What Is a Ham Hock? Here's Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Have you ever wondered what gives some of your favorite soup recipes such a deep, meaty flavor? It may be a ham hock! This unassuming piece of pork is super important in soups that traditionally need a little extra flavor, like pea or bean soups, or in dishes like slow-cooked greens or beans. In most recipes like these, the ham hock is used only for flavor and it's removed once the dish has finished cooking—there isn’t actually a lot of edible meat on a ham hock. If you're making homemade ham stock, you need—you guessed it—a ham hock. So before you start shopping and cooking, let's discuss: What is a ham hock, anyway?

Ham hocks are also known as pork knuckles. They come from the bottom of the pork leg, and they're mostly bone, fat, connective tissue, and some meat. Ham hocks need to simmer for a long time in order to soften and impart flavor, so they're best used in dishes that cook low and slow. (They're actually a popular dish served at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, where they're slow-roasted to crisp up the skin and then served over cabbage or with potatoes). Most ham hocks are smoked and cured, so they have a deep, smoky, salty flavor that's perfect as a base for stock, soups, and stewed dishes. Try using one in your next recipe!

Is a ham hock the same as a ham bone?

No, but they can definitely be used in the same way—both are usually smoked, so they add similar flavor to a dish. A ham bone will have more usable meat on it than a ham hock.

What part is the ham hock?

The ham hock is the part of the pig where the foot attaches to the leg, at the very bottom of the leg bone, on both the back and front legs.

What can I use in place of a ham hock?

Most ham hocks are smoked, so if you can’t find a ham hock at the store, you could use chopped smoked bacon or smoked ham, or a smoked pork shank (which will be much meatier than a ham hock).

Is there meat on ham hocks?

Ham hocks are mostly bone, fat, and tendons, but there is a small amount of meat that can be coaxed off of them with enough slow cooking. They aren’t usually meant to be a main source of meat for a recipe, however.