What to Do With Your Holiday Ham Bone


Don't throw it away! What to do with your leftover ham bone.
 
I am super-frugal. I'm afraid I drive my family crazy on occasion with my "oddness." 

Is it odd to save the turkey carcass from Thanksgiving to make turkey stock? 

Or to save the ham bone to use later? I think it's smart and extremely tasty.

After dinner I cut the rest of the ham off the bone and save the meat for leftovers. Ham sandwiches are so good. So is ham with au gratin potatoes. 

But what do you do with the ham bone? Don't throw it out!

Do this with the ham bone


The ham bone goes into a zippered freezer bag and into the freezer until enough time has passed that we're no longer tired of ham. You know what I mean.

Then I use it to make ham and bean soup or split pea soup. You'll find both of the recipes right there.


Ham and bean soup from Oak Hill Homestead


Sure, you can make either dish with just plain water, but the little bits of ham on the bone - and the flavoring of the bone itself - lend so much more flavor to your soup.

Can't you just taste that bowl of beans, ham and vegetables with some corn muffins or homemade bread? And that great flavor came from something that most people throw away after their holiday meal.


What to do with your holiday ham bone


Of course, it doesn't have to be the ham you served for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner; I save the bone every time I bake a ham.

You'll find directions for making ham and bean soup here, and how to make split pea soup here. Don't worry, both are very easy to make.

Your family will think you slaved over the stove all day - but you can even make these hot, delicious and filling meals in the slow cooker.


Check out this post if you're making turkey instead of ham for the holidays: What to Do With Your Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass.


Don't throw out that ham bone when your Thanksgiving dinner is over. Here's what to do with it instead.

Stretch your holiday food budget by using your holiday ham bone in simple, delicious recipes.

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