Food and Recipes Meat Pork and Ham 14 Ham Hock Recipes That Add Southern Flavor To Your Meal By Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola Lisa Cericola has been on staff at Southern Living since 2015. As Deputy Editor, Lisa manages the food and travel departments and edits those sections of each issue, as well as digital content. Previously, she was the features editor at Food Network Magazine and has more than 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing photo shoots for print and digital lifestyle brands. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 20, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Thrifty Southern cooks know the importance of minimizing waste, using chicken bones for homemade stock, herb stems for added zest, and ham hocks for incredible savory flavor. Ham hocks, also called pork knuckles, are actually a joint that connects a pig's foot to its leg. You can find smoked ham hocks in the meat department in your grocery store. They add depth to any soup, stew, or side dish. These ham hock recipes are big on flavor but low on effort. Many of our ham hock recipes come together low and slow on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, so each element of the recipe soaks up the smoky ham hock flavor. No Southerner can argue: Collard greens and ham hocks are a match made in comfort food heaven, and we've got several recipes to prove it. Smoked ham hocks are the secret to incredible soups like our Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup and Capitol Hill Bean Soup. Plus, did you know ham hocks are part of the reason why Southern classics like Red Beans and Rice and Classic Fresh Field Peas taste so amazing? Trust us: If you're looking for old-fashioned Southern flavor, it's time to try one of these timeless ham hock recipes. 01 of 14 Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks and Pickled Collard Green Stems Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox We were lucky enough that Chef Todd Richards shared this recipe from his cookbook Soul: A Chef's Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes with us. Get The Recipe 02 of 14 Creamy Potato-and-Ham Hock Slow-Cooker Soup Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall We love the slow-cooker method for this recipe, as it helps the potatoes soak up all that smoky ham hock flavor. Get The Recipe 03 of 14 Southern-Style Green Beans Southern Living You only need green beans, a ham hock, water, salt, and pepper to get green beans just like Mama made. Let your slow cooker do all the magic here. Get The Recipe 04 of 14 Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Kay E. Clarke; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey Make this Louisiana classic with the help of your Instant Pot and a meaty, smoked ham hock. There's no need to soak the beans beforehand. Just add them in with the other ingredients and cook. Get The Recipe 05 of 14 Slow-Cooker Collard Greens with Ham Hocks Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall If you want classic collard greens flavor without having to stand over the stovetop, this is the recipe for you. Let your slow cooker cook the greens low and slow. Get The Recipe 06 of 14 Classic Fresh Field Peas Iain Bagwell If you remember sitting on Grandma's porch and shelling peas, this old-fashioned recipe will bring you back in time. Get The Recipe 07 of 14 Instant Pot Black-eyed Pea Soup Photography: Alison Miksch, Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland, Food Styling: Melissa Gray Start the new year on the luckiest note possible with this easy recipe that includes greens and black-eyed peas. A ham hock lends a smoky flavor to every bite. Get The Recipe 08 of 14 Emily's Red Beans and Rice Peter Frank Edwards New Orleans Chef Alon Shaya's wife Emily becomes head chef of their kitchen when it's time to make red beans and rice, and her legendary recipe will become a favorite in your home, too. Get The Recipe 09 of 14 Ham Hock-and-Black Bean Soup Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Jillian Knox Change up your smoky bean and ham soup with black beans. Add a slurry near the end of cooking time for an incredibly thick, delicious soup. Get The Recipe 10 of 14 Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Ham Hocks Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis This soup is Southern comfort in a bowl. Full of black-eyed peas, collard greens, and smoky ham hocks, it’s a perfect start to the new year or any weeknight. Get The Recipe 11 of 14 Southern Braised Greens Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner Start your holiday cooking early with these make-ahead greens. They’ve got some heat from crushed red pepper, but feel free to add hot sauce if you want to kick it up. Get The Recipe 12 of 14 Split Pea Soup with Ham Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox This recipe calls for tasso ham, which provides smoky Cajun flavor. If you can’t find tasso, substitute ham hocks so you won’t miss any of the smokiness. Get The Recipe 13 of 14 Ham-and-Bean Soup Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Use a meaty ham bone or a ham hock in this satisfying soup you can make right in your slow cooker. Puree a portion of the soup for a thicker version. Get The Recipe 14 of 14 Capitol Hill Bean Soup Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox The Senate's restaurant has served a bean soup recipe since 1903. Once you try our version, you'll understand why it's never left the menu. Get The Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit