Best way to cook a Ham shank

We used to have what my mother referred to as bacon hock on Saturday nights as an extra supper treat (rare in our household). It was roasted in the oven with potatoes cooking in the bacon fat. Delicious!

We have a bacon hock from the butchers probably about once a month. They are a lot less salty now and we sometimes found the soaking took the whole flavour away. The latest instruction (printed on the receipt and from a Butchers Association) was to bring the hock to the boil then pour the water away. Then continue as normal. We tend to simmer for an hour with lentils, peppercorns, a bay leaf and various veg then roast for an hour often making soup with the stock. They seem to have increased in price recently more so than other foods. Used to be enough for a meal for two and cold for sandwiches.

Slow cook on top of vegs. But, I only use a ham shank to make lentil or ham soup.

Yes, ham does have nitrates, like most cured meats. I suppose soaking will remove some of it, but not all. But eating the odd helping now and again will have an insignificant effect on health. The biggest risks are run by people who eat things like bacon or ham sandwiches every day.

I would soak a ham hock first to reduce saltiness, then pressure-cook or boil to get it really tender, then remove the skin and glaze it with whatever you fancy: honey/ black treacle/ brown sugar with perhaps mustard and orange juice and roast for perhaps 45 mins.

Just wondering if ham is the same as bacon and contains nitrate. If so would soaking remove it. I know it is carcinogenic and for that reason I buy “ naked” bacon. Just can’t give up a bacon sandwich.

Pea and ham soup has always been a family favourite since I was a child. My mother used to make it and my recollection was the same as LuckyFour’s! I have made it often since then and when my sister was close to the end of her life and had lost interest in eating, I took some over for my brother in law. Her bed had been moved downstairs and she could smell it while I was reheating it in the kitchen and asked if I would bring her some! She got a couple of very liquid spoonfuls down and said “Oh that is Heaven!” It was the last thing she ever ate. Such a simple, cheap, sustaining dish.

Pea and ham soup, yes, I am going to make some, this thread has got my taste buds going. The peas just have to be split yellow ones. Yum

We used to live on this when first married, my x was a student teacher, I was a student nurse and we had no money. Simmer in water for a couple of hours take the fatty skin off and change the water. I used to then simmer with carrots onion and a savoy cabbage for 45 mins. The main thing is to cook until you can get the fatty skin off and remove the fatty cooking water after that you could add what you want and finish the cooking time.

I would boil it in a pan of water that barely covers it, bringing it to the boil slowly, then turning the heat right down, so that it simmers for the rest of the time.

I would give it 20 minutes per kilo.

Mum used to make pea and ham soup with a ham shank and it used to be boiled for ages. It is delicious and my sister and I couldn't wait. We used to keep asking 'when is it going to be ready?'.

Nigella Lawson created a run on Cherry Coke about 12 years ago. You can find the method online. Always soak a ham first and change the water over a 24 hour period. It was really nice.

I soak my in coca cola for 2 days in the fridge . Then cook in the oven covered with silver foil for the first half of cooking . Then uncover for the rest of cooking time . The taste is lovely .

I usually boil it for hours then add soaked peas, onion and carrots for the best pea soup in the world. Makes your lips stick together and so good for you. I couldn't have ham shank any other way.

Soak it overnight to get the salt out of it.
I suppose you could part boil it for a couple of hours then roast it. Honey and mustard goes well with it. It's a tasty cut.

Put it in the slow cooker with orange juice or ginger ale.

Yep. Boil, or rather simmer, in pan with herbs, chopped onion, etc. until tender, then pop in the oven with honey or maple syrup glaze. Then make soup with stock and finally give the bone to dog or cat. [smile

Hello Nanna, go to allrecipes.co.uk and type in 'Ham Hock in Cola*. This is my recipe and I've used it lots of times but always at Christmas.
Hope you try it and enjoy it,
Kind regards and Happy Christmas
from Cath x

I boil mine for a few hours. Remove skin and I then pour honey over and a can of cider. Then I roast for an hour. Delicious. Xx

Another one who cooks in cola here (thanks, Nigella!) I simmer it for 40 minutes less than the recommended time, then (in rubber gloves) take off the skin, score it into diamonds, stick a clove into each intersection, cover it in golden syrup, and then press a mixture of mustard powder and demerara sugar into the sticky fat. I then bake the ham for its final half hour at about 180 - the sugar and mustard melt and form a glaze.

I always cook a ham joint in a whole carton of apple juice and a couple of chopped onions. Either in a slow cooker or in the oven on a low heat (around 140 degrees) for around 3 hours depending on the size. When the ham is cooked, remove it from the pan and boil the remaining juice to reduce it by about half. Then liquidise it until smooth to make a delicious gravy.

I always cook my gammon in a big pan of cola (any cheapo brand will do, but must not be diet - it’s the sugar content you need for this). Then take it out, cut off the fat layer and rub all over with a mixture of honey or maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and seeded mustard (or marmalade will do) and roast for about 15-20 minutes (not sure, I never time it!) Make sure to foil line the roasting tin first as it can end up messy! Lovely hot or cold.

I have only ever used ham shank to make pea and ham soup, but a delicatessen we use sells roasted ones and they are delicious. Not a lot of meat on them, but very tasty.

Yes, I would do it in a slow cooker too. To be honest, I would only use a ham shank for stock and then make soup with what remains.

Slow cooker might work well I know my daughter does this and said it cooks it beautifully.

I think the shank is the piece above the hock. I have always cooked ham hock on a bed of veg in a pressure cooker and added peppercorns and bay leaves. Hock is quite tough and takes a bit of cooking. Maybe because it was organic and outdoors

Ham hock makes lovely pea and ham soup. I think I would soak it first, to get rid of excess salt