Hello! I’ve been looking into creating a few recipes that require more uncommon cuts of meat/not commonly sold in most supermarkets type of meat and was wondering if any redditors residing in Japan know where I can get a smoked ham hock.
I’ve been to National Azabu once but they did not seem to have it either. Does anyone know any other more international shops that may have it (and maybe not only specifically ham hock but just general international markets/shops that sell international goods)
7 comments
Costco/online meat markets (megameat,horizon farms etc)/ talk to a local butcher
Hello! I imagine you like Southern food or something similar? I’ve been looking for this for over a year, and a few months ago I found a pig ankle or something in the frozen section of National Azabu. It’s now in my freezer.
I did not have any luck with the Meat Guy, though he has other useful things like ox tails and soup bones. I asked some butchers too, but if it’s a big butcher like a grocery store, they don’t actually break down a whole hog, they just get some large parts and cut them down. So try to check small, local butchers.
I doubt you’ll find a smoked ham hock, but any poverty-food pig bone 🍖 is enough for me to get started recreating some favorites. I’ve also seen a small device at Tokyu Hands for about 5000 yen that makes wood smoke for infusing into food and drink. It’s not a full-size smoker (if you live in an apartment your neighbors will not be happy with this).
Maybe try The Meat Guy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMG International?
Talk to a local butcher, Niku no Hanamasa, or online. I’m currently unable to go to my local Hanamasa due to health issues, so I’ve gone totally online. Few places on Rakuten selling more uncommon cuts of meat like beef tendon, pig’s ears, intestines, etc. Some even selling kangaroo, crocodile, duck, quail, etc. Also great if you buy meat in bulk like I do, because they also sell larger 1+ kg blocks of meat, some with skin on and others without.
Try googling アイスバイン. It’s a German word for cured ham hock. They are commercially available here, but not terribly common.
How badly do you want to buy them? [This website](https://www.wiener.co.jp/?&md=80#item_list) sells them for ¥1400/piece, with a ¥1000 shipping fee to the Kanto region. As u/charlottathefourth points out, they’re listed under their German name, アイスバイン.
Ask a butcher.