Eater's Club Recipe: Beer Glazed Ham Hocks

Yields 4 servings/Time 3.5 hours

The hock, aka pork knuckle, is the bottom of the leg bone and it needs a few hours of cook time to become tender and shreddable. For this recipe, you’ll braise the hocks in sauteed vegetables, herbs, and stock. The glaze comes together in a cinch with just 3 ingredients and may just be your favorite part of the meal. Serve over rice or egg noodles with a healthy portion of the delicious glaze.

You will need:

2 whole ham hocks

1 quart stock

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 tablespoon juniper berries (optional)

1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

5-6 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)

4 bay leaves

2 teaspoons cooking oil

12 oz amber beer

4 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons reserved ham hock cooking liquid

Salt and pepper

For the Hocks

• Preheat oven to 375 . If using hocks with skin on, score the skin in a diamond pattern all over. Rub hocks all over with salt

• Heat cooking oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion, carrot, and celery for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add herbs and spices, stir to combine

• Add ham hocks to the pot, and cover with stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and braise in the oven about 3 hours until fork tender

• Remove hocks from cooking liquid, set aside. Strain cooking liquid reserving the liquid but discarding the solids

For the Glaze

• Combine beer, honey, and 2 tablespoons cooking liquid in a large sauce pan

• Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, it should coat the back of a spoon

• Place hocks in a roasting dish. Pour glaze over hocks