What To Do With The Ham Bones
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Why Think About It -Waste Not, Want Not
Have you ever thought about what you will do with the ham bones after you have your feast? It may have crossed some frugal families minds and then others it may not have entered at all. Well I am telling you to think about it. Think about it before you cook your dinner and even before you purchase your ham. Even if you do not plan to eat it, there are others who can and will. With the prices that you pay for things and those who are left homeless these days, one should at least try to salvage everything they can to feed the hungry--even if they are your own family. Give it to a rescue mission or a Soup kitchen or some other place that can use it. There are lots of things that you can make with the bones after you enjoyed the main meal. You can freeze it and use it throughout the year. I always say, Waste Not, Want Not.
Everything can be used. If there is lots of fat on the ham it can be thrown out to the birds. There are several species of birds who would love you for giving them a meal in the winter. Other animals would love it too. Put it high up on a pedestal. Hows we do it is we nailed a metal tash can lid on top of a post. We put holes in it for drainage. It isn't all that pretty but then again we are in the middle of the woods.
When the bone is picked clean you can throw it in the woods too. I am sure that you have woods around your place somewhere. Nature will figure out what to do with it then. Just don't throw them in a park in the middle of the big city.
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It's Really Very Easy
After dinner and all is cleared from the tables and put away do not throw out the juice or ham bones. Keep them to make your Ham Bone Sock.
Place the ham bone in the Slow Cooker or your Stock Pot and cover with water. Make sure you have room to cover the whole bone. Cook this on low in your Slow Cooker over night. If using a Stock Pot or other large pot,on your stove top set the heat on medium-low. No need to add spices or anything at this time. Simmer it until the meat falls off the bone. This could be a few hours depending on how big your ham bone is.
Drain it all into another large pot through a colander. Let the bone sit for a few hours or put it in the refrigerator until it is cool enough that you can handle it with your fingers.
Once it is cool enough for you, start pulling the ham off the bones. Add the meat back to the strained liquid. This is your Ham Bone Stock. You can freeze it as is or you can make some delicious soups out of it.
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A Simple Recipe
After you have gotten all the meat off the bones, add them back into the water that it was cooked in. Now you can add your spices and other vegetables.
Here is a recipe that I use:
4 cups Ham Bone Stock
1 cup of Beans that you have soaked the night before in water with 1 TBLS of Baking Soda then drained and rinsed under cold water.. (Sometimes I will used the mixed dried beans for a different flavor) The baking Soda soak takes out the "gas" factor.
1 medium chopped onion
2 small potaotoes diced
1 diced carrot
1/2 stick of butter (Yes, Butter or it will not have the same rich flavor)
Cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrot are tender..
Serve with your favorite flavored herb bread.
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A Recipe Compliments of a Friend
Carol Furnée
Black Bean Soup :-)
One Ham Bone, simmered all day for stock
One lb dried Black Beans, soaked overnight (BTW, Thanks for the tip about baking soda and gas)
One big sweet green pepper
One big sweet onion
One can RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilis
Taco Bell Hot Sauce to taste.
Enjoy :-)
Comments
Thanks Larry. Did you read the Turkey one too?
That sounds discussing giving your bones to the homeless or soup kitchens. That what they did in slavery times. i would sooner donate a ham or turkey. but I do, love to put them in my dry beans or fresh greens.
Rose, now why would that be discusting? Do you realie just how much meat is still left on those bones? Isn't the times that we are in almost like those times. Who would know that one is gving those bones to Soup Kitchens unless someone broadcasts it everywhere.
The ham bone is also the basis for the BEST Pea Soup!
add to the stock:
1lb dried split peas
one or two stalks celery
one onion, cut up
one large or two small carrots
Simmer until thoroughly cooked, (at least an hour, longer if necessary).
Pick out meat pieces and beat the remaining soup to homogenize veggies, then add meat back in.
Thank You Carol for stopping in and making a comment and adding another recipe!
Lady G - The first time I made some "baked beans" I didn't know to soak them overnight. The result was a bowl full of "baked bullets." Carol is going to get about the same sort of thing if she doesn't soak those dried peas before cooking them for "at least an hour."
Yep. That is why I made sure that I stated that in the article!!
Still sound disgusting to me? Unless you are willing to eat strangers Ham bones,yourself. which I believe not. even Mother Waddle refuse to accept dented cans of food for the hungry saying it was too demortalizing.
I guess then you have never been without and you wouldn't even begin to know. I also on't guess that you are giving person from your heart and not your pocketbook. If I knew the peole that would be giving me something from that ham bone, You bet I would take it. Dented Cans, are no worse then the ones that aren't dented. They are the same inside as outside--much the same as people--they may be less attractive on the outside, but on the inside they are still the same as if they were attractive.
Differnet strokes for different folks. Until you have been in others shoes you wil never know ............
Lady Guinevere
I sure you only want to do your best. but sometimes your best is not good enough. You should pull together with family and friends until those ham bone become a complete ham or turkey
When you give something you do not want. where is the gift of giving. i am sure dented cans are in the soup kitchen pots. but a child should not have to look on their shelf and see nothing but dented cans. I am sure this will have some affect on his worth in life.
Who said that I didn't want it? I want to share it and not waste food for the hungry.
Wow Rose! Coming from the side of homelessness and accepting whatever would come my way means more then you know.
Even coming from that side I understand that other people have families to feed too.
Maybe you could consider what the bones means to yourself? Do you feel like you are above ham bones or dented cans? I certainly understand where you are coming from but a donation is a donation.
When I was a kid, my shelf had a few dented cans but not much more, I didn't feel anything but grateful that someone would give us or my mom could afford a perfectly good can of dented green beans.
Don't be that way. I understand you think even the homeless deserve good eatin' too, and I agree but you must be eating like a King today to acknowledge a donation such as ham bones and dented cans as humiliating.
From a family that hasn't much to begin with, that perfectly good can of dented green beans has much more worth then an entire turkey.
Happy Holidays,
Sandra
Sandra
I don't see the logic of two cans of strings beans being worth in food value, more then a turkey. frozen vegetables would be better for health reason.but still the turkey would be a better meal. I believe you should share what on the table. not what in the trash. funny you would say King, but it is the king that those his bones to the peasants.
LOL, all this arguing over a hambone?
I always use our hambones to cook Pinto beans. Goes great with a big pan of homemade cornbread and onions.
At least some know how to go "WHOLE HOG"
SirDent
That sound delicious. As I said I like to use my ham bone in dry beans or fresh greens.
Sir Dent is right. Why argue over Hambones.
Rose, What is your problem? I have used Turkey Bones from my daughter's to make soup stock and other things with the bones and meat that comes from them
This is just silly of you. You may lead a life that dictates that all things not eaten from the table as being trash, but there be treasure in that trash. You, yourself just stated that you use the bones. I think youare just arguing just for the sake of arguing and nothing more.
What would happen if someone tossed a rack of Baby Back ribs in this hub? :P
Rose, the hambone makes the beans ever more delicious. Of course a few hours later the family gets together and we serenade one another. ;)
sorry I only being truthful. Small gifts have no bragging rights
SirDent, if Babyback ribs were thrown in here I would be the first to get them!!! I love them
Rose, Just how much money do you have to *Flaunt around! There are many of us who don't have a whole heck of a lot. Perhaps you could spread some of that MONEY around that you seem to worship.
They never go to waste here. Pea soup or lentil soup is how they are utilized as a base.
Well small gifs can be very expensive too--like diamonds and other gems, they be small too. Do they also hit your category that "small gifts have no bragging rights"?
Hey SirDent! Where are those ribs?
The ribs stay with me but here is a link for a great hambone.
Maybe I should write a hub about Hambones and use that video. What do you think?
SirDent, I forgot all about that little song! Yes do a hub with that in mind! Cool!
You got to use this you tube too. I love the cat in it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4w2eD21f5s
lady Guinevere
This morning I made two double chocolate cakes. One was for me the other was for a Thanksgiving dinner I was attending. the best of the two I put in a beautiful glass cake dish which i took to the dinner. leaving the my cake sitting on a plate cover with aluminum foil. Maybe you should give the homeless and soup kitchen the ham and keep the bone for yourself.
P.s Happy Thanksgiving Day to all :)
Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
Never one to waste and very understandable since she came fro a family of 14, my wife will take a ham bone and add it to a pot of dried beans. Those dried beans (pinto's,October shellies, or good old yaller eyes, makes for some fine eatin!
Okay lets do this again. pressed backspace and it erased my whole comment.
Fiddleman, Thanks for commenting on my hub. I can't let anything go to waste. There are also some vitamins and other good stuff from the bones. Good eatin and good for ya! Can't beat that!
Black Bean Soup :-)
One Ham Bone, simmered all day for stock
One lb dried Black Beans, soaked overnight (BTW, Thanks for the tip about baking soda and gas)
One big sweet green pepper
One big sweet onion
One can RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilis
Taco Bell Hot Sauce to taste.
Enjoy :-)
Carol, Thank you for the recipe. I shall add it to this hub when I get the chance. I am still working on my new FaceBook Fan Page for The Happy Homemaker.
Lady Guinevere--I was googling and found your hub! Great! I'm just going to make the stock and probably freeze it for future recipes, or I might let it cool until tomorrow and get creative. Thanks so much! I'm too frugal to throw it away!
Thank you Victoria. I am glad you found something that you can use.
maven101 2 years ago
UMMUMMUMM..sounds delicioso...must try this...I love homemade soups and chowders...Thanks for this great idea for post New Years Ham....Larry