**UP DATE** Cured and Smoked Hocks ~ Foamheart

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Kevin they are Beautifully colored My mouth is watering thinking about the bean soup.Points

Richie
Thanks Richie. When I was younger i was lucky enough to travel and i learned that ever geographic area has a bean. LOL Sounds stupid huh? Well its true. You can get a good estimation of where you live or where you have lived by your beans...... You know I have too much time on my hands now, right?

I keep red beans, navy beans, great northern, black beans, pinto beans, lima beans (all three sizes), Blackeye'd peas, etc... ya know they all can be cooked with hocks!  In the NE, there is a lot of bean soup and baked beans and waxed beans.

My Pop being from Texas.... his choice is always pinto's, So it'll be pinto's & hocks, smothered taters, maybe some fresh cabbage or brocolli, and corn bread! Now that's a great meal.
 
Those pig parts look really good Kevin...     I can't wait to see them swimming in some beans....   The clean, golden color is perfect...
Thank you Dave, I have smelled 'em all morning. I always wondered if that is why some foods like beans are so good, after smelling them all day, its hard not to drool at supper time when the pot hits the table.
 
OK, its been a couple a weeks, yesterday I pulled, rinsed, and but in the reefer to dehydrate. Today the bacon strips ( from the fat cap of some butts), had a beautiful pellicle. The hocks were mostly dry, sorta sticky.

So I threw them into the preheated smoker. left the door cracked, the dewater cycle began while I loaded and lite the adjustable oval pellet tube.




They look like a dark headed girl, the first day on the beach for the summer. Makes you want a pair of sunglasses, they are so white the hurt the eyes.

About an hour later, I lowered the temp and placed the aux. smoke generator in the smoker.





An hour later, I checked the little piggies ankles........





A little color...... meat is still not hot. As close to cold smoking as I can get. I set the box temp at 100 and the pellets didn't like it. So I bumperd it up a bit to 120.




Another hour and a little more color and aroma. Shall we try another?





Nice smoke, happy smoker...... Maybe some more flavor and aroma.





Ok, the neighbors dog has now let everyone know I am smoking again. Smart dog he waits till that smoke smells really good!





And the final shot as I take it off. I was seriously thinking about double smoking but...... this smells and looks so good and it has not gotten over 110 at anytime. I am liking how it looks and smells! So will rethink it tomorrow,





So that's cured smoked hocks and bacon strips. I failed to mention I came inside and put a pot of hot water on to boil..... No, No, no one is having a baby.... sheeeesh. I gonna make a pot of pinto bean with hocks!!

6 hours of smoke. Hickory and apple. Adjustable oval pellet tube. Highest temp., 110 degrees
Oh, Man, those look wonderful, Kevin!
Now you've got me checking out brining containers..AARRGGH!

:points:
 
Did I say beans?


Pinto beans w/ smoked ham hocks, Steamed Brocolli, smothered Taters, summer pickles, beet pickles, and corn bread muffins!


Cornbread muffins? Cast Iron muffin pan and trivet. 


And its all packaged up and ready to wait till called !



Was fun..... I am enjpoying the vac sealer, but I now know what you were talking about with the hot heat ribbon needing to cool. I have that many more fresh hocks to do. Its all fun!
 
 
Tasty looking hocks! A hunk of that would go good in the grits I'm cooking tonight!
Its hard to be just a pot of grits. You know, I had thought last year about smoking some grits. You just level out a pan then chill it. Cut it in any size or sizes, then cold smoke it. But heck if ya can't smoke cheese for temp, you'd never get grits done now.
 
Mighty fine looking hocks.Now your options of what to cook are expanded greatly.Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. My first thought is always beans! usually pintos but sometimes white beans. I think I have a thread here somewhere when I made some smoked cured head cheese with hocks.
 
Wow. Looks great Foam. No, looks perfect.

What did you think of the bacon?
 
Oh, Man, those look wonderful, Kevin!
Now you've got me checking out brining containers..AARRGGH!

points.gif
Man I came here originally to see if a digital electric was that much different from an analog electric. Then I found the cured secton and its something I always wanted to learn about. Pop made it so simple, and with all the knowledge here it was a great place to learn more.
 
Thanks Gray, ya know last years hocks were much darker, but I can't help but think now that the actual meat suffered from it. Plus I have found that I have gone hog wild with smoke here lately and thinking about getting back to the old smoke kissed meats I used to do.

I did them with one smoke this time and I think I liked that pot of beans better for it.

I have that many more to still do, I am thinking low & slow for one smoke is how they'll be done also.
 
You have lovely hocks Kevin!  

A point from 30,000 feet.  Flight AA  5746. Everyone in 1st class is very impressed. And yes, I got your memo today. I'll be back. But It's the selling season and the meat is in the freezer. waiting on me!  . 

POINTS!

 
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