ham hock

Also known as: smoked ham hock, pork hock

The lower leg of the pig, just above the foot -- mostly skin, bone, and connective tissue with a modest amount of meat, almost always sold smoked and cured. Unlike a ham bone, which is what's left over after a whole ham has already been cooked, a ham hock is bought specifically as its own cut, raw (despite being smoked and cured), meant to be simmered for hours into beans, greens, or soups. That long simmer melts the connective tissue into rich gelatin and infuses the whole pot with a deep, smoky, salty flavor.

Buying guidance

Sold refrigerated or frozen, usually a few to a package; look for a moist (not dried-out or grayish) cut surface and firm texture. "Smoked" on the label means cured and smoked, not fully cooked -- it still needs a long simmer to become tender and safe to eat, unlike some products labeled "fully cooked."

Substitutions

Ham bone -- the leftover bone from a cooked ham; gives similar smoky depth, sometimes even more gelatin if there's good marrow, though it's a byproduct rather than something bought fresh for the purpose.
Smoked turkey wings or a smoked turkey leg -- a good smoky substitute with less fat; simmer longer to compensate for less connective tissue.
Bacon or pancetta plus a splash of liquid smoke -- much faster, but gives up the body and richness a long-simmered hock adds to the cooking liquid.

Tips & common mistakes

Treating it as done once it's merely heated through, rather than truly fork-tender, leaves the meat tough and the connective tissue still rubbery -- like other collagen-rich cuts, it needs hours of sustained simmering, not a quick warm-through, to break down properly. As a cured, smoked product it also adds real saltiness to whatever it's cooked in, so hold off on salting the dish itself until near the end.

Storage

Keeps refrigerated for about a week, or frozen for several months -- it's a cured product, so it holds up well in the freezer. Once cooked into a pot of beans or soup, the meat can be pulled off, shredded, and returned to the dish, or refrigerated separately for another use.