Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes

This rich, hearty dish transforms simple, affordable ingredients into a satisfying meal that’s perfect for cold days. Tender beef, earthy potatoes, and sweet corn simmer in a savory broth enhanced with bold spices, creating a comforting stew that warms you from the inside out.

Don’t overlook neck bones – this budget-friendly cut becomes wonderfully tender and flavorful when cooked low and slow. After a few hours of simmering, the meat easily falls off the bones and melts in your mouth. The bones themselves are crucial, releasing rich flavors into the broth and contributing luxurious, buttery marrow that creates an umami depth you can’t get from meat alone.

The broth gets its complex flavor profile from a carefully chosen spice blend. Cumin and paprika provide warm, earthy notes, while red pepper flakes and a dried chipotle pepper bring the heat. As the stew simmers, the chipotle rehydrates, infusing everything with its distinctive smoky spiciness that perfectly complements the other flavors.

Corn and potatoes help balance the stew’s richness. The potatoes soak up the flavorful broth and become wonderfully tender, while corn adds a pleasant sweetness and subtle crunch that contrasts with the soft meat and potatoes. A splash of lime juice near the end brightens everything up, cutting through the richness and adding a refreshing zing that works beautifully with the smoky, savory elements.

Top each bowl with fresh chopped onion, cilantro leaves, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. These garnishes add a burst of freshness to the warm, hearty stew, while the pepper flakes provide an extra kick of heat for those who want it.

SUGGESTED RECIPE: Beef Neck Bone and Roasted Red Pepper Chili

This hearty stew combines melt-in-your-mouth beef neck bones with tender potatoes and sweet corn in a rich, smoky broth. The layers of spice and zest create a deeply satisfying meal that’s perfect for family dinners or casual entertaining. Even better, the flavors deepen overnight, making it an ideal make-ahead dish or next-day leftover. Whether you’re discovering neck bones for the first time or they’re already a staple in your kitchen, this simple yet impressive stew will become a go-to comfort food favorite.

Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes

Recipe by Kyle Taylor

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: MainsCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

3

hours 

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.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef neck bones

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 ears of corn, kernels removed

• 1 large onion, quartered

• 5 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 dried chipotle pepper

• 6 cups of beef broth

• 1 lime, juiced

• 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

Directions

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Notes

Following a bowl of Beef Neck Bone Stew with Corn and Potatoes, a Cinnamon and Chili Pepper Infused Hot Chocolate creates the perfect cozy finish. The stew’s rich broth, fall-apart tender meat, and sweet corn deliver a hearty, rustic meal, while this spiced hot chocolate extends the warmth with its bold yet balanced flavors. A gentle heat from the chili pepper provides a subtle contrast to the stew’s savory depth, and the cinnamon-infused cocoa wraps everything up with an aromatic sweetness that lingers pleasantly. Together, they make the ultimate cold-weather pairing – exactly what you need for unwinding on a chilly evening.