You mentioned something that is different for me.
I always cook my peas/beans with the ham hocks.
When the meat pulls away from the bone, I remove the hocks, let them cool, separate the meat and cut it up, then I don't put the meat back in until just before serving.
Salt, especially when using ham, I add at the very last moment if it needs it. In fact, I prefer to add the last bit of salt to my bowl of beans, because I found that the beans/peas will often seem saltier after being in the fridge overnight and then reheated. I know it doesn't make sense, but it tastes that way.
My question is if there is a special reason to cook the ham hocks separately?