# Smoking Meaty Pork Hocks



## reinhard (Oct 14, 2014)

Go into the store and see smoked pork hocks, shanks, and neck bones all at a fairly high price and for me not smoked enough.  So I got me some meaty fresh ones and put them in Pop's great brine and left them in there for 6 days.  Took them out of the brine and rinsed them off with cold water and patted them dry with some paper towels.  Put them on my smoker racks to dry some more for about 2 hours.  In they went in the smoker which I set at 225 deg.  Set the timer for 6 hours but all they needed was about 5.  I checked the internal temp on some and the temps were around 160 to 165 deg.  Well above the safe level but I wanted some good smoke on them.  Used a mix of oak and maple.  Here are some pics from yesterday.......Reinhard













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## themule69 (Oct 14, 2014)

Looks good. Very nice smokey color.

Happy smoken.

David


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## pc farmer (Oct 14, 2014)

Nice, so whats the plan for them?


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## tropics (Oct 14, 2014)

I see lots of Bean Soup in your future. They look great.


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## cdn offroader (Oct 14, 2014)

Looking good Reinhard, got me wanting some hocks and kraut....mmmmm...


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## reinhard (Oct 14, 2014)

Thanks guy's.  My plan for them is for some kraut dinners, especially for my German gumbo that I make up with pork ribs, homemade kielbasa or polish, kraut with bacon and chunks of my canadian bacon.   Making some for deer camp.  Still have to make some polish this week.  Reinhard


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## themule69 (Oct 14, 2014)

Reinhard said:


> Thanks guy's.  My plan for them is for some kraut dinners, especially for my German gumbo that I make up with pork ribs, homemade kielbasa or polish, kraut with bacon and chunks of my canadian bacon.   Making some for deer camp.  Still have to make some polish this week.  Reinhard


Oh my that sounds tasty!

Happy smoken.

David


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## foamheart (Oct 14, 2014)

Hocks is my favorite! I like 'em fresh, I like 'em cured, I like 'em smoked, I like 'em boiled, I like 'em in beans, I know I would like them in kraut gumbo!

Really nice Reinhard! 

I made a big pot of fresh pinto's last night and threw bacon trim in, I was completely happy, and looking forward to tonights supper till I saw this post.

Did I mention I love hocks? Now my mouth is watering!


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## themule69 (Oct 14, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> Hocks is my favorite! I like 'em fresh, I like 'em cured, I like 'em smoked, I like 'em boiled, I like 'em in beans, I know I would like them in kraut gumbo!
> 
> Really nice Reinhard!
> 
> ...


Foam

You left out pickled.

Happy smoken.

David


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 14, 2014)

Reinhard said:


> Thanks guy's.  My plan for them is for some kraut dinners, especially for my German gumbo that I make up with pork ribs, homemade kielbasa or polish, kraut with bacon and chunks of my canadian bacon.   Making some for deer camp.  Still have to make some polish this week.  Reinhard


Those Hocks look great! Can't wait to see the post on your German Gumbo, that sounds awesome!


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## reinhard (Oct 14, 2014)

I posted the recipe for German Gumbo on here awhile back.  Do a search for  German Gumbo and I'm there.  Wish I was better with the copy paste thing and just put a link here but it's there.  Hands down my favorite meal.  Reinhard


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## foamheart (Oct 14, 2014)

themule69 said:


> Foam
> 
> You left out pickled.
> 
> ...


My pickled never worked........ they never got more than a a day or two in the brine...LOL


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## cdn offroader (Oct 14, 2014)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/157804/german-gumbo-again

here ya go


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## oldschoolbbq (Oct 14, 2014)

Should have some great smoky flavor , Reinhard .

Anything made with those would be good
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






      (especially Pinto Beans ) Mmmmmm


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## mneeley490 (Oct 14, 2014)

Those look great! I like 'em in navy bean soup. Rarely ever see raw hocks in this area, though.


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## reinhard (Oct 14, 2014)

Thanks CDNoffroader for the link of the German Gumbo.  When I think of pork hocks, I can look back [way back] to when I lived in Germany and my early years at my parents house.  I remember having hocks [fresh] with just kraut and that was the main meal.  Just loved it.  Don't really remember having smoked ones as a kid.  As a child in Germany we pretty much had just fresh pork except for hams.  Fresh hams were more common than smoked hams if I remember right.  When we came to this great country my parents were still in the fresh mode until I moved out and went on my own way raising my own family and started a job as a butcher.  That opened up the smoke door LOL.  My parents and the rest of us now have smoked meats along with the standard fresh items.  This German Gumbo is something you could add stuff to but everything in it is important.

All the ingredients work off each other to blend to a flavor that's hard to stay away from.  The broth really is the key. This is what soaks up all the flavors and you want to add that broth to your plate.  I'm going to make a batch before the hunt [small one] for us here at home before the deer camp meal.  Have to make the polish first.  I have used chili dogs and old fashion franks in the meal as well.  Plain kraut is great, but the German kraut with the bacon is a must for us.  Reinhard


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## themule69 (Oct 14, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> My pickled never worked........ they never got more than a a day or two in the brine...LOL


Patience!


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## foamheart (Oct 14, 2014)

themule69 said:


> Patience!


<Chuckles>


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