Ham Bone Soup

Whenever I have ham, I look forward to its leftovers. They do great in freezers, and my go-to recipes for leftover ham are Ham Fried Rice and this Ham Bone Soup. 

INGREDIENTS

one leftover ham bone with bits of ham on

one cup of leftover ham, diced

twenty ounces of oxtail broth

fifteen ounces of chicken bone broth

ten ounces of water

five celery stalks, sliced

a half cup of carrots, sliced

a half of yellow onion, diced

four garlic cloves, peeled

four French thyme twigs

one teaspoon of smoked paprika

a half teaspoon of sea salt + a pinch or two

freshly cracked pepper

Before you get your panties, boxers or briefs in a bunch about using both oxtail and chicken bone broth, it is perfectly fine to use chicken bone broth instead of oxtail broth. Since I typically keep oxtail broth in the kitchen during the cold months, that is what I use along with chicken bone broth.

Ham Bone Soup served with egg noodles in a ceramic bowl made by me.

Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add broth, water, ham bone, garlic cloves, and French thyme. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid and let it simmer for about forty-five minutes. Add prepared carrots, celery and onion, and stir once or twice. Season with smoked paprika. If you are using chicken bone broth only rather than the combination of oxtail and chicken bone broth, taste to see if you need the sea salt before adding it to the soup. Add freshly cracked pepper to your taste. Cover the Dutch oven again and continue to simmer for twenty minutes. 

Check the soup's thickness. If you prefer a thicker soup, keep the lid off. If you like it as is, then put the lid back on. Continue to simmer for an additional twenty-five minutes. Add diced ham and stir once or twice. Just as before, keep the lid off if you prefer thicker soup or close the lid for as-is for an additional thirty minutes. 

Taste the soup to see if it requires a pinch or two of sea salt. Remove from the heat and serve. While the soup is delicious on its own, I serve this Ham Bone Soup with wide egg noodles or strozzapreti. Place a handful of cooked strozzapreti or wide egg noodles in bowls and pour the soup on top to serve. Delicious!