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Beef Neck Bones Recipe

Tender beef neck bones slowly braised with onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, herbs, red wine, and beef broth until the meat is fork-tender and the gravy is rich and savory.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef
  • 3–4 lb beef neck bones — choose meaty pieces
  • Kosher salt — to taste
  • Black pepper — to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil or neutral cooking oil — for searing
Vegetables & Aromatics
  • 1 medium yellow onion — diced
  • 2 medium carrots — diced
  • 2 ribs celery — diced
  • 3 cloves garlic — minced
Braising Base
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
Braising Liquid
  • 1½ cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine — or additional beef broth

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven For searing and slow braising
  • 1 Tongs For turning and transferring the beef
  • 1 Wooden spoon For scraping browned bits from the pot
  • 1 Chef's Knife For chopping the vegetables
  • 1 Cutting board For preparing the vegetables

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the beef neck bones dry and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef in batches until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, and dried thyme. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste becomes slightly darker and fragrant.
  4. Pour in the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes.
  5. Add the beef broth and bay leaf. Return the browned neck bones to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
  6. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven. Braise for 2½–3½ hours, or until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bones.
  7. Remove the neck bones and bay leaf. If the gravy is too thin, simmer it uncovered on the stovetop for several minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  8. Return the beef to the gravy or spoon the gravy over the meat. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice, grits, noodles, or cornbread.

Notes

  • Choose meaty neck bones for the best results.
  • Pat the beef dry before searing for better browning.
  • Cook the beef in batches if the Dutch oven is crowded.
  • Red wine can be replaced with additional beef broth.
  • If the meat is still tough, continue braising until tender.
  • Keep the beef with some gravy when storing leftovers.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days.
  • Freeze cooked beef and gravy for up to 3 months.
  • Nutrition information is approximate and does not include side dishes.