Uses for Ham Stock

Asked by SLH. Answered on 12th May 2013

Full question

Hi Nigella Team, I love Nigella's 'Aromatic Spiced Ham' and am reluctant to waste the stock which remains once the ham has finished cooking. Could you recommend any uses/recipes for this leftover, beautiful aromatic stock? Thanks, SLH.

Our answer

The cooking liquid for ham can be a very useful ingredient, but always make sure you taste the liquid first as sometimes it can be too salty for cooking. You should refrigerate the stock as soon as possible (and within 2 hours of cooking) and use it up in 1-2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Nigella likes to use ham stock in meat sauces (pork or beef), added to bechamel sauces for extra flavour and particularly in soups.

The Aromatic Spiced Ham (from Christmas) has a liquid flavoured with coriander, anise and fennel and it would be good to use in Nigella's Cidery Pea Soup (from Kitchen) instead of the cidery ham stock listen in the ingredients. Ham stocks generally go well with pulses and the stock could be used to make a black bean soup, a lentil soup such as the Yellow Split Peas and Frankfurter Soup (from Feast) or the Chick Pea and Pasta Soup (from How To Eat). However when making soups with dried pulses do remember that salt in the cooking water can toughen the pulses so use a combination of ham stock and water or unsalted stock (from a powder or liquid concentrate).