# Uses for leftover ham **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [April 2, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760 "2024-04-02T22:44:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/21 "2024-04-03T15:14:43Z")
Explain this “leftover ham,” please. Mom always called it **Navy pea bean soup** , I’m not sure what the beans are really called. You ever see a family of six try to gut each other with spoons fighting over soup? Mom’s other specialty was baked mac & cheese casserole with ham; butter-soaked croutons on top… croutons, mmmmmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/22 "2024-04-03T15:25:00Z")
I make this, in my little food chopper. Not too fine so that it’s a paste! I sometimes add a bit of onion and either dill or sweet pickles. Mix with mayonnaise and maybe a little hot mustard, it’s so good in a sandwich or as a dip for crackers. A sandwich or a wrap with a schmear of pimento cheese - even better! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/23 "2024-04-03T15:39:15Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Mom always called it **Navy pea bean soup** , I’m not sure what the beans are really called. Typically white beans like Navy Beans (Boston Beans, Small White Beans) or Great Northern White Beans which are usually a little larger. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/24 "2024-04-03T15:42:07Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I’m going to say fried rice too! I’ll fourth the fried rice recommendation, especially if it’s not A LOT of ham remaining. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/25 "2024-04-03T16:23:18Z")
Yes, please! Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/26 "2024-04-03T16:40:11Z")
I cube the ham and mix it in mac n’ cheese. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/27 "2024-04-03T16:42:26Z")
One time, my folks found a huge ham bone with some attached meat in the very back of the freezer. It had been there at least two years. They made a huge pot of bean soup, the proviso being we should be able to tell if the ham had gone bad by the smell of the soup. If the soup was rank, we were heading out to the pizza parlor. Absolutely fantastic soup! ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2024, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/28 "2024-04-03T16:52:09Z")
I don’t have a specific recipe to recommend, but ham, broccoli and cheese are delicious together. Found these: > **[Dinner Made Easy: Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Casserole](https://www.thespruceeats.com/ham-and-broccoli-casserole-3057437)** > > Delight your taste buds with this easy ham and broccoli casserole made with a cheddar cheese sauce and a crunchy panko top. > **[Ham Casserole with Broccoli and Rice](https://thecozycook.com/ham-casserole/)** > > This Ham Casserole is loaded with creamy rice and perfectly cooked broccoli. It's an easy make-ahead dinner. Prepare it 2 days ahead or as a one pot meal! ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/29 "2024-04-04T02:42:18Z")
the size of “chunks” ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/30 "2024-04-04T02:57:22Z")
So, I made ham salad for lunch today. I have to say, I’m not really a fan. I mean, I still ate it because it was palatable enough and I didn’t want it to go to waste, but it was a bit on the sweet side for my taste. Admittedly that may have been at least partly my fault, as I just dumped in some sweet pickle relish when I was making it, and may have overdone it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/31 "2024-04-04T03:02:30Z")
Take a good non-stick frying pan. Lightly brown some ham. Put aside. Add like a cube or 2 of butter (depends on the size of the bread), when melted place sourdough bread down, with the fried ham on one slice and good cheddar cheese on the other. Cover, but check often- when the cheese shows signs of melting, carefully put the cheese half over the ham half. Cover, turn off heat. Wait for a few minute for cheese to melt. Serve. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/32 "2024-04-04T11:27:58Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > So, I made ham salad for lunch today. [Is that really a salad?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tuna-ham-egg-chicken-salad-a-salad/999807) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/33 "2024-04-04T16:17:34Z")
If it’s sweet, yes you done overdone the sweet pickle relish. We did a more Eastern European ham salad growing up which has mayo, eggs, sometimes peas, ham, onion, salt, pepper. No relish or pickle of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/34 "2024-04-04T18:37:13Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Is that really a salad? Well, I did add celery and onion, and the aforementioned relish. Although I would say a salad is anything made of cold ingredients and a dressing, so it would count either way. But that probably belongs in the other thread. > [@pulykamell](#): > > No relish or pickle of any sort. Yeah, I was loosely following a recipe I found online, which used bread and butter pickles. I didn’t have those, so I figured my options were to substitute the relish, dill pickle, or leave out the pickle altogether. In hindsight I should have gone with one of the other options. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/35 "2024-04-04T18:45:40Z")
My two go-to uses for leftover ham: 1 - if you also have leftover chicken or turkey: ham & chicken/turkey crepes 2 - chicken cordon bleu (chicken breast stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese), although I also make what Sizzler used to call “Malibu chicken”, where the cheese and ham are baked on top of the chicken. Be warned; it does tend to melt the cheese into the chicken rather than leaving it on top, so if you do try this, I suggest waiting until just before the chicken is finished to add the cheese and ham. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/36 "2024-04-04T20:17:46Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Although I would say a salad is anything made of cold ingredients and a dressing, so it would count either way. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760/37 "2024-04-04T22:50:33Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > chicken cordon bleu Thank you for that suggestion, and I think we have a winner. In my college days I used to buy frozen chicken cordon bleu that you just heated up in the oven, but I’ve never tried to make it myself before. I think I will try this weekend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uses-for-leftover-ham/999760.md?page=1)