Leftover ham is a great problem to have, but there are a few challenges, especially for smaller households. Let's deal with it correctly and safely.
Introduction
I will be talking about a store-bought pre-cooked ham. They might be refrigerated sealed at the store, and they might be spiral cut.
If you have a different type of ham, I have provided some links with options for most other types of hams.
🦠Food Safety
Before we proceed, please be sure we are dealing with safe leftovers. If it was left in the danger zone of 40° and 140°F range for more than 2 hours, it should be considered contaminated and decarded.
The ham should have been properly thawed if frozen and stored refrigerated under 40°. And have not spent more than two hours in the food danger zone of 40° and 140 °F during serving. See Summer Food Safety for a more detailed discussion.
❄️Storing Ham
The first option is the refrigerator. Generally, ham can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, but it can vary some by the type of ham. Please see the FoodSafety.gov Ham Storage Chart for details if you have something other than a store-bought pre-cooked ham.
Can You Freeze Ham?
There are those old wives' tales that you can not freeze ham. They are so wrong. Ham and ham bones both freeze great.
If I know that I'm freezing some of the ham for later, I do that part of the ham as soon as possible. I seal it well, and if it is a large amount, I divide it into smaller units.
Most hams that you and I are dealing with are good for 1-2 months frozen. Again there is some variability by type of ham. Please see the FoodSafety.gov Ham Storage Chart for details.
To thaw your ham after it's been frozen, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator. Depending on the size, it should thaw in about 24 to 48 hours.
Don't forget you can also freeze the ham bone.
🐖Our Favorite Leftover Ham Recipe
We always buy too much ham just to have this later. Great comfort food. In addition to freezing the leftovers, we always look forward to this recipe.
🍖What to Do With A Ham Bone?
There is not much you can do with a ham bone other than soup. But it is a great option since the broth is just wonderful.
From a "cooking for two" viewpoint, these recipes are just too big unless you have freezer space. If you do, these are great options. If you don't have freezer space, give the ham bone to a friend.
🦃What to Do with Leftover Turkey?
Ok, a special Easter bonus. Not everybody had ham.
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Originally Published April 20, 2019.
Sandra Murdico
I cook different beans once a week in my Crock Pot. I just rinse them good and put them in the Crock Pot with seasoning I like and a ham bone or ham. I turn on high for 2 hours and then on low until done. You don't have to worry about gas with a Crock Pot, that I have found anyway. When I cook a ham, I leave a little ham on the bone. I use a meat cleaver or small hatchet (just for this) and chop the ham bone in half. I store each half in a separate Zip Lock Freezer Bag and toss them in the freezer. Any ham left over, I separate by large handfulls in zippered sandwich bags getting all the air our before sealing. I them put them in a gallon Zip Lock Freezer bag all together, seal and put in the freezer. I can them just take a bag of the ham out for cooking dry beans or soup. Hope this helps someone. Have a wonderful holiday!
Carolyn S.
When I was a young wife & mother, a bone-in ham was my favorite thing. I could get many meals from it. We didn't have slow cookers back then. Now I do, so I slow cook the bone in 8 cups of water to make ham stock, strain it and let it sit in the 'fridge overnight so the fat will rise and I can skim it off. Then I proceed to make Congressional Bean Soup.
Claudia Matusiak
I don't think your grammar check fixed the problem, should be "Old "Wives Tales."
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Thanks for the proofread. I think this one is on my mother who always said wise not wives.
Stay Safe.
Dan
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Welcome to the blog.
We love leftover ham. The picture at the top was our "for two" 8 pound ham. We do freeze some but mostly it is what you discussed. I have to do one every 2-3 months.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
bill berdan
I used leftover into turkey burgers
Kevin
Great post, although "..old wise tail.." got me thinking about my yellow Labrador. 🤣
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the blog.
So much for the grammar checker... Fixed and thanks for the proof-read.
Dan