Ham Hock Cabbage Hash Recipes

Steps:

• Cut cabbage head in half and pop out core.
• Clean potatoes, no need to peel, but do use a dish sponge scratchy side to scrub them really well--cut off any bad black spots. Cut in half.
• Place cabbage on bottom, then top with potatoes.
• Toss in one left over ham, bone and all (or just the few pounds of ham you've purchased for this recipe -- I can say that you almost cannot have too much ham! But, it's all got to fit in your pot! LOL!). You do not have to cut it up. I see so many recipes where they are cutting the meat off the bone in neat little cubes and adding them to the pot. That is craziness! Firstly, the bone has a LOT of flavor and secondly, why work when the steam causes it to fall off the bone? I like to just toss in the entire ham, with whatever is leftover from our meal. When the dish is ready it will literally just fall off the bone at the time of serving. That is the beauty of this dish -- easy peasy!
• It's ok to just squeeze in all the ingredients the best you can. You will be cooking at extremely low heat for a very long time, it will all be fine.
• Salt and pepper to taste -- or do like I prefer to do and add nothing until it is plated. The ham is salty so it is very easy to over salt this dish. Be careful.
• A crock pot is perhaps the best way to make this meal the first time around, however I have made it on the stove top with the heat set to the lowest setting for the past 30 years. I like to use the stove because I have a pot far larger than the crock. It's up to you. If using a crock pot, use the medium setting all day long (depending -- if you have a crappy crock, you may need to set it on high -- you know what you have). On stove, cook at lowest possible setting all day. This is the perfect meal to set up before going to work -- when you get home dinner is ready!
• I just want to make a point of saying that NO water is required. You may have a hard time believing this. My mother certainly does and has ruined many pots as she will dump a tall glass (or 2) of water in when I'm not looking. Unfortunately you then wind up with a pot of water with ham, cabbage and potatoes swimming around begging to be rescued--and you lose a ton of flavor. DO NOT ADD WATER. Please trust me. There will be plenty of juice from the cabbage. So much so that you will most likely throw it out (though I like to use it as broth to pour over the dogs' dry food).
• So, quick recap -- just clean everything and squeeze it all into you pot or crock. For stove top, cook at lowest setting all day long, crock -- go for medium.

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onions in the margarine. When tender add cabbage and stir. Pour water over, cover and simmer gently on medium low for ten minutes.
• Add potatoes and mix. Cover again and allow to simmer for ten more minutes. Additional water may be needed. Sprinkle seasoning salt and paprika over cabbage and potatoes. Allow to simmer covered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until cabbage is soft and potatoes are nearly cooked. Mix ham in and finish cooking until ham is hot and potatoes are done.

Steps:

• Remove the ham from its wrappings. Cut off the skin and make sure you remove the plastic thing that covers the end of the bone.
• Stud the ham with the whole cloves, distributing them evenly over the surface.
• Put ham and onions into a very large pot and cover with COLD water. Its important to use cold water because it draws the excess salt out of the meat and makes a more flavorful broth.
• Bring to a boil slowly over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add all the veggies except the cabbage. Raise heat and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat and simmer another 15 minutes or until the largest potatoes are nearly cooked.
• Add the cabbage wedges. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Simmer another 10-20 minutes until cabbage is cooked but not mushy.
• Use a large, slotted, serving spoon to remove all the veggies to a large serving dish.
• Lift ham onto a platter and carve off a suitable number of servings for the meal.
• Serve each person a slice of ham and a portion of each vegetable. Grind black pepper over the plate and offer butter for the potatoes and other roots if desired.

Steps:

• Remove skin from smoked ham hocks.
• In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute carrots, onions, chopped celery, oregano. thyme, bay leaf, and ham hocks until carrots are tender-about 10 minutes.
• Add the cabbage, garlic, and black pepper, and saute 5 minutes longer or until cabbage is tender.
• Add all the liquid and the whole stalk of celery and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Discard stalk of celery and bay leaf.
• Skim some or all fat.
• Remove meat from cooled ham hocks and add back into the soup.
• Add brown sugar. Salt very carefully. Allow to heat fully and serve.
• If you want it a little sweeter, add a little more brown sugar.