Just got through packaging up the days left overs. I've got a nice Ham Bone wrapped up and in the fridge. What should I do with it? Pinto beans? Split pea soup? Ideas anyone?

Get some more bones and make some ham broth. I have a couple from pork shoulders from sausage I made and that is what I am going to do with them.

YUP!!!

Soak and slow simmer that puppy til you have a rich stock. From there the possibilities are endless!!

Byc do you put apple cider vinegar in the soak?

I was very careful to leave a lot of that rich sweet meat close to the bone on it. Normally I will use it in a big pot of pinto beans, cook up a skillet of cornbread and feast on it. My wife though is not a fan of pinto beans prefering butterbeans. That's ok too, but not my favorite. I also saved a pound or so of ham scraps from the carving that would make a good ham salad if not put to a more interesting better use. What to do?

Love me some ham(bone) & split pea soup.

Pure comfort food !

If you have a pressure cooker, cook those bones till they are mush for the the best soup base you've ever had the pleasure of eating.

Yep....since you say you left a fair amount of meat that's the way I'd go.....

Split Pea soup and some Sourdough Bread....

I vote for split pea as well!

Never tried that but it sounds very interesting. Why not!? I'll have a ham bone this week and will definitely give it a try.

I have just seen a few recipes where it called for it. My venison gravy went over really well.

Split pea or white beans. Some cheese and jalapeño corn bread, you're set.

Cook it up in a big pot of white (Northerns?) beans and bake a big pan of cornbread with a good crunchy, brown crust!!
Man is that some good stuff!!

We usually do Pintos with boneless pork ribs, but when we have a hambone it's time for the white beans.
We saved the bone from a spiral-cut yesterday and left the big chunk on the end after the sliced section ran out.

Fishinhank, BYC, what's your favorite things to make with your hambone stock?

Looking for ideas here. My wife's appetite is really screwed up right now because of medicines she is taking. Its been very hard to find anything that interests her, but you never know what will. I mentioned SOS the other night and she not only said yes, but ate more than half of it.

Creamy potato soup.

Yep, that'll work too !

It all sounds good to me. If I have to choose, put me down for a pot pintos with the ham bone and some cornbread.

Don't it though! I read this to my wife and she showed some intrest in the tater soup. I think I can do that up good with my ham scraps. She has never been a big bean eater, and won't let a white northern bean in her mouth. I like them just fine, but usually only cook them when I'm away from home working.

I still got a couple of days to decide since we are still working on leftovers.

Bean and ham soup. Hated the stuff that my mom used to make us out of the can and then my wife made it for me homemade. Now one of my favorites.

Man, that's a tough call for me. It would probably be split pea with ham soup first, ham and bean soup second, ham and beans third.

Thankfully, I've got a Cuban family restaurant right down the street from my house that makes some killer ham and bean soup. A big bowl of that and some hot Cuban bread is a wonderful thing.
Don't even have to leave the neighborhood!

I use it anywhere broth is asked for. It makes a really good gravy too. I made some venison broth and a friend made gravy out of it and it was a slam dunk yesterday.

Allen, first off I wish the best for your wife and am very sorry to learn of her medical issues. Godspeed healing.

The potato and split soups are a good idea. In fact, any kind of soup would compliment a good ham stock. Even vegetable soup. When you're making the stock throw in a lot of root veges. If she likes greens of any kind (collards, kale, mustard) then ham stock is really good for that.

Maybe instead of navy beans consider a 15 bean soup.

Ham stock can be a little greasy so you may want to cool it down overnight and then skim the fat once separated.

I'll also ask the family women who always seems to have all the right answers.

Again thoughts and prayers to your lady!

With you!

David

Speaking of soups stocks & broths. It may be time for some of you folks to look into pressure cooking !!! hmmmmmmm good.

No voodoo involved but rather simple easy super tasty meals. Made a whole roasted chicken with veggies the other day and saved the leftover broth to do about a dozen russets.Pierced them deep with a fork and all that chicken goodness went right to the center. OMG !!!

Sour creme and butter,....... Oh my.


Shut up, Denny !!!!!

Denny these were on sale for BF today. Almost punched the button but not sure they are the real deal.

Thoughts?

https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-...IKX0DER&pf_rd_r=EW4XN92W2M4RDW315BAY

David,The IP brand cookers are heavily advertised on the net but no hands on exp. with them. Darn good Amazon reviews tho'. Looks to be the cats azz for a countertop unit.
I had a digital PC for many years and loved it but eventually it went belly up so I went back to old skool.Sturdy unit. I've cooked a ton of meals in it. Next meal will be a nice pot of CB & cabbage.YUM!

12 year warranty.

https://www.amazon.com/Presto-6-Quart-Stainless-Pressure-Cooker/dp/B00006ISG6

Allen....Not sure how much meat you have on the bones but scalloped potatoes and ham sure is good!! And darn near a meal in of itself.

Green beans and red potatoes are also great cooked in ham stock. Maybe some carrots and cabbage as well. With some cornbread!

I use pressure cookers quite a bit. I keep a 4 qt Presto in the camper, I have a 6 qt aluminum Presto that I have used for 30 years, an 8 qt SS Innova, and a 16 qt Presto canner that is at least 50 years old, that belonged to my mother. I just recently replaced the seals and pressure relief valves on the Prestos, and getting the parts was no problem. My sister has an electric Presto she really likes, and I may get one of those too.

BYC - The wife is going in for back surgery on Tuesday. She has reached the point that all she can do is hobble around the house, and we are at the limit of the amount of drugs (pain and nerve) she can tolerate, which is really not all that much. The drugs sure play heck with her appetite and mood swings. We will be needing lots of prayers, because the doctors rate her as a moderate risk for surgery.

So for the next 5 or 6 weeks of recovery, I'll probably be doing quite a few soups for sure.

Good info on the PC's. Thanks to both of you.

Positive thoughts and prayers sent on the wife Allen!!

Again, Godspeed healing!!

David

Hearty Ham Soup: Put the ham bone in your crock-pot over night on low. Add enough water to cover the bone. In the morning take out the meat and bones but put the cleaned bones back in for the broth. Chop the meat, add a can of dice tomatoes, onion, can of green beans, a small amount of chopped carrots, corn, or any other vegetables you like. Low all day again in the crock-pot. Usually add a bag of slaw mix in the last two hours and put in kale sometimes too. mmmm.....

Speaking of broth, I made a venison stew the other day while I was cutting up a deer. Small cubes of meat, browned in bacon grease. Sauteed onions (after removing meat), meat added back and then chicken broth instead of water. All that I had at the time, but it worked great. Carrots, potatoes, a little celery and then added some cream style corn at the last. Salt and black pepper, and it was the best stew that I have ever made. It ranked up there with the elk stew that Ed to many letters made whilst we were down at Blues (RIO7). Forgot a can of stewed tomatoes. I think that was all, but it was my first time adding chicken broth to a red meat stew. I will buy or make some beef/deer broth to try. miles

All the best to the misses, Allen. I'll bet ham bone stock would make a killer potato and cheese soup. Throw in some butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, etc., any kind of sweet root veggie or winter squash of choice would make great additions or alternatives.

LD gone & did the research ta hep you out !

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11617090#Post11617090

Pressure cook the bone in a large pressure cooker. Freeze quarts of broth. Use the broth as you would the ham bone. Add to pintos for flavor. Boil green beans and new taters. You get the idea.

I've got another ham bone, but the wife has decided it will go into a pot of butterbeans. I'm also to make her a skillet of cornbread to go with it. Sure was hoping to try one of the great ideas above, but I do like butterbeans too.

What are you guys doing with yours this year?

Most all ham bone soup is good, some is just better than others.

Made a pot a couple weeks ago. Had about half a cup each 15 bean soup mix, white Northerns, and cannellonis. Threw them all in with some chopped onion and whole heads worth of garlic cloves, and some Dizzy Pig sampler pack of Happy Nancy. Cheese and jalapeño skillet corn bread to go with.

Mmmmm......Mmmmmmm!

ETA I assume your wife is doing better, Allen?

A ham bone is like a key into a World of Bliss. Nothing it can't seem to make better.

Actually she is! The back surgery didn't help her very much, but getting her off of pain meds did! She is very intolerant of opioids. I was able to return to work last January which is tough because I can only come home every six weeks or so. The good Lord has truly kept his hand upon us and blessed us greatly. She will probably have more surgery, but is able to function independently, albeit slowly for now. Thanks for asking.

Prepare to be disappointed.

Well we are prepared. We did all the spinal injections, hip injections, etc...leading up to the surgery, and none of them helped for more than an hour or two. I didn't like the surgeon who has since left town. There may not be a pain free day in her future, but the Lord will see us through it. He certainly has to date.

Tom T recipe for grandmas old fashioned bean soup is in order.

Allen, I certainly was not referring in any way to your wife's health issue, but I can see where it may have looked that way as it followed your post. My apologies if it seemed that way and caused you any concern. My thoughts and prayers go for her. My comment was to the idea of doing anything with a ham bone - everything that I have ever done has been a great disappointment.

I'll be happy to take those ham bones off your hands John. Just leave some ham on them.

I was thinking the bean soup also,winter time favorite

Exactly what I did today along with cornbread. It was good but of course it will be even better reheated!

Throw some chopped collards in the pot with the bones. An onion, salt, pepper, couple capfuls of vinegar. Make some cornbread. Mmmmmmmm.

John, one thing is for sure, this ham bone did not disappoint! Per the wife's request, I cooked it with Butterbeans (Limas) for a great pot of ham and bean soup and made a skillet of cornbread. It was wonderful! I finished it off last night. Now the problems begin. The wife sent me to the couch about 3 am. Said I sounded like a popping johnny tractor. What's worse, I've got to get on an airplane to Pittsburgh in a couple of hours.. If you hear of a plane having to make an emergency landing or an airport being evacuated due to noxious odors today, you will know what happened. Sure hoping for another ham bone at Christmas! Bunch of great ideas listed above.