Although I don’t put much stock in superstitions, I love ham hocks and sauerkraut any time of the year.  This is a comfort food for me.  It reminds me of growing up in a Polish neighborhood in the 1950’s-1960’s.  When it’s cold outside, there is nothing like a pot of ham hocks, sauerkraut, and potatoes. 

There’s really not much to making it.  I usually get 4 large fresh hocks, arrange them on the bottom of the slow cooker, smother them in sauerkraut, and add quartered red potatoes with the skin on.  This can also be cooked in the oven.  That’s it!!  I prefer fresh hocks, but sometimes they are hard to find.  A lot of stores offer smoked hocks.  I’m not extremely fond of smoked anything, but that’s a matter of taste.

Fresh hocks, like the smoked, have a covering of skin and fat, with a center bone, all of which I discard after cooking.  The meat, though, has its own particular taste, different from pork chops or pork loins.  My father liked the skin.  In Germany, the skin is considered a delicacy if it’s roasted until it’s crispy.   

Once it’s done and refrigerated, the fat will rise to the top.  When reheating the leftovers, I remove as much of the fat as possible and discard.

Fresh ham hocks are also excellent for use in bean soup.  However, because of the amount of fat in the ham hocks, I try to refrigerate it before serving, remove the hardened fat, and reheat. 

If you are a fan of pork and sauerkraut, try fresh ham hocks the next time.  And it doesn’t have to be New Year’s!