Fork tender braised pork hocks, drizzled with a reduced wine and stock au jus served over creamy cheesy grits!
In an attempt to come up with cost effective and also interesting meals, we like to poke around the supermarket and look for foods that might be a little outside our wheelhouse
You never know when you come across a little treasure like pork hocks!
What is a pork hock?
Hocks, though technically not considered an ankle are the part of a pig’s leg that connect the foot to the shin
Though pork hocks can either come from the front or back legs the more familiar ham hock typically comes from the back
The difference between a ham hock and a pork hock is that like a ham this hock is typically smoked and used as the protein in soup and especially greens like collards
We were super excited to find these pork hocks in the unsmoked form
Not only are they very economical but with a proper braising they are super delicious
So let’s get started!
Preheat your oven to 350 F
Next heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat
Here we have 4 pork hocks, skin removed (roughly 4 pounds) sprinkled with kosher salt and ground black pepper
Once the oil in the dutch oven starts to lightly smoke add in the hocks seasoned side down
Season the back side with more kosher salt and ground black pepper
Sear for 3-4 minutes then flip and sear another 3-4
Remove from the pot and set aside
Next we will need a mirepoix (pronounced Meer – Pwaa)
What is a mirepoix?
A mirepoix is basically vegetables that are sweated down in a pot to start building the flavors for the sauce or gravy
The most known consists of onions, carrots and celery which is what we are using with the addition of garlic
What is life without some garlic!
Peel and chopped 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves and chop 1 celery stalk
Lower the heat
Add the veggies to the dutch oven and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper, sweat the veggies for at least 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally
While the vegetables cook let’s get the next set of ingredients together
We will need 2 cups of a dry red wine (like a Cabernet), 2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
Click on our link to make Homemade Beef Stock
Add the wine to the pot and stir up any bits off the bottom
Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes
Next, add in the stock, Gravy Master and Worcestershire Sauce
Mix, then bring to a boil then remove from heat and nestle the pork hocks into the dutch oven
Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour
At the 1 hour mark remove the hocks from the oven and flip them over in the pot
Add in a fresh rosemary sprig
By the way this could have been done when you first placed the hocks in the pot but I forgot 😏
Place the pot back into the oven and cook 45-60 minutes more or until the meat is very very tender
Remove the hocks and set aside to rest
Strain the juices from the pot reserving them and discard the vegetables as they were only there to build flavors
At this time what you have here is the natural cooked juice from the meat, with the wine and stock forming an au jus
To thicken into a gravy simply return the au jus to a pot, bring to a simmer
In a separate pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour
Whisk the mixture until lightly browned to remove the flour flavor
Start adding the roux to the juice from the pot until you achieve your desire thickness
We dipped the hocks into the au jus and served it over cheesy grits with more sauce on top!
Dig in!!
Enjoy!!!
Simply Sundays! ~ Braised Pork Hocks
Ingredients
4 pork hocks (skin removed)
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
1 celery stalk
2 garlic cloves
2 cups of dry red wine (like a Cabernet)
2 cups of beef stock
2 tablespoons of Gravy Master
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Optional for gravy
2 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of flour
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Next heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle four skinless pork hocks with kosher salt and ground black pepper
Once the oil starts to smoke lightly place the hocks in the pot seasoning side down. Sprinkle the back with more kosher salt and pepper. Sear for 3-4 minutes then flip and sear another 3-4. Remove from the pot and set aside
Lower the heat. Peel and chop 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves and chop 1 celery stalk and add these to the pot. Sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Sweat the veggies for at least 8-10 minutes
Next add in 2 cups of dry red wine ( like a Cabernet) and stir up any bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes. Next add in 2 cups of beef stock, 2 tablespoons of Gravy Master and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat
Nestle the pork hocks into the dutch oven. Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. At the 1 hour mark remove the hocks from the over and flip them over in the pot. Add in a fresh rosemary sprig
Place the pot back into the oven and cook 45-60 minutes more or until the meat is very very tender. Remove the hocks and set aside to rest. Strain the juices from the pot reserving them and discard the vegetables
Dip the hocks in the reserved au jus and serve over cheesy grits with more juice spooned over the hock and grits
Optional for gravy
To thicken into a gravy simply return the au jous to a pot, bring to a simmer. In a separate pan melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour
Whisk the mixture until lightly browned to remove the flour flavor. Start adding the roux to the juice from the pot until you achieve your desire thickness
Anchor Hocking 8 Cup Measuring Cup Glass Batter Bowl with Spout
Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Architec Carving Board, Gripperwood
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