Ham Hock Stock

Quarter the yellow onion, chopped the celery and carrots into approximately 4 inch sticks. Tie the parsley and herbs into a bouquet garni. Place the bay leaves and peppercorns in a garni bag.
Place a large stock pot over medium high heat.
When hot, add a 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and when hot, add the the ham hocks, onions and carrots and sear slightly.
Add the celery and the bouquet garni and the garni bag; stir well.
Add 16 cps of cold water covering the ingredients.
Gently stir the stockpot only once to separate all the ingredients.
As the water is about to boil, turn the heat down to achieve a slight simmer. Do not let the water boil.
After 15 to 30 minutes, skim off the scum that has floated to the top. Check back periodically to skim more.
Maintain a very low (lowest possible) for about 3 to 4 hours until the liquid has reduced by about half. Do not stir.
When the liquid has reduced, remove the stockpot from the heat. Pull out the ham hocks, vegetables, and herbs with a tong or a slotted spoon.
Strain the remaining liquid into a bowl and allow it to cool.
Pour the stock into storage containers and refrigerate.