My late grandmother would be proud of this dish – she used to cook a ham hock every week religiously, serving it hot for supper and then cold in salads and sandwiches, with a split-pea soup made ...
Tip: When okra is cooked, it turns from white to beige. Put the ham hocks and water in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a brisk simmer for 1.5 hours, or until tender. Wash the collards ...
Pull meat from the ham hock and chop into bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to soup. Stir. Discard the picked-over ham bone. Before serving, bring the soup to a boil and season with more pepper.
There is no need to thaw it beforehand. Just toss it in the soup pan. Place the ham bones or hocks in a slow cooker, add the peas after rinsing (but don’t soak them), and cover completely with water.