Where do I find pork neck?

I am jonesing for TAC Quicks' pork neck but want to make it at home. I've got two good recipes from David Thompson so that's ok. Should I use tenderloin instead? What about for moo ping?

Oddly enough I just found pork neck at our local Super Wal-Mart.

Octarine wrote:I am jonesing for TAC Quicks' pork neck but want to make it at home. I've got two good recipes from David Thompson so that's ok. Should I use tenderloin instead? What about for moo ping?

Tenderloin would not seem to be a good substitute for pork neck (it might taste pretty good, given the preparation, but I can't see it as anything like a stand-in: different texture, taste, fattiness).

I'm just guessing here, but it seems you might be able to find pork neck at Asian and perhaps Hispanic grocery stores.

Octarine wrote:I am jonesing for TAC Quicks' pork neck but want to make it at home. I've got two good recipes from David Thompson so that's ok. Should I use tenderloin instead? What about for moo ping?

If pressed I'd sub pork shoulder for pork neck.

Enjoy,
Gary

HarvesTime on Lawrence was advertising pork spine a couple days ago.

Not sure if that's exactly what you're looking for, but it's worth a look, I suppose.

Harvestime Foods
2632 W Lawrence Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 989-4400

Between pork head and pork shoulder.

j r wrote:Between pork head and pork shoulder.

All we need now is pork knees and toes.

j r wrote:Between pork head and pork shoulder.

You kill.

Reminds me of:

Reporter: How did you find America?
John Lennon: We just turned left at Greenland.

Blown Z wrote:

j r wrote:Between pork head and pork shoulder.

All we need now is pork knees and toes.

I was thinking shampoo as I was posting the line in the first place...

My first suggestion would be a butcher who serves an Italian-American trade. They're frequently used to make spaghetti sauce. I just got some at Joseph's on Irving Park for about $2 a pound. Meaty and wonderful looking.

I saw some in the meat case at Produce World in Norridge just last week. Maybe the one on Dempster might have them too. They didn't look as good as the ones from Joseph's. Also about $2 a pound.

And I'd like to mention how wonderful the meat cases at Mexican-American groceries look. There always seem to be actual butchers on duty, and in my experience at Tony's on Elston they're always happy to be helpful [altho I have a language barrier to deal with]. Wouldn't be surprised if they had them, along with dozens of other Mexican stores.

And then there's Chicago Meat on Cicero near Sol de Mexico . . . .

Giovanna

Pork neck bones are carried by most of the larger markets aimed at the Mexican trade as well as many with more diverse clienteles. Tony's Elston store mentioned by Giovanna consistently carries them as does the Cermak Produce on North Kedzie. A & G usually has pork neck bones; this week they are on special at 69 cents/pound if memory from late afternoon serves me correctly.

The meat on the pork spines at HarvesTime is cut from the loin and is quite different from the meat on the neck.

Giovanna wrote:My first suggestion would be a butcher who serves an Italian-American trade. They're frequently used to make spaghetti sauce. I just got some at Joseph's on Irving Park for about $2 a pound. Meaty and wonderful looking.

Goodness. That's really expensive.

I buy pork neck frequently (for the dogs, but I plan to get some for myself next time) and I think the priciest I have ever seen it was about $1.19/lb, and that was at Strack & Van Til. However, Peoria Packing always has lots, they are large, meaty cuts, and about $.59/lb. So there you go.

I just bought smoked necks at Lincolnwood Produce to throw into my beans & greens. They were super flavorful and less than $4 for six.

Good luck.

7175 N Lincoln Ave
Lincolnwood, IL 60712
(847) 329-0600

Saaw them at Marketplace on Oakton this past weekend.

LTH,

Viet Hoa had pork neck for $1.59/lb today. Not pork neck bones with meat, but the flap of fatty connective tissue laden meat that surrounds the neck which is what is typically used in Thai pork neck preparations.

Enjoy,
Gary

Viet Hoa Plaza
1051 W Argyle St
Chicago, IL 60640
773-334-1028

I can confirm that the carnicerias and supermercados on Broadway (19th) in Melrose Park are well stocked with pork neck and spine...

Thanks for all the info! I must have been blind, I could not find it anywhere! I am going to try to make it this weekend.

I have a giant hunk of pork neck crockpotting away right now, and I'm really much too excited about it. It was one of those things - like pudding - that had never occurred to me I could make at home.

Pete's Fresh Market on Pulaski just off the Pulaski exit on 55 has it as of yesterday.

Fresh Farms on Dundee & Milwaukee in Wheeling has them all the time.

sujormik wrote:Fresh Farms on Dundee & Milwaukee in Wheeling has them all the time.

As a side note, FF was the only place in the area I could regularly find reasonably-priced veal bones to make stock. I could only get about 3lbs at a shot, it took me a few weeks to accumulate enough for a big batch.

When you are talking about pork neck, are you talking about the whole neck intact or are you talking about pork neck bones?

For years, I have had a pound or two of smoked neck bones for seasoning purposes. IMHO, they are far superior to smoked ham hocks in imparting flavor to beans and greens. And they are readily available at a number of sources, although I prefer Moo and Oink.

jlawrence01 wrote:When you are talking about pork neck, are you talking about the whole neck intact or are you talking about pork neck bones?

For Thai preparations, the subject of the original post, it would be the flap of fatty connective tissue laden meat that surrounds the neck, though the thread quickly drifted to neck bones.

Enjoy,
Gary

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:

Giovanna wrote:My first suggestion would be a butcher who serves an Italian-American trade. They're frequently used to make spaghetti sauce. I just got some at Joseph's on Irving Park for about $2 a pound. Meaty and wonderful looking.

Goodness. That's really expensive.

I buy pork neck frequently (for the dogs, but I plan to get some for myself next time) and I think the priciest I have ever seen it was about $1.19/lb, and that was at Strack & Van Til. However, Peoria Packing always has lots, they are large, meaty cuts, and about $.59/lb. So there you go.

I must defend the honor of my neighborhood butcher. Just pulled the pork necks out of the freezer today; they were .99 per pound and VERY meaty.

Giovanna

I know you're way up north, but I just picked up a few pounds of pork neck bones earlier today at Pete's Market near Little Italy. The best part was that it was on sale for $.59/lb. I tend to purchase my fair share of pork neck bones a few times a month to prepare one of my husband's favorite Filipino dishes (Sinigang, aka Tamarind pork soup) and I won't pay more than $.99/lb for it. I've had much luck at ethnic grocery stores that cater to Asian and Latino patrons. When I lived up on the northside, I'd often it find it at Food 4 Less up in Evanston for less than $.99/lb.

Since you're in Northfield, have you checked Garden Fresh just off of Lake Cook Road & the Edens? I used to shop there when I lived up in Northbrook and I was able to find pork neck bones there.