Canning smoked ham hocks?

13 years ago

Discovered aprox 6 lbs smoked, uncooked ham hocks in the freezer. I pressure cooked in large canner with stalk celery, large carrot, an onion with maybe a gallon water for 30 min at 15 lbs. Let cool, skimmed off most of the fat, removed the skin, removed the bones and shredded the meat. Saved just the meat and a quart or so of the liquid. Made a meal of the carrot, celery, onion and some meat. Really needed some salt.

Would like to can in pint jars to use the meat and liquid as additives in some future burrito mix. (rice, beans, etc) How much salt would you add per pint and how long should I process? Anything else you would add? Its rather bland now and has just a hint of smoke flavor. Had expected smokier and saltier.

Thanks,

jt

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Comments (10)

readinglady
13 years ago
You process the same as for any other meat, 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts. Altitude adjustments as appropriate.

The main thing is not to overpack the shredded meat. Make sure there's plenty of liquid.

I probably wouldn't add more salt because it's just as easy to add during the cooking process, but if I did I'd go by the saltiness of the broth not the meat, as it's going to infuse during processing. If you still feel the mixture is too bland, I'd go with a minimal amount this first time around, no more than half the recommendation. 1/2 tsp. per pint, 1 tsp. per quart.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Canning Meats Ground, Strips or Cubes
digdirt2
13 years ago
Too bad you didn't save all the stock. That would have made some great soup - plain or with some beans added. Ham and bean soup with cornbread in the winter! Can't be beat. You can always freeze or can any meat/vegetable stock you have to add to other dishes later.

Dave
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Thanks for clearing that up. (Note to self, bigger freezer or consider...pressure power!) I went to the link but see that this recipe includes actual meat jarred up with the broth. "Chicken or turkey: Place large carcass bones with most of meat removed in a large stockpot, add enough water to cover bones, cover pot, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until remaining attached meat can be easily stripped from bones. Remove bones and pieces, cool broth, strip meat, discard excess fat, and return meat trimmings to broth. Reheat to boiling and fill jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. " I myself simmer turkey/chicken bones with a few veggies and herbs for a good 3 hours (ham hocks for maybe 4). There is little actual meat in the pot. The resulting (mostly) clear stock then jells up overnight in the fridge. At that point I usually freeze it. It would seem to me that a 30-45 minutes simmer as indicated above would most likely result in a really 'weeny' broth with little substance. Has anyone jarred up a meatless broth? (Meanwhile she opens up a wordprocessing window and starts letter to Santa....) Kris
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I don't know....but I live in Iowa....and it's a close estimate if there are more hogs than people....but perhaps that's Illinois....but I DO know from pigs! Never heard any sort of food or meat referred to as "hog"...a hog is a living animal...once it becomes meat it's "pork"...so "hog hocks" is just a little strange. You might have pork hocks or ham hocks depending on if the meat is cured or not....but you for sure don't have "hog hocks". I like pickled pigs feet which I guess is a German thing. And when I used to get 2 hogs a year butchered, I would ask for some of the hocks to be smoked along with the bacon, I used them for soup or to cook with beans. But to eat...I asked for shanks...a little further away from the foot, more meat. But at any rate....they are not "hog hocks". An example of using "hog hocks" in a sentence might be "Those hogs on the north side of the lot are up to their hocks in manure, better get that lot cleaned out." Linda C...in Iowa
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Hello, just wanted to tell you that I made this recipe (with your help - thank you!!) I cut down the celery to 4 stalks, used an 8 oz jar of relish, left out the hot sauce, used smoked ham cut up fine, added a bit of mayo ....AND IT WAS GREAT! Thank you for all your help! As I noted, I don't cook much and I made these for a party for 40 people. The wraps are all gone, they went quickly, were easy to make and looked nice on the plate. They one thing I was add to the recipe was to make sure you roll the wraps tightly, and "seal" the end with a bit of cream cheese to make sure the wrap stays closed. I cut the wraps about an hour before the party, put them on a platter with sprigs of parsley as garnish, then back in the fridge. T'was easy, good & nice addition to lots of cheese & veggie platters. Thank you again for your advice, it is very much appreciated!
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John__ShowMe__USA
Original Author
13 years ago
Carol,

Thanks for the fast answer and today is the day. After sitting in the fridge for a few days the shredded meat and liquid seem much saltier even though I didn't add salt. I think will add just 1/8 tsp per pint jar and process for 75 min @ 15 lbs.

Dave writes: "Too bad you didn't save all the stock".

Actually I did... kinda. I learned the hard way not to pour fatty liquid down the drain, so all the scraps and liquid went into the freezer to wait for trash day. Going to put it all in the pressure cooker with more water and cook again for 30 min and then strain the liquid. Should get at least two quarts liquid, maybe three. Think I will process & save just like I do chicken stock and beef stock.

Is there any way I can process the pint jars of meat and quart jars of stock at the same time? 75 min at 15 lbs pressure. Or do I have to put the stock in pints?

Thanks for the answers and suggestions!

jt
sharonann1
13 years ago
Meat stock -- well defatted first -- cans for 20 min pints or 25 minutes quarts, pressure adjusted for altitude. You can always can jars longer, so you could put the stock in the same load as the meat if you don't mind having the stock "cooking" longer in the canner.

Here is a link that might be useful: canning meat stock
John__ShowMe__USA
Original Author
13 years ago
> You can always can jars longer, so you could put the stock in the same load as the meat if you don't mind having the stock "cooking" longer in the canner.

Thanks, sharonann1

I cooked the strained liquid down from a gal or so to 4 pints concentrated 'hock stock'. Will process everything in pints.
digdirt2
13 years ago
'hock stock'

Would love to see the labels on those jars! Canned hock stock - there's a CW song in there somewhere. ;)

Dave
readinglady
13 years ago
Personally I'd go ahead and put the stock in quarts, if that's more convenient, and the meat in pints. Can for the pint time for meats.

It doesn't make any difference to stock how long it's in the canner and if you can fit all the jars in in one load so much the better.

Carol
tracydr
13 years ago
I'd put the stock up with some pinto or navy beans. In fact, I'd do the stock and meat that way. Ham and beans, mmmm.
John__ShowMe__USA
Original Author
13 years ago
Everything is in pints. What a waste of time and $! Smoked ham hocks are just not all that good & will never buy again.
tracydr
13 years ago
Next time, go for the ham and beans in quarts for insta-meals. Totally worth it!

Canning smoked ham hocks?

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Canning smoked ham hocks?

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