Ham Hocks With New Potatoes And Green Beans In Pot Likker - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 lbs ham hocks, sliced in 3 pieces
4 lbs tiny new potatoes, skins on
3 lbs string beans, ends snipped
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (to taste)
1 white onion, peeled and diced

Preparation

Place the slices of ham hock into the bottom of a tall stockpot. Add enough cold water to barely cover. Place the new potatoes on top of the pork and the string beans on top of the new potatoes.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 hours.
Remove string beans, new potatoes, and pork from the pot. Reserve the cooking liquid (known as \"pot likker\" in some parts of the country.). Take the meat off the bones, trim off the fat, and reserve the meat.
Roughly chop the potatoes and spread them in a layer on a large platter. Dot generously with butter and freshly ground pepper. Place the string beans on top of the potato layer and then top with the pork. Drizzle some of the reserved \"pot likker\" over all and sprinkle with the diced white onion.
Everyone should take some of everything, along with a slice or two of cornbread. Good eatin!