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Home » Butchery » Pork » Ham Hock Stock
Pork

Ham Hock Stock

by Angela January 28, 2019
by Angela January 28, 2019 2 comments 7443 views
Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef
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Our Ham Hock Stock is an easy way to create an amazing depth of flavor in Cajun foods, soups, stews, collards, beans and so much more. We utilize smoked ham hocks and cook them down until they fall off the bone and impart incredible taste!

We are big believers in using the freshest ingredients possible, it’s a key factor in enhancing the flavors and quality of any dish. This is a back to basics method, use up vegetables or herbs that you have on hand or follow our recipe to a tee.

Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef

You can’t go wrong, but there is one hard and fast rule! Don’t add any salt at this time, due to the salt content in ham. You will adjust for taste after the stock finishes cooking. 

carte du jour

  • What can I make with Ham Hock Stock?
  • The basics of making a smokey ham hock stock
  • Please Pin our Recipe to Share with Your Friends 👇🏼
  • How to Make Ham Hock Stock
  • Did you make a Mean Green Chef Recipe?
  • We 💙 LOVE 💚 seeing your creations! So don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef so we can see what’s happening in your kitchen!

What can I make with Ham Hock Stock?

Our Dutch Stamppot

Side view of Dutch Stamppot made with Ham Hock Stock in a light blue bowl on a white and gold saucer. Mean Green Chef

Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup

Overhead photo of split peas soup made with ham Hock Stock in a large blue bowl on a white wooden background. Mean Green Chef

You can add this ham stock recipe to virtually anything you want to impart a smokey flavor in. 

  • Collards
  • Beans
  • Red beans and rice
  • Green Beans
  • Risotto
  • Orzotto
  • Polenta

The basics of making a smokey ham hock stock

Place the ham hocks in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, as soon as the water comes to a boil, pour it off. Then rinse the ham hocks and the pot, return the hocks to the washed out pot. This cooks off impurities on the hocks.

Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven cooking on the stove top. Mean Green Chef

Scrub the vegetables and cut any large pieces in half, then add them into the pot with the hocks. Pour the 4 quarts of cold water in slowly to avoid breaking up the fat on the hocks, which could cause the stock to become greasy and cloudy. The water should just cover the ingredients.

Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef

Place on medium-high heat and bring to a slow rolling boil, lower heat to medium-low. Turn down the heat even more. You want the barest of simmering going on – the occasional bubble every few seconds. This is so that the collagen in the meat melts and dissolves, which flavors the stock. As the stock cooks occasionally skim the surface to remove the foam.

For the first half an hour, continue to check back and skim off any foam that has risen to the surface. After this time has passed, the foam should subside and you can check back every hour or so and give the pot a gentle stir, to keep the ingredients from drying out.

As the liquid reduces the flavor will become more concentrated. After 4 hours check for flavor, it should be seasoned beautifully at this point. Remove the ham hocks to a platter and set aside.

Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the vegetables. Allow the stock to cool if not using immediately.

Ham Hock Stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Please Pin our Recipe to Share with Your Friends 👇🏼

Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef

How to Make Ham Hock Stock

Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef
Print
Ham Hock Stock
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
 

Our Ham Hock Stock is an easy way to create an amazing depth of flavor in soups, stews, beans and so much more.

Category: Cooking Techniques
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bone broth, soup stock
Servings: 3 quarts
Author: Mean Green Chef
Ingredients
  • 3 large smoked ham hocks
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 4 quarts water, cold
Instructions
  1. Put the ham hocks in a very large soup pot and cover with cold water. As soon as it comes to the boil, pour the water out. Rinse the ham hocks and the pot. This cooks off impurities on the hocks. 

    Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven cooking on the stove top. Mean Green Chef
  2. Now add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stockpot. Cover partially and simmer until flavorful and ham is falling off the bones, about 3 hours. Remove the ham hocks and then strain the stock and skim off any fat from the surface.

    Overhead of Ham Hock Stock in a large gray Dutch Oven ready to be cooked on the stove top. Mean Green Chef
Recipe Notes
  • Prep time is approximate.
  • Ham Hock Stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

 

If you’re searching for other great cold weather dishes, then make sure to check out these recipes too!

  • Roasted Chicken + Dumplings
  • Classic Coq au Vin (chicken in wine)
  • Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Did you make a Mean Green Chef Recipe?

We 💙 LOVE 💚 seeing your creations! So don’t forget to tag us @meangreenchef or #meangreenchef so we can see what’s happening in your kitchen!

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Please Share the Goodness!
2 comments
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Angela

Hi, I’m Angela, I grew up in New York in an Irish-Italian multi-generational restaurateur family. I’ve been in the kitchen over 35 years, and it’s still my favorite place to create. Growing up in hustle and bustle of professional kitchens was the forefront for my love of all things food. From baking bread, desserts, to hand rolling pasta and mastering the art of soup making. It was the bedrock that shaped my life.

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2 comments

Carol March 24, 2019 - 11:19 am

I grew up in the south with lots of pork including ham hocks in dried beans – really good BTW but really lots of fat so I don’t do that anymore. I’ve never considered making ham hock stock but it sounds wonderful. You can get rid of the fat and still add flavor to everything! Pinned and shared

Reply
Angela March 24, 2019 - 12:30 pm

Hi, Carol 🙂 this is the perfect way to get the flavor without all the fat! Thank you so much for pinning too!

Reply

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