There are all kinds of things that you can make with ham. Many prefer to serve it as-is with mild seasonings and sliced next to delicious sides. There’s no way you can go wrong with a big, juicy ham for a big get-together! However, with every ham comes a ham hock, and that is something that most people aren’t sure what to do with. The ham hock is the lower portion of the pig’s leg, so while it isn’t as meaty as the upper portion, it still lends itself to some amazing food choices for you to play with.
Here at Hobe’s Country Ham, we love ham and ham hocks alike, and have come up with a few options for your next ham hock:
1. Make soup! Ham hocks are a not quite as meaty, so they lend themselves perfectly to soups and stews. Slow cooking a ham hock makes the meat fall-off-the-bone tender while adding loads of flavor to your dish. Whether you go the split pea route or a ham and bean soup route, you’ll get a flavorful and delicious meal or two from a single ham hock.
2. Be German for a day. Ham hocks are sometimes referred to as pork knuckles in German or Chinese foods. You can broil or deep fry a ham hock to get the skin extra crispy and super tender meat underneath. Serve with cabbage, potatoes and a beer for Oktoberfest.
3. Easy stock. With a slow cooker, a few scraps and a little time, you can have delicious, rich stock that you can use immediately or freeze for a quick meal down the road. Ham hocks make great stock since their fat and collagen content is a little higher.
For more ideas using a ham hock, give Hobe’s Country Ham a holler! We would love to talk ham with you.