Can we talk about ham leftovers? I need some guidance.

[melissel]

Well, not so much the ham itself, but the other stuff. We had a 23-pounder today, and I know what I'll do with the meat. However, we also have two good-sized bones and around an inch of liquid in the pan. Is there any use in saving the liquid? DH says yes, for broth or soup, but I think there's so much salt and fat in it that it's not worth saving. Is there any way I can make use of it, or should we just toss it? And can anyone share any recipes for using the bones? I'm not a fan of split pea soup so I'd rather find some other way to use them, but DH does like it, so if that's the best way, then I'd love to hear your favorite recipes.

 

TIA!

[Elisabeth in IL]

I just googled some ham / bean soups and plan on making one. I'll add the juice from the ham for more flavoring. If the juice is salty, I'll add less salt to the soup. I don't have too much juice so I'm not going to worry about the fat.

[*Lulu*]

I know my friend uses ham bones/liquid for soups and in bean dishes. I've seen it used in red beans and rice before as well as in white bean dishes.

[Audrey]

Well, not so much the ham itself, but the other stuff. We had a 23-pounder today, and I know what I'll do with the meat. However, we also have two good-sized bones and around an inch of liquid in the pan. Is there any use in saving the liquid? DH says yes, for broth or soup, but I think there's so much salt and fat in it that it's not worth saving. Is there any way I can make use of it, or should we just toss it? And can anyone share any recipes for using the bones? I'm not a fan of split pea soup so I'd rather find some other way to use them, but DH does like it, so if that's the best way, then I'd love to hear your favorite recipes.

 

TIA!

 

 

I use the ham cooking liquid for pea soup myself, but we all love pea soup here. You would end up watering down the liquid, so it's not as salty. It also make a great stock for potato soup (watered down again). For the ham bones, I prefer to stick those in the bottom of a pot of beans. It doesn't matter what kind of beans. They all taste better cooked with a ham bone or ham hock, IMO.

 

Here is a bean soup we all love:

 

1 lb. dry northern (or navy) beans

1 lb. carrots, chopped

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried marjoram

1 meaty ham bone or ham hock

salt and pepper to taste

 

Sort and rinse the beans, then soak overnight in cold water. Drain the water and place ham bone in a crock pot or slow cooker. Add the beans on top of the ham bone, then the vegetables. Finally sprinkle with the thyme and marjoram, then add enough water to cover the beans plus 2 inches. Do not add any salt yet. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours, checking to make sure it does not go dry. Add boiling water if it seems not soupy enough. Test to be sure beans are soft. When beans are soft, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the ham bone and pick the meat off. Return meat to the soup and heat through again before serving.

 

 

Another one we like is a green bean and potato soup:

Chop up 1 medium potato per person. In a sauce pan, sauté some onion and 1 chopped red pepper until the onion goes transluscent. Put a ham bone or ham hock in the bottom of the pan. Add potatoes and about a handful of chopped green beans per person. Pour in leftover ham cooking liquid, watered down enough so that it isn't too salty for your taste, until the liquid covers everything well. Add in a sprinkling of thyme and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are very soft. Remove the ham bone and pick the meat off. Return meat to the soup and heat through again before serving.

Edited April 24, 2011 by Audrey

[6packofun]

I love ham (especially smoked) cut up and added to homemade mac and cheese! Mmm.

[cjzimmer1]

I use the bone and liquid in either ham and bean soup or ham and potato soup. Both beans and potatoes absorb a lot of salt. I make really big batches of soup (last batch had 2 pounds of dried beans but I should have used 3 because it was pretty thin) and so I still end up adding more salt but the ham flavor is wonderful. Definitely don't throw it away. Even if you don't make soup at least cook your beans with the broth.juice because you will have very yummy beans.

[EppieJ]

Pinto beans. We often use the ham bone for flavoring in the pintos when we have them.