If you've ever ventured into the world of comforting soups or hearty stews, you've probably come across recipes that call for either a ham bone or a ham hock. While these two might sound ...

or slice and serve inside hoagies—is from the upper part of a pig’s hind legs, a ham hock isn’t technically part of the ham. Think of ham as the thigh and butt portion of a hog’s back legs.