Smoked Ham Hock Broth

Rinse the ham hock under cold running water, rubbing off any surface brine or packaging residue. Inspect the skin — if it is very dark or has dry patches, scrape lightly with the back of a knife. There is no need to soak smoked hocks unless they are extremely salty (taste a scraping of exposed meat — if nearly inedible, soak in cold water for 1 hour before proceeding). Pat dry.

Place the hock in a large, heavy pot. Add the onion halves (cut-side down for a touch of colour), celery, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and apple cider vinegar. Cover with 3 litres of cold water. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat. The vinegar serves two purposes: it gently draws calcium from the bone for body, and it brightens the finished broth without being detectible as acidity.

With the broth at a full boil, use a large ladle or spoon to skim away the grey-brown foam that has collected around the edges. Work quickly and methodically, rinsing the ladle between passes. This foam is coagulated blood protein — it is not harmful but adds bitterness and murkiness if left. Once the foam is gone (usually 3–4 skims), the broth is ready to drop to a long, low simmer.

Reduce heat to the lowest setting that maintains a bare simmer — just a few lazy bubbles every second, barely disturbing the surface. Cover with the lid ajar. Cook for 2.5 hours. Check every 45 minutes: skim any fat that accumulates (or leave it for a richer broth), and make sure the simmer has not dropped to a full stop or risen to a boil. The hock is done when the skin is completely tender and the meat pulls away from the bone with a gentle tug.

Lift out the hock and set aside on a board to cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or storage container. Taste and adjust salt only if using immediately — if using for collards or beans, season at the end of cooking, as the dish will concentrate the salt further. When the hock is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bone and skin, discarding gristle. Reserve the meat for the dish you are cooking, stirring it back in as a garnish.