Ham hocks, or pork knuckles as they’re also known, are the joints that attach a pig’s leg to its foot. Hocks are similar to ham bones, although hocks have less meat. This is why they’re mainly boiled to add flavor to recipes, such as soups and stews, rather than provide a lot of meat. If you know the right cooking method and how long to boil ham hocks, you can make popular recipes such as:
- Pea and ham soup
- Bean-based soups
- Side dishes with slow-cooked greens
Since a ham hock is mostly a combination of fat, bone, connective tissue and just a little meat, it isn’t suitable for quick cooking methods, such as broiling or pan-frying. Instead, it needs to be boiled or simmered for several hours to coax out all the incredible, meaty flavor.
Boiling Ham Hocks Step by Step
- Start off by putting your ham hocks in a Dutch oven or large pot.
- Cover them with water.
- Add any seasonings to the water (garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper are good).
- Bring the water to a boil, cover the pot, then turn the heat down and simmer the ham hocks for about 2 – 3 hours.
- If you want to add some vegetables to the mixture, chop and add them once the meat from the ham hocks is tender, then cook for an additional half an hour.
- Serve the ham hocks with the vegetables and some of the broth ladled over the top.
- You can keep the remainder of the broth for future soup or stew recipes.
How Long to Boil Ham Hocks
Ham hocks aren’t the kind of meat you can cook in five minutes. You need to boil them and coax out all the flavor, which will take at least an hour. Rather than a vigorous boil, a gentle simmer is best.
The following are suggested cooking times based on how you’re cooking the ham hocks, although the exact cooking time depends on their size:
| Boiled in water on the stove | 2-3 hours |
| Cooked in instant pot or a pressure cooker | 50-60 minutes* |
| Cooked in the oven in a casserole dish | 2-3 hours |
* If you are using an instant pot or a pressure cooker, cook them for 40 minutes and then allow the steam to gently release for 10-20 minutes.
How to Tell When Ham Hocks are Cooked
The best way to determine when your ham hocks are fully cooked is to try to pull some of the meat off using a fork.
If it is stuck to the bone or not really tender, the ham hocks need more time. If the meat comes off the bone easily, they’re done.
Ham hocks often come in packs of two or four. If you have some left over, they freeze well for up to six months. Discover how long to cook ham hocks and you will want to keep some of these versatile pieces of meat in the refrigerator or freezer all the time.
In Conclusion
Ham hocks are great for the cooler seasons when you want to make soups, stews or hearty dishes. Knowing how long to boil ham hocks means you can prepare them easily, as long as you allow yourself enough time for them to tenderize and all the magical flavor to be coaxed out.
