My grandfather lived on this during the hardest years of his life. One cheap ham hock flavors the entire pot and feeds the whole family for days!

This slow cooker 4-ingredient poor man’s potato and ham hock stew is the kind of food people lean on when times are tight but they still need something warm, filling, and deeply comforting. One inexpensive smoked ham hock quietly seasons an entire pot of potatoes and onions, creating a rich, amber broth and tender, fall-apart shreds of smoky pink meat. Dishes like this show up all over the Midwest and rural America—stretching one piece of pork into several days of meals. It’s a practical, no-fuss recipe that you can start in the morning and let simmer away, feeding a family for days with almost no hands-on work.

Serve this stew in wide bowls with plenty of broth so the potatoes and shredded ham are surrounded by that flavorful, smoky liquid. It pairs well with simple sides like sliced bread or cornbread to soak up the juices, or a basic green salad or steamed frozen vegetables to add some freshness and color. If you have it on hand, a spoonful of sour cream or a sprinkle of black pepper and chopped parsley on top can make it feel a bit more special without adding much cost.

Servings: 6

1 smoked ham hock (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

Prepare the vegetables by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into large chunks, about 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. Peel the onions and slice them into thick half-moons or rough chunks; they will soften and almost melt into the broth.

Layer the onions in the bottom of a large slow cooker (5- to 7-quart). This creates a soft bed that keeps the potatoes from sticking and helps the flavors circulate.

Add the potato chunks on top of the onions, spreading them into an even layer so they cook uniformly and stay mostly submerged in the cooking liquid.

Nestle the smoked ham hock into the center of the potatoes, pressing it down so it sits in the middle of the pot. The bone and skin will slowly release flavor, salt, and gelatin into the broth as it cooks.

Pour in the water, starting with about 6 cups, or just enough to barely cover the potatoes and come most of the way up the ham hock. Avoid overfilling; you want a stew-like consistency, not a thin soup.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. For the most tender potatoes and fall-apart ham, the longer LOW setting is ideal.

Check the potatoes toward the end of cooking; they should be very tender and easily pierced with a fork, and the onions should be soft and translucent. The ham hock meat should be pulling away from the bone.

Using tongs, carefully lift the ham hock out of the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board or plate. Let it cool for a few minutes until it’s comfortable to handle.

Once cool enough, pull the meat from the bone, discarding the bone, thick skin, and any large pockets of fat. Shred or chop the ham meat into bite-size pieces.

Return the shredded ham to the slow cooker and gently stir it into the potatoes and onions. At this point, taste the broth before adding any seasoning—the smoked ham hock can be quite salty on its own.

Season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste, stirring gently so you don’t completely break down the potatoes. If the broth is stronger than you like, you can add a small splash of water to dilute it slightly.

Ladle the stew into bowls, making sure each serving has plenty of potatoes, onions, shredded ham, and broth. Serve hot, and refrigerate leftovers promptly; the flavors deepen and it reheats very well over the next few days.

To keep this close to its roots as a poor man’s dish, the base recipe uses only potatoes, onions, water, and a single smoked ham hock, but you can still adapt it to what you have. If you want a slightly thicker, more rustic texture, gently mash some of the potatoes against the side of the slow cooker at the end of cooking, then stir them back in. For extra nutrition on a budget, add a couple of chopped carrots or a handful of celery with the onions, understanding this adds ingredients beyond the original four. If you prefer a richer broth, you can substitute part of the water with low-sodium chicken broth; just be cautious with added salt since the ham hock is already seasoned. To stretch the stew even further, serve it over cooked rice, egg noodles, or day-old bread. For a lightly creamy version, stir in a splash of milk or evaporated milk right before serving, but do not add dairy at the beginning of slow cooking, as it can separate. Food safety tips: Always start with a fully thawed ham hock; avoid placing a frozen hock directly into the slow cooker, as it can keep the contents in the temperature danger zone too long. Keep the lid on during cooking to maintain a safe, steady temperature. Once the stew is finished, cool leftovers quickly by transferring to shallow containers and refrigerating within 2 hours. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days, or freeze in portions for longer storage, reheating until steaming hot before serving.