ham hock and pig hock bargain food!

MrsRogers · 27 January 2011 at 3:06PM

OOOOwwwww I love ham shank with new potatoes and cauliflower cheese

Reminds me of Saturday lunch times on the farm with my grandparents when I was young

RIP Nain & Taid :A

proudmumof4 · 4 February 2011 at 9:58AM

I have now got some split peas (45p for 500g, how cheap!!) so am going to give the pea and ham soup a go this weekend as we have had a bad week money wise (Sky took £195 out of the bank for 2 months with no warning!!!!).

Managed to get shopping for meals for all 6 of us for £40 including pull up pants and wash stuff so using up freezer food till next friday.

I love OS budgeting but it really depresses me when it is forced on me!!!! O well, onwards and upwards x

LandyAndy · 4 February 2011 at 11:50AM

I bought a few when my butcher was doing them at two for 99p.:):money:.

Soaked overnight and then boiled until well done. Meat stripped off (look out for the gristly bits;)) and combined with the meat from some steamed chicken legs and some leeks softened in butter to make pie fillings for the freezer.:j

Cheap food for those prepared to put a bit of time in.

foxgloves · 4 February 2011 at 12:01PM

I love getting a hamshank/hock. Cheapest one ever was £1-50 from local Co-op but never paid more than £2.60 for one, even from posh farm shops. I always put in big pan covered with water & bring to boil for a couple of minutes to get rid of excess saltiness then throw the water away and cook it in my slowcooker on low for 8 hours with a few stock veg, bayleaf, etc. Then take it out, strip the meat off and we have it first as a hot dinner with potatoes, home-made parsley sauce and peas, then the rest of the meat is used for filling rolls for packed lunches, in a pasta bake or pizza topping and the bone goes back in the slow cooker with veg & yellow lentils and all the little last scraps of meat to make soup. You do have loads of fat to remove, but they are such good value and the meat is really tasty.

claret1980 · 5 February 2011 at 6:39PM

This is a really good ham hock recipe. I get mine for about £1.60 each from a butchers in the market and one will do me and my husband 2 meals each and sandwiches!

http://love-to-live-to-eat.blogspot.com/2010/11/head-shoulders-knees-and-toes-ham-hock.html

TRYINGTOSWIM · 4 March 2011 at 2:40PM

in my local butcher today he had gammon hocks for £2. never bought this before , he was very helpful and said to boil it. I have put it in slowcooker, is this ok? going to try it tonight with chips.

whats this meat like and any other ideas to use it please,

Mrs_P_Pincher · 4 March 2011 at 2:46PM

I had one of these for teh first time a couple of weeks ago. Based on the advice I was given in the butcher's I put it in a big pan and covered it with cold water, brought it to the boil and poured that water away, immediately put it in the slow cooker on 'high', added carrots, leeks and onions and a couple of spoons of stock powder. Poured over boiling water from the kettle to cover and left it for 4 hours. I have to say it was very nice with mash and cabbage - a real taste of my childhood.

Should be fine with chips.

Mrs P P

tessie_bear · 4 March 2011 at 2:51PM

i cook mine in the slowcooker...its nice with chips...nice in a sarnie and if u cook with liquid u can use this as stock for soup

quintwins · 4 March 2011 at 2:52PM

i always boil mine first or else there very salty

Sammy-Jo_2 · 4 March 2011 at 5:59PM

I find the best hock is the smoked variety. I usually slow cook it in a little water for about 4 hours and then use the water to make into a soup. I made it on Sunday and added pre soaked split red lentils and some chopped carrot and swede and have taken it for lunch this week. Absolutely delicious and cheap too. We had it for dinner on Sunday and also ham, egg and chips on Tuesday. So a ham joint is great value for us.