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Pork Hock Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to pork hock
About pork hock
Pork hock, also called ham hock or pork knuckle, is the joint near a pigs' foot's metatarsals. It's the area where the foot attaches to the leg and the extreme shank of the leg bone. Pork hocks are primarily fat, connective tissue, and bone, although some meat.
Pork hock is a popular staple in the "soul food" of the American South and the Mid-Atlantic States. This cut of meat serves nicely alongside greens and other vegetables when tossed in flavorful sauces. Some families like to add pork hock to their favorite soups like pea or ham soup, adding the meat right before serving. If the hock has plenty of meat, you can remove it and serve it as is. The hock has a particularly distinctive flavor, similar to pigs' cheeks.
Many cultures embrace pork hock as a part of their cuisines. It's popular in China when served with bok choy in gravy sauce. While in Thailand, ham hock and Sauerkraut are a favorite among locals. Italy, Germany, and Switzerland also include pork hock in many of their traditional dishes.
Pork hock cooking tips
Pork hock has a salty and smokey taste similar to bacon but more robust. They make a delicious addition to many kinds of food and are a versatile choice for nearly all occasions. There are several ways to prepare or use a ham hock, including the following:
- Ingredient in long-cooked foods: Pork hock is not incredibly meaty, making it an excellent addition to long-cooked foods like soups, braised greens, beans, or poultry and beef stocks.
- Slow-roasting: While ham hocks mainly serve as an addition to flavor dishes, you can also slow-roast hocks to serve as the main course.
- Slow-cooked: Slow-cooked pork hocks are even more flavorful and make a tasty addition to slow cooker soup recipes.
While cooking pork hocks, you may want to boil them for at least two to three hours for the meat to tenderize. If you want a salty bacon-like flavor, cure the meat with salt before smoking. Even without this step, hocks have a bold, porky flavor when cooked for long periods.
Whether you plan to use pork hock as an ingredient for your favorite soups, or as a smokey slow-cooked dinner dish, Instacart makes it easy to shop for everything you need. Our shoppers get your order ready so that you can have pork hock delivered to your door in as little as 2 hours!
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FAQs about pork hock
Pork hock is relatively healthy, with plenty of protein. Every 400-gram serving contains approximately 17 grams of protein, a complex group of molecules that promote healthy organs, skin, nails, and muscles. Protein is one of the building blocks that makes us who we are. More than half the calories in hocks come from fat, with 33-percent sourced from protein. Pork is also an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. Iron is necessary for growth and development, while zinc promotes a healthier immune system.
Pork hocks contain plenty of vitamins B6 and B12, which are essential for blood cell formation and proper brain functioning. The selenium in pork encourages thyroid function, and one 6oz pork serving contains a hundred percent of your daily selenium intake, making pork a healthy food choice overall.
As with any red meat, you may want to limit consumption to two or three times a week. When consumed moderately, pork hock can contribute to a nutritionally balanced and well-rounded diet.
Most retailers sell hocks without the skin. However, if you need to remove the skin, wait until the meat is thoroughly cooked and cool enough to handle it. While skinning, discard the fat from the skin and flesh, scraping away the excesses from underneath.
You can also chop the skin into smaller pieces and add it to your soups. Some people prefer to broil the skin until it's crispy and serve sprinkled over the soup.
It is possible to have an allergy to pork hock. While it's not understood fully why some people have a meat allergy, scientists believe it could have a link to bites from a Lone Star tick. Some people with meat allergies are also allergic to cats and cat hair. You can develop an allergy to meat at any age, including during childhood, or in your adult years. If you think you may have an allergy to pork or any other meat, speak with your doctor.