Take 2 pork shanks, one fresh, one smoked.
To the fresh pork shank add:
This is a blend of white pepper, nutmeg, ginger and cloves that is recommended for pork. I sprinkled it heavily all over the top of the meat.
Add an onion, garlic (1/2 head), 3/4 cup of dried ceci (chickpeas) that have been soaked in water overnight, bay leaf. Add stock to within 1 inch of the top. I used chicken/mushroom stock.
To the smoked shank add:
Onion, garlic (1/2 head), split yellow peas (3/4 cup), a bay leaf. Add stock to within an inch of the top. I used turkey stock.
Cover, in to a 300f oven for 3 hours until it is simmering, reduce the heat to 250f for 3 -4 more hours until the meat is falling from the bones.
The covers don't quite sit down.
The plain hock is finished. I have to mention that I had to fight off two cats to get the meat shredding job done - one skulking on the counter, the other latched on to my pants and would not let go. Oddly enough, they wouldn't eat any of the meat that I put in their food dish, so I'm guessing it was the aroma that was driving them wild.
Smoked hock looking good.
In the smoked dish the split peas broke down and other than shredding the meat (and defatting - which I have already done) nothing further needs to be added.
Cooled and ready to be stored in the refrigerator; this recipe made 4 cups of soup.
In the unsmoked dish, the meat is succulent and juicy, and the chickpeas remained whole. It needed a boost of salt, and made about 3 1/2 cups of soup.
Cooled, you can see the fat globules on the surface.
I've never had fresh hock before, so knew which one I wanted first. It was very "porky", stronger than any other cuts from the pig I have tried.
