Make this easy Ham and Corn Chowder whenever you have a ham bone that you want to use up. It’s hearty, healthy, and a great way to use up your leftovers!
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I love a good ham. Especially at Christmas or Easter. So yummy. I’m not sure what to do with all the extra ham, though, because it always seems like there is MORE than enough. Not to mention the ham bone! What does one do with a ham bone?!.
Not a fan of ham and lentils or split pea soup. I don’t know if you feel the same way. And I feel like that’s the ‘traditional’ thing to do with a ham bone. So more often than not, I will admit… the ham bone has just gotten the toss. Into the trash it went.
Don’t give up! I’ve found a few recipes and ideas over the years that can help you use up that ham bone (or leftover ham). And today I want to share one of those options… Ham and Corn Chowder.
And ham and corn chowder is creamy and comforting. Plus, it uses up that ham bone, so I can be a good homesteader and “use every part of the buffalo,” .
A leftover holiday ham bone is a treasure trove of flavor. While ham bone soup is certainly delicious, it’s not the only way to utilize this ingredient. From simmering beans to flavoring rice, read on for 12 creative ideas for ham bone uses beyond just making soup.
1. Make Your Own Ham Stock
Treating the ham bone like you would a chicken carcass to make stock opens up a world of possibilities. Place the bone in a pot with veggies like onion carrots and celery. Simmer for several hours then strain. Use the savory smoky stock as a base for potato soup, to cook rice or beans, or reduce down to a glaze for ham.
2. Beans or Lentils
Dried beans, chickpeas or lentils are an obvious choice, absorbing the meaty flavor as they cook. Try navy beans, cannellini beans, split peas or black beans Cook them directly with the ham bone or use your homemade ham stock as the cooking liquid The beans make a hearty side dish or vegetarian main course.
3. Creamy Potato Gratin
For an indulgent casserole, cook chopped potatoes in ham stock. Then assemble the potatoes in a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake until bubbly and crispy on top. The smoky ham essence really boosts potato flavor.
4. Risotto or Rice
In place of plain water, use ham stock as your liquid when cooking risotto, rice pilaf, cheesy rice or congee. This infuses the rice with a hit of salty, smoky goodness that enhances rice’s inherently neutral flavor.
5. Savory Oatmeal
For a stick-to-your ribs breakfast, make oatmeal with ham stock instead of water or milk. Cook the oats in stock then stir in sautéed vegetables, shredded ham, cheese, eggs or other mix-ins. The stock’s hint of meatiness punches up the oatmeal.
6. Gravy and Sauces
Homemade ham gravy couldn’t be easier: make a roux with butter and flour, then whisk in ham stock. You can also add pan drippings from ham slices. Or use stock to deglaze the pan when making pan sauces for chicken, pork and more.
7. Simmer Greens
Give collard greens, turnip greens, kale or spinach a flavor boost by simmering them in ham stock instead of plain water. The stock lends a hit of smoky porkiness that pairs wonderfully with bitter greens.
8. Ham and Vegetable Quiche
Get your quiche fix by baking eggs, milk or cream, shredded cheese and vegetables in a pie crust flavored with ham stock and diced ham. You can even sprinkle more ham on top. The stock adds a savory depth that makes quiche more interesting.
9. Dry Beans and Rice
Traditional New Orleans-style red beans and rice gains a flavor boost when you cook the beans in ham stock. If you don’t have ham handy, a ham bone adds similar smoky flavor. Serve over white rice for a comforting, hearty meal.
10. Lentil or Split Pea Soup
Of course, bean- or veggie-based soups like lentil and pea shine when made using homemade ham stock instead of water. While not quite “ham bone soup”, it still incorporates the bone’s flavorsome essence.
11. Savory Bread Pudding
For a breakfast twist, make a bread pudding casserole by soaking bread cubes in a custard of eggs, cream and ham stock. You can also add ham, onion, spinach, cheese and herbs. The stock adds a hit of umami. Bake until set and browned.
12. Flavor Vegetables
Homemade ham stock brings a savory depth to all kinds of vegetables beyond just greens. Try cooking potatoes, carrots, parsnips, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, corn and more in stock for bonus flavor.
So with just some creativity, you can move beyond soup and find many uses for a leftover ham bone. Infuse rice, beans, sauces, vegetables and more with its smoky, porcine goodness. With these ideas, no ham bone needs to go to waste!
How to Store Extra Ham and a Leftover Ham Bone
When we are done with our tasty dinner of a spiral ham, corn casserole, potatoes, homemade rolls, raspberry pomegranate jello, fancy green salad, and… wait. Where was I going with this?.
Oh ya. We’ve eaten all our food and there’s a big half-eaten ham staring at me.
Start by cutting off any extra meat and putting it in a container or ziploc bag that won’t let air in. (Or give it to a neighbor. ) A good option is to store the meat in several smaller (i. e. quart size) freezer bags and keep them in the freezer for future use. “Keeping them in smaller bags makes it easy to thaw one at a time when you need it for a meal, instead of having to thaw a whole gallon-size bag.” ).
Once you’ve taken off most of the meat (you can even leave some on the bone for this recipe), you can put the bone in another ziploc bag. Afterward, put it in either the fridge or the freezer, based on when you plan to use it.
How to Make Ham and Corn Chowder
The time has come that we’re ready to use that ham bone. Awesome!
First things first… we’re going to take that bone and make a broth with it. To do this, just put it in a slow cooker, cover it with water, and set it to high heat for a few hours (about 4 hours).
Now, when you boil the bones they will also add some juice to the pot. So don’t fill your crockpot too full when you start. Or you might end up with an over-flowy mess.
Having said that, once the bones have been simmering and making broth, we will need to cut the amount of liquid in the crockpot by about half.
Just to make things clear, we’re not adding any more ingredients at this point because the pot will get too full. So we need to make room for the rest of the soup. .
But there’s no need to throw out that liquid. It could be used instead of water the next time you cook rice, or it could be used to make this soup again (when you no longer have the bone). Just pour the liquid into a container that won’t let air in (like a mason jar?), and you can keep it in the fridge for up to a week or two.
After the liquid has been drained to about half of the crockpot, add the potatoes, celery, onion, and spices. (PS. Carrots would totally be good in this too. You should try it with carrots. ) Let this cook for another 3-4 hours (on low).
When the vegetables are soft, which should be about an hour before dinner, take the ham bone out of the soup and shred all the ham pieces. (The meat should basically just fall off the bone at this point. ).
Now you can throw away that ham bone without feeling bad because you used the good stuff in it to make a healthy broth or soup. (Or toss it to a dog to chew on? I dunno… we don’t have a dog. ).
Return the shredded ham to the soup.
In a separate bowl, whisk together some milk and flour. (I like to use a combo of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. ) Slowly pour this into the soup while stirring.
Add in some frozen corn, extra ham (if desired), and test your level of seasoning. (Add more salt and pepper, if needed. ).
Heat this up until it gets nice and thick, and you have a tasty dinner made from leftovers! If you want, you can sprinkle some grated cheese and/or fresh parsley on top.
It’s perfect for a cozy evening at the dinner table with homemade rolls or a buttered slice of homemade bread.
Leftover Ham Bone Soup | Keep the Bone!
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