Whole muscle recipeCuresmith Ratio

Cured Ham Hock Recipe

Name: Cured Ham Hock Recipe
Total time: 7 d
Yield: 1.5 kg batch
Cuisine: Charcuterie
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Pork hock; 1.93 kg Water; 77.1 g Salt; 25.7 g Caster sugar; 20 g Pickling spice (for the brine)

Cured ham hock is one of those traditional preparations that rewards patience and gives you more than one path at the end. This cured ham hock recipe starts with a proper cure that seasons the meat deeply, firms it slightly, and sets it up for two very different but equally satisfying uses. The ham hock may not get the same attention as larger cuts, but it carries a great deal of flavour, collagen, fat, and character, which makes it far more useful than many people realise.

Introduction

What makes a good cured ham hock recipe especially interesting is that there are really two distinct reasons for preparing it. The first is to hot smoke it and then use the meat in other dishes. In that form, the hock becomes a flavour-building ingredient rather than the centrepiece itself. It can be added to soups, stews, and braised dishes, where the smoke, cure, and richness of the meat add depth in a way that fresh pork simply cannot. It also works beautifully for things like smoked pork rillettes, where the cooked meat can be pulled apart and used in a more rustic preparation.

The second reason to make a cured ham hock recipe is as an eating option in its own right, closer to a dish such as German eisbein or related preparations found in other food traditions. For this version, the hock is removed from the brine and dried in the fridge for around 24 hours so that the skin is completely dry. That drying stage matters, because it helps the skin crisp properly during cooking. The hock is then roasted until the skin becomes crisp, the fat renders beautifully, and the meat underneath turns rich and tender. Served traditionally with sour cabbage and potatoes, it becomes a deeply satisfying dish with real substance and old-world character.

That versatility is what makes this cured ham hock recipe so appealing. It can become a practical smoked ingredient that enriches other meals, or it can be turned into a full dish that stands proudly on its own. In both cases, the curing stage is what gives the hock its identity, adding depth, seasoning, and that unmistakable character that only time, salt, and proper preparation can create.

Where it comes from

Pork cut chart with the Shank (hock) highlighted — Pork · Shank (hock)The ham hock is the pork shank, the lower section of the leg between the trotter and the ham. It is rich in connective tissue and skin, which a long brine and slow cook turn silky.

England

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleBrined and cooked pork hock

MethodEQ brine

CureNo nitrite

Brine time7 days

Ingredients

Pork hockgAdjust to
scale the recipe

Piece thickness: enter the thickness at the thickest point; it sets the brine time.

mm thickness

Meat & water
Pork hock	Reference	1500 g
Water	1.29x meat	1930 g
Water is calculated at 1.29x the meat weight. Use a non-reactive container that holds the meat with all the liquid covering it.
Cure & salt
Salt	2.25% of total	75 g
No nitrite used. The product will be grey-brown rather than pink, which is safe and traditional.
Sugar
Caster sugar	0.75% of total	25 g
Aromatics
Garlic, peeled	whole	3 cloves
Juniper berries, lightly crushed	whole	6 berries
Pickling spice (for the brine)	ground	20 g
The pickling spice goes into the brine only; hocks are not simmered. Make it as a side blend: a caraway-led German-style mix paired with peppercorns, coriander, allspice and warm spices.

Nitrite safety check

No nitrite used

No nitrite is being used. The product will be grey-brown rather than pink, which is safe and traditional. Keep it cold throughout and cook it thoroughly.

Brine timeline

Brine methodEquilibrium (EQ) brine

Brine time7 days minimum

Brine temperature2-4 C / 36-39 F

TurningDaily

Method

Combine the brine ingredients. Combine the salt, sugar and cure (if using) with about half the water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until everything dissolves. Add the garlic, the lightly crushed juniper berries and the pickling spice (with caraway). Remove from the heat. Pour in the remaining water cold to chill the brine more quickly. Refrigerate until completely cold.

Bag or submerge the hock. Place the hock in a vacuum-seal bag with the cold brine and remove as much air as possible before sealing. If you do not have a vacuum sealer, a jumbo zip-lock pressed flat to expel air, or a non-reactive container with a weighted plate to keep the meat under, both work just as well.

Refrigerate for {days} days minimum. Keep at 2-4 C / 36-39 F throughout. Turn the bag (or flip the hock) once a day so the brine distributes evenly. EQ brining is forgiving; leaving the hock in for a day or two longer than the minimum will not over-salt it. Hocks brine quickly because the meat is shallow (skin to bone).

Remove and rinse. Take the hock out of the brine and rinse briefly under cold running water. Pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.

Air-dry uncovered in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Place the hock on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 24-48 hours. The skin must be completely dry to the touch before either finish stage. This step is essential for the Eisbein finish (the dry skin is what crisps in the oven) and improves the smoke finish too (smoke clings better to a dry surface).

Choose one of the two finishes below. Finish A (hot smoked) is best for stews, rillettes, soups, or eating whole if smoked all the way through. Finish B (roasted Eisbein) is best as a main dish: crisp crackling-style skin, tender meat, served with sauerkraut, mustard and beer. Choose one.

Finish A, hot smoked: hot-smoke the hock. Set up your smoker at 110 C / 225 F. Use a flavoursome wood; oak, hickory, beech, or apple all work well with pork. Place the hock on the rack with the skin facing up. Use a probe thermometer.

Finish A, hot smoked: smoke to your target internal temperature. If the hock will be used as a flavouring agent (in stews, soup bases, or for shredding into rillettes), smoke until the internal temperature reaches about 65 C / 150 F at the deepest meat point; this typically takes 3-4 hours and infuses the meat with smoke without fully cooking it through. If you intend to eat the smoked hock whole as a main dish, continue smoking until about 88 C / 190 F internal, typically 5-7 hours, for fully cooked, fall-off-the-bone meat. Cool, then refrigerate up to a week. Smoked hock freezes well too.

Finish B, roasted Eisbein: score the skin at 30 mm intervals. Using a sharp knife (a craft or scalpel-style blade works well), cut shallow lines into the dried skin every 30 mm / about 1.2 in across the surface. Cut just through the skin and into the fat layer, but not into the meat below. The scoring lets the fat render out and the skin puff into crackling.

Finish B, roasted Eisbein: roast at 200 C / 400 F. Place the hock on a rack in a roasting tray (skin up). Roast in a preheated oven at 200 C / 400 F until the skin is crisp and golden and the internal temperature reaches about 88 C / 190 F at the deepest meat point. This typically takes 1.5-2 hours for a single hock, longer for larger or multiple hocks. If the skin is browning too quickly before the meat is cooked, cover it loosely with foil and finish it uncovered for the last 15 minutes. Use a probe thermometer for the meat target.

Finish B, roasted Eisbein: rest, then serve. Rest the roasted hock for 10-15 minutes loosely tented with foil (do not wrap tightly or the crackling will soften). Serve hot with sauerkraut, boiled potatoes or potato dumplings, mustard, and a glass of cold beer.

Key tipsEQ is the forgiving method: the salt level in the brine is precisely what you want in the finished meat, so the meat cannot become over-salted no matter how long you leave it. Gradient brining is time-sensitive: it keeps pushing salt into the meat for as long as the hock sits in the brine, so do not exceed the stated days. Hocks brine quickly because the meat is shallow (skin to bone). Do not skip the air-dry: after rinsing, rest the hock uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge for 24-48 hours until the skin is completely dry. For the Eisbein roast this is non-negotiable, wet skin will not crackle; for the smoke finish a dry surface helps the smoke cling. A probe thermometer is essential equipment for both finishes.

ImportantA brined hock is not a ready-to-eat product. It must be cooked through to a safe internal temperature for its intended use: about 65 C / 150 F if hot-smoking for use as a flavouring in stews, soups or rillettes, or about 88 C / 190 F if eating the hock whole (smoked, or roasted Eisbein-style). Internal temperature, not time, decides when each finish is done; a probe thermometer is essential.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com

Health & Safety Disclaimer