Ingredient Name:  Ham Bone
 
Traditional Chinese Name:  豬骨 (zhū gǔ)
 
What is this?
  • This is the left-over bones from a cooked ham.    The bones from cooked turkeys and hams (leftovers from Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and other holidays) make great soup bases which are full of flavour. 
  • It is best to leave a little ham meat on the bones for extra flavour and texture.

How do I prepare it?

  • Eat the meat.
  • If the bone is too large for your soup pot, you may need to ask a butcher to cut it down to two or three smaller pieces.   Otherwise, no additional preparation needed.
  • Ham bone also freezes well (wrapped in saran wrap) and can store for months in the back of your freezer before being used in a soup.

Where can I buy this?

  • Wherever you bought your ham.

What is the cost?

  • Free!  This is a great way to use the leftover ham bone from a meal.

Any benefits?

  • Pork contains many nutrients (including 6 essential vitamins)
  • It is a good source of iron, zinc, Vitamin B6 and protein
  • It is said to be a healthier red meat substitute over beef

Any precautions?

  • If there is a lot of meat left on the bones, be sure to taste your soup before salting because the meat can be very salty.