A ham hock or hough is the joint between the tibia/fibula and the metatarsals of the foot, where the foot was attached to the hog

Domestic pig

The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...

's leg. It is the portion of the leg - also known as pork knuckle - that is neither part of the ham

Ham

Ham is a cut of meat from the thigh of the hind leg of certain animals, especiallypigs. Nearly all hams sold today are fully cooked or cured.-Etymology:...

 proper nor the foot or ankle, but rather the extreme shank

Shank (meat)

A meat shank or shin is the portion of meat around the tibia of the animal, the leg bone beneath the knee.Lamb shanks are often braised whole; veal shanks are typically cross-cut.Some dishes made using shank include:...

 end of the leg bone and the associated skin, fat, tendons, and muscle.

Uses

Since this piece generally consists of much skin, tendons and ligaments, it requires long cooking through stewing or braising to be made palatable. The cut of meat can be cooked with greens and other vegetables or in flavourful sauces. It is often added to soups with the meat being added to the soup prior to serving. The meat of particularly meaty hocks may be removed and served as is. Ham hocks, like hog jowls (pigs' cheeks), add a distinctive flavor to various dishes. This is particularly true for collard greens, mustard greens, cabbage, green beans and navy beans.

Ham hocks are essential ingredients in soul food

Soul food

Soul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States...

 and other forms of American Southern country cooking. Eisbein

Eisbein

, literally ice leg/bone, is the German name for a culinary dish involving the pickled ham hock, usually boiled.Eisbein is heavily marbled meat covered with a thick layer of fat. The meat is tender and aromatic, but must be cooked or braised for a long time...

 is the name of the joint in German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

, and also the name of a north German

German cuisine

German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, share many dishes....

 dish using the lower part of the ham hock, cured and boiled. Schweinshaxe

Schweinshaxe

Schweinshaxe , in German cuisine, is a roasted ham hock , especially popular in Bavaria.The Austrian version of this dish, called Stelze , is usually marinated or pre-boiled in a caraway seed and garlic brine, roasted until the skin is crisp, and served with mustard, horseradish, and...

 is a Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

n dish of roasted ham hock. They are also popular when boiled with escarole, more commonly called endives, in Italian American cuisine. Fläsklägg med rotmos

Fläsklägg med rotmos

Fläsklägg med rotmos, is a dish in the Swedish cuisine and literally means ham hock with mashed rutabaga or as they're also known, swedish turnips.-Method:...

 is a Swedish dish where the, often salt-cured ham hocks are eaten together with mashed rutabaga

Rutabaga

The rutabaga, swede , turnip or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip; see Triangle of U...

, and sweet Scanian mustard.