A discarded ham bone is a culinary treasure just waiting to be transformed into a flavorful work of art. Whether you’ve just devoured a delicious holiday ham or have discovered a ham bone in your freezer, you may need help with what to do with it. With a ham bone, you can create substantial soups, stews, and more. This article, will explain what can i do with a ham bone.
What Can I Do With A Ham Bone?
1. Nana’s Epic Navy Bean Ham Bone Soup
This simple ham and bean soup with only 10 ingredients is a must-try for people who like hot, slightly spicy soups on long, cold nights.
It only has a few “solid” ingredients, like a ham bone, navy beans, and onions, but when you add herbs and spices, it tastes like a full, complex meal with a lot of different tastes.
Garlic, red pepper, fresh thyme, and other ingredients make this soup extraordinary.
Try it the next time you require something to soothe your stomach.
2. Ham And Potato Soup
Try ham and potato soup instead if you want a broth with even more chunks and substance.
Because of the whipped cream, it is prosperous and creamy.
Plenty of diced vegetables and ham chunks for you to savor.
For instance, you can include potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips, celery, and any other vegetables you desire.
It still contains plenty of herbs and seasonings for a robust, full-bodied flavor, and preparation takes only 10 minutes (but 90 minutes to cook).
It is also pretty healthy, with only 11 grams of fat per dish, though someone on a low-carb diet might find it too high in carbohydrates.
3. Leftover Ham Bone Lentil Soup
The person who first wrote this recipe called it “hearty, wholesome, and full of flavor.” I can’t think of a better way to describe it.
Although lentils may not be the most exciting ingredient for a broth, this soup has much more going on than just lentils.
There are tender vegetables (onions, carrots, and celery) and flavorful seasonings and herbs (parsley, thyme, garlic, and red pepper).
And if the chicken broth base and ham bone weren’t enough flesh for you, we’ll add a pound of sausages!
After consuming this, no one will be complaining of hunger.
4. Collard Greens With Ham Bone
Most southern cooks already know this, but You can even use ham bone to flavor collard greens for those who don’t!
It may not be as healthy as eating the greens alone, but most people would agree that it tastes much superior.
It imparts a savory, meaty flavor that mitigates their inherent bitterness.
If you would like to consume more collard greens but dislike them, attempt cooking them in this manner the next time. It may very well startle you.
5. Red Beans And Rice
As someone who goes to New Orleans often and loves Cajun-style food, I love red beans and rice no matter how they are made.
However, this recipe is likely one of my favorites. This is because there is so much more than red beans and rice.
Additionally, there are onions, celery, minced garlic, bay leaves, andouille sausage, and a ham bone.
The preparation of this dish is time-consuming, mainly if you include the four-hour soaking time for the beans, but the result is well worth the effort.
6. Ham Stock
Ham bones can also create ham stock, an excellent base for soups, stews, and other dishes.
It is not excessively oily and packed with natural flavor.
It can be frozen for up to a year, so you can prepare it in large quantities without worrying about waste.
7. Split Pea Soup With Ham
Split pea soup is not one of the most visually appealing soups, but it tastes great, particularly when ham bone and diced ham are added.
This soup recipe includes both ingredients. The flavor is robust and slightly smoky, and the soup’s thick consistency makes it seem even more substantial.
This option is also relatively quick, taking only 90 minutes from start to completion.
8. Smoky Ham And Black Bean Soup
Split pea soup is not required to experience a delicious, smoky, hearty soup. This peppery, vegetable-packed ham and black bean soup is also appropriate.
Its flavor is almost too complex to describe but is phenomenal nonetheless.
It’s one of those dishes you can’t fully appreciate until you taste it, but you can tell from the aroma that it will be delicious.
Adding cheese, cilantro, sour cream, green scallions, or any other condiment you enjoy with your spicy soups can make it even tastier.
9. Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli Ham Bone Soup
This broth is so thick that it is almost unrecognizable as soup.
It contains a generous quantity of pasta, a thick, sauce-like broth, an abundance of vegetables, ham, and more.
This is not the pasta fagioli served at Olive Garden. This is a far superior product.
It takes several hours to prepare but several hours to produce.
The slow cooker performs the remaining steps, making them extremely simple. And even if it were, the flavor would justify the cost.
10. Black-Eyed Peas With Leftover Ham Bone
You will enjoy this dish if your family enjoys serving black-eyed peas, vegetables, and ham on New Year’s Day. It is as if you are combining them into one delectable dish.
It may not appear appetizing, but it tastes incredible: salty, fresh, earthy, meaty, and delicious.
It’s a simple method to get New Year’s luck, money, and health out of the way simultaneously!
It is also delicious on a Saturday during any season.
Please don’t throw away that ham bone; use it to enhance your cookery by infusing dishes with rich, smoky flavors. From comforting soups to savory beans and beyond, a ham bone can add complexity and flavor to your dishes, making it a valuable addition to your cooking arsenal. So, the next time you find yourself with a leftover ham bone, keep in mind its culinary possibilities and embark on an adventure that will leave you savoring every mouthful.
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