How to Cook Ham Hocks in Slow Cooker

Best way of how to cook ham hocks in slow cooker with beans for a soup is here. Ham hock soup is a cheap hearty one pot meal with tons of smoked flavor! Just one of our easy Crockpot recipes that are easy, family friendly and even your kids will love.

How to Cook with a Ham Hock

Let’s talk about this part of the pig: These come from the bottom of the pig’s leg (rear ankles). They need to simmer for a LONG time in order for the small bits of meat to fall off the bone. Even though there isn’t a lot of protein on each one, what does come off has TONS of flavor. You literally need no seasonings added into this dish to be great.

We made slow cooker ham and beans last year using dry beans, but that takes a long time. If you are in a hurry try this version. To make this done even quicker, you could even use leftover ham which we do often after the holidays.

How to Cook Ham Shanks

I have used both of these and the cook time is the same. Only difference between the two is shanks will have more meat on them because they come from higher up on the leg. You will get the same smoky flavors with each. Cook time will not differ and either one will work just as well as the other.

What are Ham Hocks Used for?

You can use them to enhance the flavor of your dish, usually soup and add a bit of meat to it too. Mostly it works the best to add a smoky flavor to your meal. Here are a few we’ve made, or you could consider making with these. The only methods worth using would be a slow cooker, Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi.

Recipes

1. Instant Pot lentil soup with ham
2. Our Instant Pot black eyed peas and ham
3. Crockpot ham and potato soup
4. Pressure cooker barley soup
5. You could throw 1-2 into our homemade Instant Pot split pea soup

How Long to Cook Beans with Ham Hock in Crockpot

And then we made this one the other night. I found this package of smoked ham hocks that were under ten bucks, thought some Northern beans would work well with fresh produce. Carrots and celery are great choices too and in just about 6 hours (using soaked or canned beans) you’ll be set.

Since my husband was home that night I deleted the carrots here because he is a hard NO carrot lover. You could go beyond that though, the selections need to be of the firmer variety though. Fresh green beans would work, sliced onions of any kind of course are always fine, even quartered petite potatoes would work.

How to Make Ham Hock Soup in Slow Cooker

• Put ham hocks with flat sides facing down into your slow cooker. Pour cans of beans (of your choice) on top with all other ingredients. (don’t even bother draining them)
• Close lid and seal shut. Cook on low for 6 hours. Before serving take ham hocks out of pot and put on a cutting board.
• Remove and discard bones, use a sharp knife to dice meat into bite size pieces and put back into the pot.

Note: Do NOT add any salt into this at all. There is a ton already in the meat that will remain in there and seeps out into the broth when it cooks. Best is to use low sodium broth too.

How to Make Instant Pot Ham Hocks and Beans

Pressure Cooker Ham and Beans has the directions for that pot. You can get the same end result in a fraction of the time, like 1 hour vs 6-8. Seriously you won’t be able to tell the difference either so try both and see for yourself.

How to Cook Ham Hocks on the Stove

In a pot on the stovetop you would want to cover them with water or broth. If you are making a soup with beans out of it I would use the latter to give the dish more flavor overall. Set over medium heat so it is slowly boiling and cover. You still want a decent timing of 2 hours or so in order for the pork to pull away from the bones easily.

Are ham hocks fully cooked?

Yes, in the store they are typically already smoked so you don’t need to worry about them coming to a safe internal temperature per say. The smoky flavor is why they are so great to add to dishes. With broth cooked low and slow those flavors will leach out into your dish and give it a ton of flavor and sodium you want.

At the end or 30 minutes before serving lift your cuts of pork out of your soup or stew and on to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice meat off and discard bones, connective tissue, collagen and fat. These are typically sold in pairs or 4 like this one was.

Using 2 vs. 4 is up to you, just depends on how much meat you want in your dish. If making something like Instant Pot baked beans I might just use one or two since I’d want the sweeter sauce to really shine. In a larger pots of beans or collard greens I would add 3-4 since those are rather bland and need all the help they can get.

If you were just wanting to make them tender, but brown and crispy on the outside I would skip the other ingredients. Add enough broth to submerge the thickest half to 3/4 of the way up. Use the same timing below and then you’d want to set your oven to broil for a few minutes. Add cuts of meat to baking sheet until browned.

Crock pot Ham Hocks

Yes bacon or pancetta can add a ton of flavor to just about any meal but this pork product brings more of an intensity to your favorite comfort food. It is a really CHEAP way to add a bunch of flavor with little to no work on your part. Give our recipe below a whirl and then try a few more linked above too. Below we show you how to make one of our favorite Crockpot soup recipes with the smoked pork pieces.