Pickled Pork Hocks number 3

Ingredients

• 2 gallons water
• 1 lb pickling salt
• 1 teaspoon saltpeter (can be found at a drug store)
• 10 fresh pork hocks, cut in half crosswise
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped-no need to peel
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 whole allspice
• 8 black peppercorns

Directions

Key ingredients

Black Pepper · Allspice

1. Marinate the hocks in the corning solution in the refrigerator for 10 days. Keep a heavy plate on the top of the meat so that all pieces are under the solution at all times. Check them each day to be sure they are all under the solution.
2. At the end of the 10 days drain the meat and discard the liquid.

Rinse the hocks and place in a large pot.

3. ADD: 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 carrot, chopped-no need to peel 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped 2 bay leaves 8 whole allspice 8 black peppercorns Just barely cover with fresh water.
4. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. You may have to add a bit more water.
5. When pork hocks are very tender, remove from pot and serve over sauerkraut if desired.

Notes

Guide: the history, the step-by-step and the safety notes for pickled pork are on Pickled Meat — including why the oldest printed Creole recipe for it has no vinegar in it at all, and the two steps in the popular seven-day method I would change.