As a kid we used to have ham hocks all the time. Mom would cook them up in the slow cooker with sauerkraut. Ham hocks and sauerkraut were so good.
So, what is the difference between ham hocks and pork knuckles? Nothing actually, they are the same thing. It is the part of the pig above the foot and ankle but at the very end of the shank.
It is also not the same thing as the pork shank. The pork hock is at the very extreme end of the shank, and the majority of pork shanks will have the pork hock as well.
Pork knuckles do not have a lot of meat as they tend to be made up of more skin, ligaments, and tendons. The meat however has a very distinctive flavor that I really enjoy.
Cooking ham hocks usually takes some time so it is a good idea to use them in soups or cook them in a slow cooker. Lots of people like to use pork knuckles in soups, or cook them with sauerkraut, greens, or beans such as black-eyed peas, or navy beans.
So, there you have it, pork knuckles and ham hocks are the same thing. They are definitely worth trying out in a variety of dishes.
If you need a slow cooker, or are in the market for a new one, here is the one I use, I really like it. It so much better than my old one because I can program it and it has a locking lid, so I can bring it to gatherings.