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What do you use a ham hock for?
Unlike bacon or pancetta, hocks are not especially meaty, which is why they’re a great addition to long-cooked things—soups, of course, but also pots of beans, braised greens, and beef or poultry stocks. They need all of that time to get nice and tender.
Can you eat the meat from a ham hock?
In fact the hock meat remains so tender and delicious that it can be served as-is with some salt and pepper.
Do you have to cook a ham hock?
Use braised, smoked, or raw ham hocks to make a delicious comforting dish with wonderfully tender meat and fantastic flavor. The key to phenomenal ham hocks is to crisp them up then let them braise in broth in the oven for a few hours. The result will be perfectly cooked ham hocks every time.
Do you eat the skin of ham hocks?
Ham hock makes an absolutely delicious, rich, and sustaining soup. The hock is then removed from the pot, and when cool enough to handle, the skin is removed. Discard the fat between the skin and the meat, and scrape the excess fat from under the skin. Chop the skin into small cubes and add it back into the soup.
How do you eat ham hocks?
Ham hocks are eaten whole in many traditional European recipes (like the German Eisbein or Polish Golonka). Most often, though, they’re cooked slowly with soups, vegetables, or sauces.
Should ham hock be soaked before cooking?
Ham hocks are available both smoked and unsmoked but I always like to soak them overnight to remove any excess saltiness, regardless of the instructions on the packets, as you don’t want to go through the cooking process and discover that the meat is far too salty.
How long should you boil a ham hock?
Place ham hocks, onion and garlic into a large cooking pot. Add enough water to fill the pot about 3/4 full. Boil 1 to 2 hours or until the hocks are tender.
How long does it take a ham hock to cook?
Do you need to soak a ham hock?