Instant pot neck bones are perfectly seasoned, fall-off-the-bone tender, and covered in a savory brown gravy. This warm and comforting meal can be served over creamy mashed potatoes or steamed white rice in only 50 minutes!

Pork neck bones are a very affordable cut of meat coming from the neck/ collar area of the pig. They are popular in southern-style cooking and add rich flavor to any dish you put them in! When simmered for a long time, neck bones are tender, and juicy, and have a strong meaty flavor that's similar to ox tails or short ribs.

Since this part of the animal can be very tough and a little tricky to cook, I love preparing neck bones in my Instant Pot. As with any tough cut of meat low and slow is the best way to cook it.

However, if you want to skip extra steps that come with slow cooking over the stove or just don't want to wait hours and hours for the neck bones to cook, pressure cooking is ideal!

Pressure cookers can tenderize the meat much faster than boiling over the stove, saving you time.

You only need about 15 minutes to prep everything before adding all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot. Less than an hour later, you'll have pork that is melt-in-your-mouth tender and smothered in a finger-licking brown gravy!

Recipe ingredients

Neck bones. 3lb of cleaned pork neck bones. Look for packages with the most amount of meat on them.

Liquid smoke. Gives a nice smoky flavor to this pork neck bones recipe.

Onion. Chopped and adds a savory sweetness to the gravy.

Garlic powder. Has a subtle garlic flavor, feel free to use fresh if you like.

White pepper. This spice has a strong earthy and slightly fermented taste. It is musty and mildly peppery.

Black pepper. Adds a bit of heat to the pork.

Bullion seasoning. Chicken or beef flavored is best.

Water. Used to cook the meat and create the gravy.

A packet of brown gravy. Use your favorite kind or au jus sauce.

How to make Instant Pot neck bones

Wash pork neck bones thoroughly with running cold water. Put in the pressure cooker. Season with garlic powder (use fresh garlic instead if desired), chicken or beef bullion , little bit of liquid smoke and white and black pepper.

Chop one medium size yellow onion and add to the pork. Add brown gravy or au jus packet and water. There is no need to premix it.

Mix all ingredients in the pot, close and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. If you want to double the recipe, increase the pressure cooking time by 20 minutes to make sure all the meat is fall of the bone tender.

You can make this pork neck bones in Ninja Foodi or any other pressure cooker as well, not just Instant pot. Time and ingredients will remain the same. Make sure you cook it under HIGH pressure.

Substitutions

Neck bones. Substitute pork bones for beef or turkey necks instead.

Bullion seasoning. Use a little bit of chicken broth for flavoring. Don't use too much because the gravy won't be as thick.

Liquid smoke. If you don't have liquid smoke, use smoked paprika or chipotle powder instead, or simply leave it out.

White pepper. Ground ginger or ground mustard both have an earthy flavor profile similar to white pepper. Again you can leave it out if you want.

Variations

Use chicken or veggie broth instead of water for more flavor.

Turn this recipe into a soup by adding veggies and extra water to the pressure cooker. Chopped carrots, corn, peas, string beans, or potatoes are great options.

Serve pork neck bones and gravy over mashed potatoes, or rice for a rich and hearty dinner.

If you don't have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker you can still make this recipe. Add the neck bones to a crockpot or a large pot over the stove. Cook on low heat until the meat is very tender and falls off the bone. If cooking over the stove, add extra water to cover them as needed to prevent them from burning on the bottom.

Frequently asked questions

Side dishes

The best side dish for pork neck bones is of course just plain white rice. It soaks all the flavors and gravy and will be absolutely delicious!

My second favorite side dish is creamy dreamy mashed potatoes. So yummy and pairs well with pork gravy. Love it!

Collard greens, mac and cheese or green beans are amazing to compliment that rice or potatoes with pork. Make it an amazing comforting dish that everybody will love.

Instant Pot pork neck bones leftovers

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a separate container for up to 5 days. If i have lots of leftover pork neck bones i just keep them in the instant Pot inner pot, cover it with the piece of foil and put in the fridge. Reheat right in the pot in the instant pot using saute button.

If using container just place it in the microwave for a minute or two, until heated through.

Freezer. You can freeze leftovers as well. Make sure to use a freezer friendly container or a zip lock bag. Thaw and reheat in the microwave.

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Hope you will like this Instant neck bones recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.