Ham hocks are a delicious and flavorful cut of meat that can add richness and depth to soups, beans, collard greens, and other dishes. However, before cooking with ham hocks, it’s important to properly clean and prepare them
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through the steps for cleaning both raw and smoked ham hocks We’ll also share pro tips for getting the most flavor out of your ham hocks
Why Cleaning Ham Hocks is Essential
While ham hocks are perfectly safe to eat, cleaning them before cooking is an important food safety step. Here are some of the key reasons you should always clean your ham hocks:
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Removes bacteria: Raw ham hocks may contain bacteria from processing or packaging. Thoroughly washing removes potentially harmful microbes.
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Gets rid of impurities: Ham hocks can hold bone, cartilage, and other junk. Cleaning removes these impurities.
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Reduces excess salt: Many ham hocks are very salty. Soaking and rinsing helps draw out some of the excess sodium.
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Improves flavor: Cleaned ham hocks allow the natural meaty flavors to shine rather than be overwhelmed by salt.
How to Clean Raw Ham Hocks
Raw ham hocks require a bit more cleaning than pre-cooked smoked hocks. Here are the steps:
1. Wash With Cold Water
Rinse the raw ham hocks under cold running water right out of the package. Use your hands to vigorously scrub the meat and remove any blood, bone fragments, or other residues.
2. Soak in Cold Water
Put the cleaned ham hocks in a large bowl and fill it up with cold water all the way to the top. Allow to soak for at least 2 hours up to overnight. The longer the soak, the more the salt will be diluted.
3. Drain and Rinse
Take the ham hocks out of the water and wash them well under cold water again. The soaking draws out impurities for a final rinse.
4. Optional Boiling
For raw ham hocks you plan to cook right away, briefly boiling them is an extra cleansing step. After rinsing, place hocks in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then drain and rinse again.
Once washed, raw ham hocks need to be cooked before eating. Methods like braising, stewing, or roasting all work wonderfully.
How to Clean Pre-Cooked Smoked Ham Hocks
Smoked ham hocks have already undergone curing and cooking processing. However, they still benefit from a light cleaning:
1. Wash With Cold Water
Rinse the smoked ham hocks under cold water to remove any dust or residue from packaging. Use your hands to gently rub away any visible impurities.
2. Soak in Cold Water
Next, soak the hocks in cold water for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. This helps draw out excess salt from the curing process.
3. Drain and Use
Remove ham hocks from the water and pat dry. They are now ready to add rich, smoky flavor to your recipe. Simply simmer, braise, or bake into bean dishes, soups, collard greens, and more.
Pro Tips for Cleaning Ham Hocks
Follow these expert tips for getting ham hocks perfectly clean:
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Use a scrub brush on raw hocks to help dislodge debris and impurities. Avoid abrasive scrubbing on smoked hocks.
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Change the soak water several times to maximize salt removal and dilution.
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For smoked hocks, trim away any hardened fat or skin before washing. This allows better water penetration.
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After cleaning and cooking smoked hocks, the meat can be picked off and chopped up. Discard fat, skin, and bones.
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Add aromatics like bay leaves, peppercorns, or garlic to the soaking liquid for extra flavor infusion.
Getting the Most Flavor From Ham Hocks
Ham hocks are all about deep, rich, smoky pork flavor. Here are some tips for maximizing the taste after cleaning:
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Sear or roast ham hocks before simmering to intensify flavor.
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Choose hocks with skin and additional fat for more flavorful collagen.
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Cook low and slow. Long braising or simmering allows fat to render and collagen to break down.
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Add ham hocks early when making beans, soups, stews. This allows maximum flavor infusion.
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Use the fatty skin and bone remnants to make a smoky ham broth.
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Chop or shred the meat once cooked for better distribution of flavor.
Storing Cleaned Ham Hocks
After cleaning and cooking ham hocks, proper storage is important:
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Cooked hocks can be refrigerated 3-4 days submerged in cooking liquid.
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For longer storage, freeze cooked ham hocks for up to 4 months.
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Freeze raw hocks if not using within 1-2 days of cleaning. They will last 4-6 months.
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Always thaw frozen ham hocks in the refrigerator, not at room temperature.
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Refrigerate any ham hock meat picked off the bones within 1-2 days of cooking.
Common Questions about Cleaning Ham Hocks
How long should I soak ham hocks?
- For raw hocks, soak at least 2 hours up to overnight. For smoked, 30 minutes to 2 hours is sufficient.
Can I skip soaking and just boil ham hocks?
- You can boil raw hocks without soaking first, but soaking helps draw out more impurities. Smoked hocks don’t need boiling.
Is it necessary to scrub ham hocks?
- Yes, scrubbing raw hocks helps remove debris and bacteria. Gently scrub smoked hocks to remove packaging residue.
What’s the white stuff that forms on ham hocks?
- The white substance is congealed fat and collagen. It’s totally normal and safe to eat. Simply skim it off if desired.
Do I have to clean pre-cooked ham hocks?
- Yes, quick cleaning of smoked hocks removes excess salt and helps freshen up the flavor.
Get the Most from Your Ham Hocks
With this complete guide, you can feel confident on the proper techniques for cleaning ham hocks before cooking. Taking the time to wash, soak, and scrub raw hocks removes bacteria for food safety. Lightly cleaning smoked hocks freshens up the flavor.
Once your ham hocks are squeaky clean, you can simmer, braise, or roast them to succulent perfection. Their rich, meaty flavor will give a nutritious protein boost to soups, beans, greens, and pot likker. Just be sure to store cleaned ham hocks properly in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
Instructions Clean the ham hocks by massaging them under warm water. Arrange the ham hocks in the slow cooker. Cover the ham hocks with water. Cook on high for 8 hours until tender. Allow to completely cool, then skim the solid layer of fat of the ham hocks before cooking with them.
Remove the smoked ham hocks from the package and clean them by massaging them under warm water. Arrange the ham hocks in the slow cooker, add one tablespoon of salt, and cover them with water. Place on high and cook for eight hours (this can totally be done overnight). Add more salt to taste, if needed. Let them cool all the way down, which will make the cooking liquid solidify. Then, put them in plastic containers with liquid until you’re ready to use them. When it cools, an opaque layer of fat will separate from the solidified liquid. Skim the fat off the top and throw it away.