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Appalachian Ham Hock and Cabbage Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Vast cabbage fields flourish all along the Appalachian borders of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee (many possibly dating back to those started by the region's original Scotch-Irish settlers), and nothing is more common for home cooks than to combine the vegetable with various cuts of pork to make all sorts of savory soups, stews, casseroles, and puddings. This soup makes a hearty Sunday supper with nothing more than hot buttered cornbread, ham biscuits, or crusty country bread, and to round out the flavor, one lady I know in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, always stirs in a tablespoon or so of cider vinegar and serves a bowl of grated Swiss cheese to be sprinkled over the top."

List of Ingredients

◦ 3 tablespoons bacon grease
◦ 1 large onion, chopped
◦ 2 celery ribs, chopped
◦ 2 carrots, scraped and chopped
◦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
◦ 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
◦ 1 medium smoked ham hock
◦ 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
◦ 2 bay leaves
◦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
◦ Tabasco sauce to taste


Recipe

In a large saucepan or pot, heat the bacon grease over moderate heat, add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, and stir for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir till it begins to wilt, 5 to 10 minutes. Nestle the ham hock in the cabbage, add the remaining ingredients plus enough water to just cover, and stir. Bring to a boil, skimming any scum off the top, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the ham hock is very tender, about 2 hours.

With a slotted spoon, remove the hock, discard any skin and fat, and chop the meat coarsely. Return the meat to the soup, stir well, and simmer till piping hot.

Serve in deep soup bowls.

Makes 6 to 8 servings