Who stocks pork bones ?

[mendogurl]

None of the usual suspects, Berkeley Bowl, Golden Gate Meats, stocks pork bones (ramen stock).
Would 99 Ranch carry these?

[xanadude]

$0.99/lb at 99 Ranch.

[marjoycek]

Pork neck bones make great stock,or layer with BBQ sauce,onions,and desired seasonings in a slow cooker. Great!!

[Zeldog]

Manilla Mart has both pork and beef leg bones (cut up) for $0.99 / lb. I don't recall if they have neck bones, but if it comes on a side of meat, they probably have it.

[sugartoof]

Mission Street has a few butchers which specialize in pork related products.

[Cafe Mich]

Market Hall sells bones, not expensive, contrary to what you might expect.

[drewskiSF]

What's a typical price per pound? I was in Market Hall and saw the bones in the butcher shop. IIRC (which may not be the case) the pork bones were $2.99 or 3.99/lb. Seemed high to me, but never bought them before.

[Melanie Wong]

I took note of pork neck bones at New may wah a couple days ago. Frozen were 99 cents/lb and meatier gresh ones were $1.69/lb. Both in the butcher case along the back wall.

[Kayde]

If you're near the Dimond area in Oakland, try Wayland's Meat. Wayland often has all kinds of bones. He's one of my favorites - an old-fashioned neighborhood butcher, cuts up whole carcasses and will cut to order. He makes his own sausage. I've been buying from him and Sylvia for years. Just got a pile of beef marrow bones yesterday for stock. Best to call ahead, as supplies vary.

Wayland's Meat at 3421 Fruitvale Avenue in Oakland, across from Farmer Joe's.
510 530 3344

[mendogurl]

Oooh, good resource for the file !

[Mr_Happy]

I saw packages of pork bones while shopping at the orient market a couple days ago in Oakland Chinatown, 410 7th St. in Oakland. They were wrapped in styrofoam meat containers in the meat section.

[Stephanie Wong]

Housewives' Market in Oakland?

[mendogurl]

God, I love Ranch 99. Every time I go in there I come out with bags of new and interesting stuff.
They had bags and bags of delightful pork bones just waiting for me.
Golden Gate...no, Prather...no, the Bowl...no, they all said they could order them.
Prather did have some lovely Leaf Lard, though.

[Robert Lauriston]

The Bowl doesn't have to order pork bones, they just have to put them aside.

No butchering going on at Prather, it's all bagged and frozen. I'm not sure about Golden Gate.

[mendogurl]

Well, the man at the Bowl meat counter told me yesterday that I need to order them.
I know that Prather only carries bagged meat, but they could have had bagged bones, catering to the foodie crowd that they do. Ya never know. But they are always so lovely to deal with, I had to buy 6 tubs of leaf lard, just because.
Golden Gate has to order them as well.
But 99 has bags, and bags, and bags

I remember as a kid, that you could always get bones of all kinds at the butcher counter. But that it a while ago, and times have changed.

I was also surprised that they had to get a manager to talk about pork belly at the Bowl. The guy I talked to first, looked confused and said "pork belly??". I figured that if anyone would stock it, they would.

[Robert Lauriston]

The skill levels of the people who work the butcher counter at the Bowl vary about as widely as possible. Some are great, we wanted some marrow bones and the guy said, why don't you buy a whole shin and I'll saw it up? which saved us a lot. Some pretty obviously have had about 15 minutes of experience.

[PorkButt]

Berkeley Bowl will sell you pork bones, but you have to ask and their supply is limited.

Ditto the comments on 99 and Chinatown butchers, those are your best bets.

[Robert Lauriston]

Yeah, if you call ahead Berkeley Bowl will keep some aside for you.

[Melanie Wong]

I mention that when I went into one carniceria asking for beef marrow bones, the butcher said he'd give them to me at no charge if I bought something else. So i bought a couple beef shanks and half a calf foot to get my freebie, which was everything I needed to make beef stock. This might also apply to pork bones.

[PorkButt]

That's a good idea. The competition for pork bones at Chinese butchers can be stiff and the pricing can vary depending on the type of bone. I believe that the neck is the most popular.

[Cary]

Pork bones are often used in Chinese cuisine for stocks and soups. I wouldn't think Chinese markets would give those out of free. The carniceria option sounds like a good idea; I'll have to try it next time.

[Melanie Wong]

Pork neck bones are wonderful. Lots of cartilage and connective tissue to add body to your stock, bones for the minerally taste, and there's usually a lot of meat left on them. The meat stays quite succulent and smooth even after long cooking. I can usually get a cup or so of meat off a pound of bones. I use it to make chile verde and the stock gets directed toward a Chinese soup.

[sfbing]

Most asian and latino markets (including 99 ranch) will stock several boney cuts for making pork stock. They may not be labelled pork bones per se. Look for cheaper cuts with more bones and connective tissue. I've used neck bones, trotters or pig feet, or tail cuts.

[Melanie Wong]

Yes, Ranch 99 has lots of pork bones. Best to get there in the morning. Likewise, all the Chinese butchers in SF or Oakland Chinatown who break down whole pigs every morning. I've also bought pork neck bones from Nob Hill/Raley's markets. They're a common item at carnicerias as well.

[Ruth Lafler]

I'll just echo that I've bought pork neck bones at Nob Hill, which seems to have a better-than-average selection of non-standard meat offerings.

[Melanie Wong]

That would be the Alameda branch of Nob HIll?

I'll mention that the price at my local Nob Hill is lower than anywhere and the bones are quite meaty and not frozen. I use them for making Chinese stocks.

[Ruth Lafler]

Yeah, the Alameda Nob Hill. I occasionally buy pork neck (or pig's feet, which they also have) for my dog for a special treat. I've never made stock from pig parts -- I guess I should look into it!

[Robert Lauriston]

Does Nob Hill have actual butchers breaking down whole pigs or sides? Anyplace where they do that has pork bones even if they don't put them out.