Actually pinkwarm, I'd consider ham hocks a really good substitute for hog jowl bacon. Both have a nice thick fat layer with skin and a nice 'streak o lean', even though the hocks meat is in chunks instead of a strip. I'd go with the ham hocks.

Or you could use plain old bacon. I like to get those 3# boxes of bacon ends & pieces for seasoning. Often there are chunks of bacon in them, but not always. Almost always, there are some ragged thick slices which is great for seasoning.

How is the meat used in the recipe? Is it chopped and sauted, or added whole to the pot?? Do you want a smokey flavor? Will you need to skim fat from the soup once it's made?

seagrass

I think I'd also go with the smoked ham/pork hocks. We always asked Carl to smoke the jowl bacon when we had pigs slaughtered and packed, although he said very few others did. I guess they just didn't think about that part of a pig! The stuff I had was actually leaner than regular bacon from the belly, so the hocks are going to be similar but you'll have to deal with the bones.

Annie

This is an old recipe of my father's who was an amazing cook. The jowl bacon is to be layered on the beans. Annie1992 smoked jowl bacon sounds wonderful. Our hog butcher never did that, and I suppose it can only be found down on the farm. I use ham hocks a lot, but find them usually very fatty. Perhaps I can find a combination that might work. Thank you for all suggestions.