Ankle joint of the front or hind leg
Pork Hock (Ham Hock): Complete Guide to Pork Pork Hock (Ham Hock) Cuts
The hock is the joint between the leg and the foot, taken from either the front leg (foreshank) or the rear leg (hind hock). It's mostly skin, bone, tendon, and connective tissue with relatively little meat, but it's an essential flavoring cut. Fresh or smoked, hocks add deep body and gelatinous richness to soups, stocks, and braises.
Tough and heavily connective, made mostly of skin, tendon, and collagen-rich tissue with small pockets of meat. Requires long, moist cooking to become tender, releasing gelatin that thickens broths and braises. Usually sold fresh or smoked.
What Cuts Come from the Pork Hock (Ham Hock)?
The pork hock (ham hock) is broken down into 3 retail cuts, each with distinct texture, fat content, and ideal cooking method.
Smoked Ham Hock
budgetCured and smoked hocks add deep smoky, savory flavor to long-simmered dishes like greens, beans, and soups, releasing gelatin as they cook.
Also known as: Smoked Pork Hock
Typical weight: 0.75-1.25 lbs each
Fresh Pork Hock
budgetUncured hocks with a milder flavor, popular in German and Filipino cooking, simmered until tender and sometimes finished with a crisp-skinned roast or fry.
Also known as: Fresh Ham Hock
Typical weight: 0.75-1.5 lbs each
Pickled Pork Hock
budgetHocks brined in a vinegar-based pickling solution, a Southern and Pennsylvania Dutch tradition served cold or simmered further with vegetables.
Also known as: Pickled Pigs' Feet Style Hock
Typical weight: 0.75-1.25 lbs each
What Are the Best Pork Hock (Ham Hock) Recipes?
These 5 recipes show the best ways to cook pork pork hock (ham hock), from weeknight fast to weekend-long projects.
Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham Hock
Classic split pea soup made rich and smoky with a simmered ham hock, then finished with tender shredded meat stirred back into the pot.
Braised Ham Hocks with Collard Greens
Southern-style collard greens slow-braised with smoked ham hocks for a rich, savory pot liquor and tender pulled pork throughout.
German-Style Boiled Pork Hock with Sauerkraut
Traditional German pork hock simmered with sauerkraut, caraway, and juniper berries until the skin is tender and the meat falls off the bone.
Pressure Cooker Ham Hock and White Bean Stew
A hearty white bean stew with smoked ham hock, made fast in the pressure cooker without needing to soak the beans overnight.
Roasted Crispy Ham Hocks
Braised then oven-roasted ham hocks with irresistibly crispy skin and tender, juicy meat underneath. A rustic centerpiece for two.
What Are the Best Ways to Cook Pork Hock (Ham Hock)?
Pork Hock (Ham Hock) responds best to these methods. Each one draws out a different quality of the cut.
Popular dishes made from Pork Hock (Ham Hock)
- • Collard Greens with Ham Hock
- • Split Pea Soup
- • German Pork Hock (Eisbein)
- • Beans with Hock
Pork Hock (Ham Hock) Questions, Answered
What is a ham hock?
A ham hock, or pork hock, is the joint between the leg and the foot, taken from the front or hind leg. It's mostly skin, bone, and connective tissue with little meat, but it adds deep flavor and body when simmered in soups, beans, and braised greens.
Is a ham hock the same as a pig's foot?
No, a ham hock is the ankle-area joint above the foot, while a pig's foot (trotter) is the foot itself, below the hock. Both are rich in collagen and used similarly to add gelatin and flavor to braises, but they are distinct cuts of the leg.
How long do you cook a ham hock?
Ham hocks typically need 2-3 hours of simmering or braising to become tender enough for the meat to fall off the bone, since their high collagen content requires sustained moist heat to break down properly.
Are ham hocks already cooked?
Many ham hocks sold at grocery stores are smoked but not fully cooked, so check the packaging. Smoked hocks still typically require simmering for a couple of hours to become tender, even though the smoking process has already cured and flavored the meat.
What dishes use ham hocks?
Ham hocks are classic additions to Southern collard greens, split pea soup, red beans and rice, German Eisbein, and various braised bean dishes, where their slow-released collagen and smoky pork flavor enrich the entire pot.
Guides for Cooking Pork
Temperatures, buying, brining and butchery fundamentals that apply to this cut.
Pork Temperature Guide: Safe and Perfect Doneness
The correct internal temperatures for pork chops, roasts, ribs, and ground pork, plus resting times and how to use a thermometer.
How to Choose Pork Chops: A Buyer's Guide
Learn to pick the right pork chop cut, thickness, and marbling for your recipe, from bone-in rib chops to lean boneless loin chops.
Pork Ribs Guide: Baby Back vs. Spare Ribs and How to Cook Them
A complete guide to baby back, spare, and St. Louis-style pork ribs, including how to choose, trim, and cook them to fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
Brining and Curing Pork: Wet Brines, Dry Brines, and Cures Explained
Learn how wet brining, dry brining, and curing improve pork's moisture and flavor, with ratios, times, and safety tips for chops, roasts, and bacon.
Buying and Grading Pork: What Labels Actually Mean
Understand pork quality labels like heritage breed, organic, and enhanced, plus how to spot fresh pork and pick the right cut at the store.
Pork Cooking Methods Guide: Matching Technique to Cut
A guide to roasting, grilling, braising, pan-searing, and smoking pork, with the best cuts and temperatures for each method.
How Does Pork Hock (Ham Hock) Compare to Other Pork Cuts?
Explore the rest of the pig to find the right cut for your next meal.
Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt)
Upper Front Shoulder, above the front leg
Picnic Shoulder
Lower Front Shoulder, above the foreleg
Pork Loin
Back, between the shoulder and the hip
Pork Belly
Underside of the pig, below the loin and ribs
Spare Ribs
Belly side of the rib cage, below the loin
Ham (Fresh Ham / Leg)
Hind Leg
Pork Jowl
Cheek
