From Sassy Cat's Garden & Kitchen ~ Smoked Pork Hock & Vegetable Soup Recipe with photo

Sassy has wanted to try smoked pork hocks ever since she discovered how delicious fresh pork hocks are when cooked up in a pot of mixed vegetables.  

I used broccoli, corn, and onion from my garden.  The soup was tasty, but far too salty for me.   I probably should have boiled them in plain water for awhile, drained that water, and then add fresh water and the vegetables?  Hopefully, that would reduce the sodium. Does anyone have any tips for cooking with smoked pork hocks?  Do you eat the skin from smoked pork hocks or discard it?

This was quite a bit of work and time to make only 5 cups of soup.  The hocks took a long time to cook till the point of meat falling away from the bone. 

Sassy's Smoked Pork Hock & Vegetable Soup

2 smoked pork hocks
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 cups water
2 cups broccoli florets
2 ears of sweet corn, kernels cut off
1/2 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
ground black pepper to taste

Place pork hocks, carrots, onion, celery, garlic and water in 4 to 6 quart kettle.  Cover and simmer until meat falls away from bone, about 3 hours.  Remove pork hocks from pan.  Add broccoli and corn to pan.  Simmer 5 to 10 minutes while removing meat from hocks.  Stir meat and cheese into vegetable mixture.  Add more water, if necessary, and pepper to taste.

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