Don't toss that ham bone. Follow these easy step by step photo instructions for some great crock pot ham bone vegetable soup.
Introduction
We occasionally have a ham bone, not a real common occurrence when you're cooking for two, but it does happen. So what to do with a ham bone from that holiday spiral cut ham? You can toss it or make soup.
Inspired by an allrecipes.com recipe called Ham Bone Soup I read all 200 plus comments for helpful hints. There are often useful things in the comments and should be read if you're doing a recipe.
My Rating
I'm at a 4 but my wife, the ham person, is a high 4 or low 5.
🐖The Ham Bone
You need enough meat on the ham bone to have some in the soup. If in doubt, you can add a chopped up ham steak or similar ham.
Many hams have a sugary coat. This sweetness needs to be reduced as much as reasonably possible. Trim or scrape off some and then a really good rinse should usually do. The sugary taste is not needed in the soup and I think it would be "weird."
✔️Tips
Broth vs. Water
The model recipe uses water with added chicken bouillon cubes. Many other recipes used chicken broth.
It was pointed out to me by several commenters that the ham bone will make its own borth. I have followed that advice many times in this and other ham bone recipes with 100% success.
So you have three options. First, just water for the liquid. Second, water and add bouillon cubes later in the cooking if needed. Or use the low sodium chicken broth I initially used here. I suggest #1 now.
A Salt Note
The salt could easily get out of hand here. Ham has a lot of salt. Do not add any, use low sodium broth and rinse the beans.
The Fat
There is a lot of fat in a ham. If this is a concern (and it should be), refrigerate overnight and scrap the disgusting stuff off. Hopefully, you scraped some off with the sugar coating.
📖Ham Bone Soup Recipes
Crock Pot Ham Bone and Bean Soup
Puerto Rican Chuletón Soup AKA Xmas Ham Bone Soup
🖼️Step-by-Step Instructions
This is more than enough ham on this bone. The chicken broth is an option, but just water works well.
Rinse the ham under running water to remove as much of any sugary coating as possible. Also, this is a good time to remove any fat the is easily removed.
Chop two peeled potatoes, two peeled carrots, a medium onion and two stalks of celery. Feel free to vary the veggies.
Rinse one can of beans. I used light kidney but did not have low sodium that would be preferred.
In a large crock pot combine 6 cups water, 15 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and optional ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add the rinsed beans and the veggies. You may use low sodium chicken broth if you prefer.
Add the ham bone and cook for 8 hours on low.
With about one hour left in the cooking, remove the bone and strip of meat.
Return the meat to the slow cooker.
Finish the 8-hour total cooking. You may now serve or refrigerate overnight and scrape off any solidified fat.
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📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Ham Bone Vegetable Soup
Tap to leave a Rating
Ingredients
- 1 ham bone with meat
- 2 carrots - diced
- 2 stalks celery - chopped
- 1 onion - medium chopped
- 2 potatoes - medium russet cubed
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 48 oz water - or low-sodium chicken broth
- 14 oz light kidney beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper - optional
Instructions
- Rinse the ham under running water to remove as much of any sugary coating as possible. Also, this is a good time to remove any fat the is easily removed.
- Chop two peeled potatoes, two peeled carrots, a medium onion and two stalks of celery. Fell free to vary the veggies.
- Rinse one can of beans. I used light kidney but did not have low sodium that would be preferred.
- In a large crock pot combine 6 cups water, 15 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and optional ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add the rinsed beans and the veggies. You may use low sodium chicken broth if you prefer.
- Add the ham bone and cook for 8 hours on low. With one hour left in the cooking, remove the bone and strip of meat. Return the meat to the slow cooker. Finish the 8-hour total cooking. You may now serve or refrigerate overnight and scrape off any solidified fat.
- You may now serve or refrigerate overnight and scrape off any solidified fat.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Your ham bone should have some meat on it. You may add other ham if you think you need to.
- Rinse and scrap very well to remove as much sugar as possible if you have a sugary coating. Also, remove fat that is easy to remove but don't obsess over the fat.
- Use all low sodium products and do not add salt unless you are sure you need it.
- I now use water for this recipe instead of chicken broth. You may use low sodium chicken broth or add some bouillon cubes when stripping the ham bone if you think it is needed.
- You may serve hot out of the pot or refrigerate overnight and scrape off any solidified fat.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
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Originally Published April 13, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Jeanne T
OMG this is great, I did make it with 38 ounce chicken broth and added water for the rest. I didn't add two potatoes just one because I used white beans. Just a little idea put some shredded swiss cheese on the bottom of your soup bowl, you won't be sorry.
DrDan
Hi Jeanne,
I do love a good soup and thanks for the suggestions.
Dan
Sandra Bowman
Just finished eating this delicious soup and the only thing we altered to the recipe was we added 1&1/2 cup of chopped ham (only because we had the leftover ham). We definitely will make this again whenever we have a hambone. Great recipe!!
DrDan
Thanks for the note. Glad you liked it.
DrDan
Adam Turner
In the slow cooker as I type. I used fresh garlic instead of the powder and no tomatoes. Also added a tbsp of Italian seasoning. Oh and used kidney beans and northerns. My ham bone was bigger than the one in the picture so I had to add 1/3 more broth.
I also added some rice.
I sure hope it tastes as good as it smells. This house smells incredible.
Rick Bradley
I recommend that you try a smoked pork shoulder in place of the ham. You'll find that it's processed with WAY LESS salt, has a very similar flavour so #1 will be pleased and after cooking low and slow (5hr @ 275F) the fat that hasn't rendered can pretty much be rubbed off by hand. I save the cooking liquor and then use the bone and some more veg the next day for a total of about 4L of broth.
Paul
I see a can of tomatoes in the ingredients but you do not mention
them in your directions. . . thanks for the great recipe!
DrDan
Thanks for the error catch. I'm editing the post now.
Dan
Dorothy
My family loved this soup. So easy to prepare on a cold morning and letting it cook all day in the crock pot. My husband 'put it together' the first time and it was a hit. I agree that it can become salty with the ham. I used all the low sodium ingredients as suggested and felt it was just right. I also added some frozen chopped spinach and bow tie pasta near the end of cooking time. I was just as good a couple of days later. Will make this again.
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note.
DrDan
Susan
Forgot my rating!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note(s) and Rating
DrDan
Susan
Your recipe was delicious! I made a few modifications when I made mine. I left out the onion only because I didn't have one on hand. I added 4 cloves of fresh garlic, black beans instead of kidney beans, canned corn, a couple of bay leaves, and turmeric spice because it's good for you. It was a huge hit! Thanks again!
Rena
Just trying this recipe now. Followed it exactly except using black beans. Will do a taste test at 3 hour mark and may adjust seasonings if needed, also thinking of adding some zuchine and yellow squash. Still on the fence re: the squash. Will rate after eating tonight. Also, if you oversalt a dish grating a potato into the broth helps reduce the saltiness.
Donna
I made this recipe but added 1 - 8oz can tomato sauce after tasting the broth and feeling it needed a little more tomato taste. I also threw in a couple of handfuls of broad noodles during the last 30 minutes of cooking. I got a late start in preparing the dish, so I cooked mine on high for 5 hours and it came out delicious.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I love to hear modifications.
Again thanks for the comment and rating.
DrDan
June
Googled "ham bone soup" and found your site. I wanted a ham bone soup with no dried beans (don't have any on hand right now). I was planning on making my soup basically like your recipe, but would use water instead of broth. Good comments. I do have part of a can of black beans. I will rinse those and add, that made me think of corn, so will add some of those and maybe tomatoes. We shall see what tomorrow brings! Thanks for the great ideas.
Dave
Really great flavors in this dish. Great use of the entire ham. Sodium was not a problem. Only modifications were to add a few extra vegetables Thanks for the recipe.
Dave in Ann Arbor, MI
DrDan
Thanks for the note Dave and Happy Harbaugh Day there in AA
DrDan