the bones, while becoming melt-in-your-mouth tender. The slow cooking method releases rich, savory flavors from the bones, enhancing the broth with an umami depth that’s hard to replicate with meat alone. The marrow within the bones contributes a luxurious, buttery richness to the stew. Don’t disregard the bones. They are a vital component of this dish.
A mix of cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, and a dried chipotle pepper significantly enhances the broth’s flavor profile. Cumin and paprika contribute warm, earthy notes to the stew, while the chipotle introduces its unique smoky essence. As the stew cooks, the dried chipotle rehydrates, infusing the broth with its heat and smokiness and providing a distinct, spicy kick that works perfectly with the other flavors of the dish.
Corn and potatoes are added to the stew to balance the richness. The potatoes absorb the broth, becoming soft and flavorful, while the corn adds a touch of sweetness that contrasts nicely with the smoky spice of the chipotle pepper. The corn also provides texture, offering a slight crunch that works wonderfully with the soft meat and potatoes. Lime juice is added near the end of the cooking process to brighten up the stew. It cuts through the richness and adds a refreshing zest that complements the smoky and savory elements.
For serving, the stew is garnished with chopped onion, cilantro leaves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. The fresh onion and cilantro contrast the warm, hearty stew, adding a burst of freshness in every bite. The red pepper flakes add extra heat if you enjoy a spicier dish.
This Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes is a profoundly satisfying meal that combines tender beef with the heartiness of potatoes and corn, all brought together by a flavorful broth with layers of smokiness, spice, and zest. It’s a great dish for feeding a crowd or enjoying the next day as leftovers since the flavors only improve overnight. Whether you’re new to cooking with beef neckbones or a seasoned pro, this stew is an easy yet impressive dish that will indeed please.
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Prep time: 30mins
Cook time: 2hrs 30mins
Serves or Makes: 4
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 3 pounds beef neck bones
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 medium peeled and chopped potatoes
- 2 ears of kernels removed corn
- 1 large quartered onion
- 5 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 dried chipotle pepper
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 juiced lime
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- to taste salt and ground black pepper
- for garnish chopped onion
- for garnish cilantro leaves
- for garnish red pepper flakes
Method
Step 1
Brown the Neckbones: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Season the beef neckbones with salt and ground black pepper, and brown them on all sides, 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Step 2
Sauté the Aromatics: In the same pot, add the quartered onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Stir frequently and add more oil if necessary to prevent the garlic from burning.
Step 3
Simmer the Stew: Return the browned neckbones to the pot. Add the beef broth, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, chipotle pepper and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours, until the beef is tender and falling off the bone.
Step 4
Remove the Bones: Once the neckbones are tender, carefully remove them from the stew. Use a fork or tongs to pull the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and return the tender meat to the stew. At this time, also remove and discard the bay leaves and chipotle pepper.
Step 5
Add the Vegetables: Add the chopped potatoes and corn kernels to the pot. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Step 6
Finish and Serve: Stir in the fresh lime juice, and adjust the seasoning with salt and ground black pepper as needed. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro leaves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.