hamhocks

Smoked pig joints

Hamhocks—usually spelled as two words or hyphenated (ham hocks)—are the lower joints of a pig's hind legs, just above the feet.

They contain bone, fat, skin, and collagen, making them ideal for slow cooking.

Ham hocks are prized in Southern and soul food traditions for flavoring beans, greens, and soups: She simmered the collards with a ham hock for hours.

pork

pig

Domesticated swine for meat

swineDomestic porcine animals
shankLower leg segment
knuckleFinger-to-hand joint

trotter · fatback · jowl · smoked · cured · bone-in · collagen · gelatin · rendered · crackling

cuisine

collard greens

Sturdy leafy vegetable

black-eyed peasCream-colored legumes with dark spots
beansEdible pod seeds
potlikkerBroth from cooked greens

broth · stew · simmer · braise · crockpot · stockpot · hominy · lentils · casserole · bay leaf

southern

soul food

Traditional Black Southern cuisine

CreoleFused language, stabilized
cornbreadQuick bread from maize
collardsLeafy cabbage relatives

gumbo · jambalaya · Lowcountry · Cajun · New Year · good luck · tradition · Sunday dinner · church supper · grandmother

smoky

hickory

Dense North American hardwood

smokedExposed to wood fumes
curedRestored to health
barbecueSlow-cook over coals

charcoal · woodsy · aroma · mesquite · brisket · grill · roast · flame · embers · rendered fat

Opposites

meat cut quality/prestige

hamhockstenderloin

Premium, exceptionally soft cut

filet mignon · prime rib · ribeye · porterhouse · pork tenderloin

culinary refinement

hamhocksfoie gras

Fattened waterfowl liver

caviar · châteaubriand · lobster tail · truffle · oysters Rockefeller

Family

ham, hams, hammed, hamming, hammy, hock, hocks, hocked, hocking

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Profile: Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G