Here are all of my tips on how to make ham stock, along with many recipe ideas for how to use it. Add the tasty stock to soups or stews to make them taste more like ham.
While I’m not always the most thrifty cook, one thing I love to do is save meat and vegetable scraps and use them to make my own stock. It feels like getting free food when you make stock from scraps that you might have thrown away. Homemade stock tastes so much better than canned stock, and your house smells great while the stock is cooking.
If you already know how to make chicken, turkey, or beef stock, you might not need this ham stock tutorial. But when I’ve told people about ham stock, I’ve been surprised at how many have said they’d never thought of it.
Ham stock is a remarkably versatile ingredient that can add deep, rich flavor to soups, stews, beans, grains, and more. But what exactly is it and how do you make it?
What is Ham Stock?
Ham stock is a broth made by simmering ham bones and meat scraps in water, often along with aromatics like onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs. As the ham simmers, its meaty flavor infuses into the water to create a rich, concentrated broth.
The collagen-rich ham bones release gelatin into the water as they simmer giving the stock body and a silky texture. The vegetables and herbs add layers of savory flavor. The end result is a complex meaty broth that can be used as the base for soups, stews, gravies, beans, rice, and more.
Main Ingredients in Ham Stock
Ham stock starts with the key ingredient – ham bones This includes bones like
- Ham hocks
- Knuckles
- Shanks
- Femurs
These bones contain cartilage, marrow and connective tissue that impart flavor, body and gelatin to the stock as it simmers. Meaty ham scraps can also be used, like bits of leftover ham, fat, skin, or meat attached to the bones.
Aromatic vegetables are also essential for well-rounded ham stock flavor. The classics are:
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
Garlic is also commonly used. The vegetables contribute sweetness and depth to balance the rich meatiness.
Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and bay leaves can also be added. Peppercorns give a subtle spicy undertone. The herbs and spices provide layers of aroma and flavor nuance.
How to Make Ham Stock
Making ham stock is simple. Here is a basic process:
- Place ham bones in a large stock pot and cover with cold water by 2-3 inches.
- Add aromatic vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery. Add whole garlic cloves.
- Add any ham meat scraps or bits attached to the bones.
- Add herbs like parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Add whole peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 3-4 hours. Skim any scum off the top.
- Strain the stock through a sieve to remove all solids. Cool and refrigerate.
- Remove the solidified fat before use. Ham stock keeps for 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.
For richer flavor, roast the bones and vegetables in the oven before simmering in water. Slow cookers can also be used to make ham stock by cooking on low for 10-12 hours.
What is Ham Stock Used For?
The uses for ham stock are endless! Here are just some ideas:
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Bean soups – Use ham stock as the base for soups featuring beans, like split pea, lentil, or white bean.
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Vegetable soups – Substitute ham stock for half or all of the water when making vegetable soups and stews.
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Grains – Cook rice, barley, farro or other grains in a mixture of ham stock and water.
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Braised greens – Braise collard greens, kale, or cabbage in a mix of ham stock and water.
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Potatoes – Boil potatoes in ham stock instead of plain water for more flavor.
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Gravies – Thicken ham stock into a rich gravy for meats.
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Risottos – Use ham stock as the liquid when making mushroom, asparagus or other risottos.
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Beans – Cook any type of dried beans in half ham stock and half water for flavor infusion.
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Poaching liquid – Poach chicken, fish or other proteins in ham stock.
The possibilities are endless! Ham stock adds meaty richness and depth of flavor to any dish.
Ham Stock vs. Broth vs. Bone Broth
Ham stock is sometimes confused with similar ingredients like ham broth and bone broth. Here are some key differences:
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Ham broth – Made from ham meat, not bones. Usually cooked for less time with less gelatin content. More intense ham flavor.
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Bone broth – Simmered longer to extract more gelatin and nutrients from the bones. Can be made from any animal bones.
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Ham stock – Made from ham bones but also includes meat and aromatics. A middle ground between broth and bone broth.
While the lines can blur between these ingredients, ham stock is unique in its combination of meaty ham flavor and the body provided by collagen and gelatin from bones.
Tips for Making the Best Ham Stock
Follow these tips for maximum ham stock flavor:
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Use a variety of ham bones – Mix bones like hocks, knuckles, and femurs for complexity.
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Roast the bones – Roasting before simmering develops richer flavor.
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Simmer for 3-4 hours – Long, gentle simmering extracts the most gelatin and flavor.
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Skim scum – Boil then skim any scum that rises to the top for clearer stock.
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Use fresh aromatics – Onion, carrot, celery provide sweetness. Garlic adds richness.
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Add herbs and peppercorns – Bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns provide seasoning complexity.
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Strain well – Use a fine mesh strainer to remove all solids and impurities.
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Cool and skim fat – Chill stock so the fat rises and solidifies for easy removal.
Common Questions
Can I use a ham bone more than once?
Yes, you can reuse a ham bone that has already been cooked or used to make stock. Simmer it again in fresh water with aromatics to continue extracting flavor. The second batch of stock may be less concentrated.
Is it necessary to roast the bones?
Roasting is optional but will provide deeper, richer flavor by caramelizing the bones and vegetables. If short on time, you can skip roasting.
How long does ham stock last in the fridge or freezer?
Properly stored ham stock will last 5 days refrigerated or 3 months in the freezer. Freeze stock in recipe-sized portions so you can thaw only what you need.
Can I use a slow cooker to make ham stock?
Yes, a slow cooker is perfect for making ham stock. Cook on low for 8-12 hours. You may need to boil down the finished stock to concentrate the flavor.
What’s the best way to use up leftover ham stock?
Some great uses for leftover ham stock are cooking beans or grains, making gravy, adding to soups or stews for flavor, or reducing further to make a glaze for ham or poultry.
Time to Make Ham Stock!
Ham stock unlocks a world of flavor potential from an often discarded ham bone. With its deep, savory taste and luscious texture, ham stock can transform the simplest dish into something sublime. Next time you have a leftover ham bone, give ham stock a try. Your soups, stews, beans, grains, and more will thank you.
Why do you need ham stock?
Someone who likes to make soup with ham bones or even ham rind might wonder why they should make stock when they can just add the bones and rind to the soup. Of course, you can do that and still get good results, but letting the ham stock cook for hours brings out all of its flavor and goodness. However, I don’t buy ham as often as I do other types of meat, but I always enjoy the rich ham flavor that ham stock gives to recipes.
How to Make Ham Stock
(This is just a summary of the steps; scroll down for complete recipe.)
- Ham bones or scraps should be frozen until you have enough to make stock.
- You can also freeze celery, onion, and carrot scraps if you want to.
- Use the largest soup pot you have for making stock. Place the ham scraps, onion, celery, and carrot pieces in the pot. Then add water to the pot.
- You can add peppercorns or coarsely ground pepper, but DO NOT ADD SALT!
- Let the stock cook for 6 to 8 hours, adding a cup or two of water every hour. Set the heat to the lowest setting possible. (See recipe for slow cooker cooking. ).
- After 6 to 8 hours, use a Slotted Spoon (affiliate link) or a large spoon to take out the ham pieces and vegetables and throw them away.
- Be careful when you taste the hot stock. If you don’t like the flavor, raise the heat to medium and let it boil slowly for at least 30 minutes, until some of the water is gone.
- Adding a ham flavor base to the stock makes it taste more like ham. My favorite ham flavor base is Goya Ham Flavor Concentrate (affiliate link).
- A fine mesh stock skimmer (affiliate link) is a good way to get rid of any scum that forms on top of the stock as it cooks.
- When the stock is thick enough to taste like rich ham, strain it again using the best strainer you have. I strain the stock through a fine mesh yogurt strainer (affiliate link) into a fat separator (affiliate link). This lets the stock pour out from the bottom while the fat is thrown away.
- You can use any plastic container with a lid that fits tightly. I like to freeze the stock in 2 or 4 cup containers so I know how much I have when I need it for a recipe.
- I use Sharpie markers and sticky tape to write the type and date on stock. It’s possible to keep stock frozen for 6 to 12 months, but I never remember to do that!
- This is how I’ve been making ham stock for a very long time!
