Honey-baked Ham Bone Is The Best Part

[wacojoe]

I always wait eagerly for everybody else to eat the spiral slices of the ham and the more easily separated chunks thereafter, so that I can get the meaty bone left over for my beans. Today I cooked up 2lbs. of Butter Beans with the bone from the ham left after Thanksgiving. Along with a pan of cornbread, I was fully sated. Beans & cornbread are my idea of a culinary delight.

[Truckman]

Naturally you still don't deliver to us homebound unfortunates in our time of need......Ben

[Sandman]

Sounds good.. love butter beans..

I am married to “Souper Girl” (plagiarized from a restaurant name in DC) she makes great soup from almost anything (makes all of her own chicken/turkey stock).. ham bones and turkey carcass into the freezer for soup next month..

Didn’t have very good results with honey ham bone for soup.. but.. will PM you for recipes should a honey bone appear here again (did I say, I like butter beans)

Chinese restaurant soup containers full of chicken/turkey stock line one freezer shelf..

[Dave Grubb]

I save most bones of any size as well as liquid that can be used as broth.

Last night I made sauteed spinach and the little bit of liquid that remained went into a container in the freezer.

[Mike]

I haven't bought a brand name Honey Baked Ham, but I have bought several hams from Kroger that claim to be honey baked. They use some spice or combination of spices that I don't particularly care for and don't like in my beans. The only reason I bought them was because the wife wanted them. Perhaps I should try one of the branded hams.

[Dave Grubb]

I stick with double smoked ham hocks, I'm not much for sweet where I am looking for savoury.

Tonight I baked an acorn squash, I put honey and butter in my wife's half and butter and paprika on mine.

[UTAH]

The only reason I bought them was because the wife wanted them.

And, to most married men (me included) that's the right answer.

Hunter

[Mike]

In my mind, the absolute best bean seasoning comes from Cajun pork link sausage and/or Tasso. Most of you have probably never heard of Tasso unless you've ventured into deep Southeast Texas, or better yet, Louisiana. I'll post this one link to What is Tasso Ham? but I encourage you to do your own searches for Tasso. There is a lot of information available and Tasso is really easy to make if you have a smoker and Cajun seasoning like Tony Cachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Even if you don't want to make Tasso, get the seasoning, I use it almost every time I cook.

[Dave Grubb]

I have a small collection of Tony's seasonings

[wacojoe]

In my mind, the absolute best bean seasoning comes from Cajun pork link sausage and/or Tasso. Most of you have probably never heard of Tasso unless you've ventured into deep Southeast Texas, or better yet, Louisiana. I'll post this one link to What is Tasso Ham? but I encourage you to do your own searches for Tasso. There is a lot of information available and Tasso is really easy to make if you have a smoker and Cajun seasoning like Tony Cachere's Original Creole Seasoning. Even if you don't want to make Tasso, get the seasoning, I use it almost every time I cook.

The piece on Tasso Ham was very informative to me, who knew nothing about the subject…and intriguing also. Got to check some out in my next pot of beans. Everything looks spot on for an improvement. I’ll have to search out sources here far away from Louisiana and East Texas.

[Mike]

Joe, your HEB probably has it.

[Mike]

Okay, it looks like HEB does have it. TASSO

I forgot to add above, my favorite beans are little red beans, or petite red beans. You can get them in a Kit with Spices, but it is much cheaper to just buy the beans and spice them yourself.

[wacojoe]

I’ve never cooked Cajun Red Beans but have had them many times at restaurants they can be good, but my favorite in that vein are pintos, my aunt’s to be specific with a decided Texas bent.

Aunt Florence' Pinto Beans

2 lbs. Dried Pinto Beans
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 medium onion
4 oz. can chopped green chilis
Salt Pork, Ham Hock or Ham Slices
3 T. Chili Powder
2 T. Better Than Bullion Chicken low salt
Lowry’s Seasoned Salt

Soak pinto beans over night or quick soak by bringing to boil and set for 1 hour in water ~ 1 inch over beans. Course Chop onion and sauté in small amount of oil until soft, add ground beef and brown. If over night method bring beans to quick boil, and then after either method (quick or over night soak) simmer with pork choice, browned meat, onions and chili powder & salt to taste. Pour off fat and add both onion, beef & green chilis* to beans (this step can be at beginning or middle of bean cooking step). Thicken with tablespoon of flour mixed first with some hot water if a thicker bean liquor is desired.

[Mike]

I made a big pot of Pintos last week for the first time in probably a few years. I was disappointed I chose them instead of the little red beans. The texture and the flavor of the little reds is better in my opinion. One advantage of the little reds is they cook a lot faster than the Pintos.

[wacojoe]

Now, the rest of the story an be told —

After cooking my pot of beans and as I was fishing the remains of the ham bone out of the pot, my son mentioned that the dogs would love it. I knew ham bones were verboten for dogs, but jumped to the stupid conclusion in my mind that meant small bones like pork chop bones they could easily shred. I figured big bones such as I used were too big to shred. Wrong! I later found out that the cooking process softens them to the point the dogs can chew them to bits, but cannot digest them. My big 18lb. Yorkie (we call him a Bull Yorkie) commenced to eat most of the bone and almost killed him. He spent two days in the Emergency Vet Hospital at the cost of $3500. Stupid is as stupid does.

Fortunately, Toby is back to normal now.