ham hock and pig hock bargain food!

recovering_spendaholic

We always called them Pork shanks but often had them as youngsters, and I now often get a Ham shank from the local butchers for between 90p and £1.70 depending on the size. I love to cook it and then make split pea soup with the stock and use the ham for sandwiches or with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes. I remember my Dad making something similar to the dish you describe but he chopped it all up and it was called Brawn and you had it on chips and the jelly all melted. I thought it looked revolting and never tried it!!!

liz.._4

recovering_spendaholic wrote:

We always called them Pork shanks but often had them as youngsters, and I now often get a Ham shank from the local butchers for between 90p and £1.70 depending on the size. I love to cook it and then make split pea soup with the stock and use the ham for sandwiches or with parsley sauce and boiled potatoes. I remember my Dad making something similar to the dish you describe but he chopped it all up and it was called Brawn and you had it on chips and the jelly all melted. I thought it looked revolting and never tried it!!!

It does look a bit unappealing when you start to cook it but its so delicious and meaty, the fat all comes away as its been cooked so slowly, my two kids have been 'picking' when they think I'm not looking! Its cooling down with the weights on now and we'll have it tomorrow, got some bread in the bm overnight, I can't wait!

I think I probably paid a top price for it as it was from the farmers market but its organic and still cheap as chips for 2 meals...

newleaf

I got a ham shank today from Morrisons - £1.29 - and it's going in the slow cooker tomorrow with peas, yumm.

[Deleted User]

I walked through the market yesterday and bought a large hock for £1.99

I soaked it all night in cold water skinned it and slow cooked it today with chunks of carrot and celery and a bayleaf and pepper. I took it out an hour ago to cool it and strained the stock, which is now cooling outside in the wind. I got 15 oz of the most tender, tastiest lean meat ever. Unbelievable value and I have to be honest in that it is about 15 years since I cooked a hock as the price in tesco`s always put me off.

Now I have green peas soaking and tomorrow will make some very tasty old-fashioned ham and pea soup in the pressure cooker. Wow what a feast with a chunky hm wholemeal roll

annie-c

Erm, I should be ashamed I know, but what is a hock? It sounds like a wonderful, multi-use sort of ham?

martindow

I was drawn to this thread as it has a title suggesting that German wine has great nutritional value!

Biddyrolo

Crikey, I haven't seen a ham hock for years, used to buy them for pennies in the 80's, great value.

Queenie

annie-c wrote:

Erm, I should be ashamed I know, but what is a hock? It sounds like a wonderful, multi-use sort of ham?

This sums it up better than I can
Answers.com

Answers.com wrote:

The hock is the lower portion of a hog's hind leg, made up of meat, fat, bone, gristle and connective tissue. In the market, ham hocks are often cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths. Most have been cured, smoked or both, but fresh hocks can sometimes also be found. Ham hocks are generally used to flavor dishes such as soups, beans and stews that require lengthy, slow cooking.

Biddyrolo wrote:

Crikey, I haven't seen a ham hock for years, used to buy them for pennies in the 80's, great value.

Breast of lamb used to be sold for pennies but even that now has shot up in price
My father used to love Pigs Trotters as a treat, don't see those anymore around my area.

yellow_dog

Is this the same as a ham shank? (that sounds rude doesn`t it) I use this to make pea and ham soup but use yellow split peas.

Strepsy

martindow wrote:

I was drawn to this thread as it has a title suggesting that German wine has great nutritional value!

Lol!


I might fancy doing this for hubby and the kids but I don't think I could bare the skinning or any other squeamish parts. I'm veggie so I just tend to do them very lean meat that I don't have to do anything with. Is it probably not worth me trying this?