Sous Vide Ham Hock

This tender sous vide ham hock is the perfect addition to soups such as lentil or split pea, or braised greens, like collards and kale. It takes 72 hours to cook, but it’s definitely worth the wait. Just shred after it’s cooked and you're ready for a wonderful meal. The cooking liquids from the bag probably wouldn’t hurt a soup or greens, either. NOTE: When you’re cooking something for this long, be sure to check the water level in your pot from time to time. You’ll most likely lose some to evaporation and you need to keep enough water in your vessel to keep your Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker running. We’ve found that covering it with plastic wrap or foil really helps with water loss.

Author

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin

Emily Farris and Jeff Akin are the co-founders of Feed Me Creative, a former culinary creative agency in Kansas City, MO.

Prep Time: 12:30

Recipe Time: 72:00

Temperature : 145F / 62.8C

Ingredients

• 3 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 bone-in ham hocks

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, salt, and sugar until dissolved. Add the ham hocks, cover, and refrigerate for 12 hours.
2. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 145°F (62°C).
3. Remove the pork from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. Place in a large zipper lock bag or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the dry setting.
4. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 72 hours. Cover the water bath with plastic wrap to minimize water evaporation. Add water intermittently to keep the hocks submerged.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the hocks from the bag and let cool for 20 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid for another use.
2. Shred the meat, discarding skin and bones. Serve.