What Is Ham hock and How Can I Use It?
If ham hock has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 68 recipes to try it in.
Key Points
- Ham hock is the joint between the pig's thigh and shank, usually sold smoked.
- It shines in long-simmered dishes like beans, greens, and split pea soup because it releases gelatin and deep flavor.
- Simmer 2-3 hours, then shred the meat and discard the skin and bone.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Smoked ham bone, bacon, or smoked turkey leg can substitute depending on the dish.
What is ham hock?
Ham hock is the joint that connects the pig's thigh to the shank. It is full of collagen, connective tissue, and flavor. Most ham hocks sold in stores are smoked.
Why Use Ham Hock
The main value of a ham hock is the rich, gelatinous broth it creates when simmered. The collagen breaks down into gelatin during long cooking. This gives body and silkiness to soups, stews, and bean dishes.
It is a traditional addition to Southern collard greens, black-eyed peas, and split pea soup. A single ham hock can flavor a large pot because it is mostly bone and skin.
Remove the meat after cooking. Shred it and stir it back in for extra texture and flavor. The skin and bone are usually discarded.
How to Cook It
Ham hock needs long, slow cooking to become tender. Simmer it in water or stock for 2-3 hours. Add it to beans, greens, or soups at the beginning so it has time to release its flavor and gelatin.
It pairs especially well with acidic ingredients like vinegar or tomatoes. These balance the richness. A little brown sugar or molasses can also help round out the smokiness.
Nutrition and Storage
Ham hock is high in collagen and provides some protein. It is also high in fat and sodium, especially if smoked. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Substitutes
A smoked ham bone or leftover ham scraps work well. Bacon or pancetta can provide smokiness in smaller amounts. They will not add the same body from gelatin. Smoked turkey legs or wings are a good alternative for people who do not eat pork.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size unknown (100g)Where found
Ham hock is usually found in the meats section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group
Ham hock is a member of the Pork Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much does ham hock weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|
Related
Pork Products
- In Chinese:
- 火腿飞
- British (UK) term:
- Ham hock
- en français:
- jarret de porc
- en español:
- pierna de jamón
Recipes using ham hock
There are 68 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Pork Hock with Pickled Sweet Red Pepper
I like this sour flavor. The best over buckwheat, but all is fine when over rice, potatoes, noodles, or just with lettuce mix. You may use pickled grilled red pepper.
Spicy Red Bean Soup
Spicy red bean soup with a smoky ham hock, cheesecloth-bundled cumin and cayenne, and a finish of Tabasco and parsley. A slow-simmered pot of Southern comfort food.
Deluxe Nachos
Nachos from scratch, or make these nachos quick and easy by using store bought refried beans and tortilla chips.
Crescent City Red Beans & Rice (Crock-Pot)
New Orleans red beans and rice made easy in the slow cooker. Dried red beans cooked low with a smoky ham hock, garlic, and bay, thickened creamy, then piled over rice with browned smoked sausage.
Lobster & Roasted Corn Chowder
Lobster and roasted corn chowder with bacon, smoked ham hock, and a Southwestern kick from jalapeño and green chiles. A creamy bowl built from a lobster-stock base and pan-charred corn kernels.
Old-Fashioned Pole Beans
Southern-style pole beans slow-simmered with a smoked ham hock until tender and deeply flavored. Just five ingredients and pure comfort.
Quick Black Eyed Pea Soup
A quick rendition of a tasty black-eyed pea soup that tastes amazing with a crusty bread.
Stewed Red Beans
New Orleans-style red beans simmered with smoked ham hocks, kielbasa, the holy trinity, and a kick of Tabasco. Thick, smoky, and good enough to make on a Monday or any day.
Smokey Tomato & Lentil Soup
Hearty smoky lentil soup simmered with a ham hock, Roma tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and Italian herbs. A thick, stick-to-your-ribs bowl that's built for cold weather.
Brenda's Black Bean Soup
Slow-simmered black bean soup with smoky ham hocks, bell peppers, and a whole sour orange for a subtle citrus depth. Thickened with browned flour for a rich, velvety bowl of Southern comfort.
Black Bean Nachos
Open-faced black bean nachos with spicy chorizo, melted Monterey Jack, and a smoky black bean pesto thickened with ham hock. Fried flour tortillas baked into crisp wedges. Loaded restaurant-style nachos.
Blackeyed Pea Crabmeat Gorditas with Vinaigrette(Pyles)*
Black-eyed pea and crab salad with bacon, roasted peppers, and fresh herbs in a bright vinaigrette. A Stephan Pyles-style Southwestern recipe served on gorditas or crisp tortillas.
Black Bean Soup #2
Cuban-style black bean soup with ham hocks, green pepper sofrito, cumin, and red wine vinegar. Brothy and chunky rather than pureed, garnished with sieved hard-cooked egg in classic Havana fashion.
Bean Soup Ii
Lima bean soup simmered low and slow with smoky ham hocks, ham bone, celery, and green onions. Classic Southern bean soup served with Mexican cornbread.
Carbonnade
Belgian carbonnade braises beef chuck and smoked ham in dark beer with onions, carrots, and herbs, finished with scotch, vinegar, and toasted walnuts. Deep stew flavor in every spoonful.
Black Bean Soup (Pressure Cooked)
Pressure cooker black bean soup made from dried beans with no soaking, ready in well under an hour. Smoky or vegetarian, thickened with bulgur, and finished with cilantro and a splash of sherry.
Crockpot Red Beans
This scrumptious dish is made with a variety of spices that creates a mouthwatering aroma in the kitchen.
Unadulterated Black Bean Soup
Unadulterated black bean soup with dried beans, ham hocks, red and yellow onion, pureed silky smooth and finished with dry sherry. A purist's approach with no spices masking the beans.
Loaded Black Bean Soup
Loaded black bean soup pureed silky-smooth with smoky ham hock, sherry, lemon, and a finish of sour cream and fresh dill. Steakhouse-style classic that elevates the humble bean.
Chili Beans
Slow-cooked chili beans with dried black beans and black-eyed peas simmered with a ham hock in chicken broth. Soaked overnight, then oven-braised low and slow. Serve on their own or add to chili.
Sunday Black-Bean Soup
Smoky black bean soup made from dried beans simmered with ham hocks, cumin, jalapeno, and vegetables, pureed smooth and finished with dry sherry and fresh lime juice.
White Beans
Pressure-canned white beans with ham hocks, brown sugar, chili sauce, and mustard. A classic batch canning recipe that fills your pantry with smoky, sweet baked-style beans.
Hoosier Bean Soup
Hoosier bean soup with navy beans and ham hock, simmered low and slow after an overnight soak. A classic Midwestern ham and bean soup that's thick, smoky, and deeply satisfying.
White Michigan Bean Soup
White Michigan bean soup is a three-ingredient classic: white navy-style beans simmered slowly with a smoked ham hock, then partly mashed to thicken. Old-school, no-fuss comfort.
Blue Cheese Minestrone
A slow-simmered minestrone built on beef bone and ham hock broth with kidney beans, broken lasagna noodles, cabbage, and crumbled blue cheese. Rich, meaty, and deeply satisfying.
