SC - bone soup

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Karen O wrote:
> 
>         Grettings fellow Cooks!
> 
>         Here is a question:  I am planning next camp's kitchen menu,  and my
> butcher shop has its own smoked ham.  I usually get a boneless, coz there is
> only the two of us at home,  and I still make a nice soup with the  "ham
> scraps".  Besides being cheaper per pound,  I am wondering if the  Bone adds
> more to the flavor of the broth.

Yes, the bone adds flavor and gelatin to the broth, as does any skin
that may be on the beastie. I'm guessing the bone, etc., comprises maybe
30% of the total weight of the whole ham. So, you can do the math
something like this example: if a boneless ham is, say, $.99/lb, weighs
seven pounds, and costs $6.93, while a ham on the bone costs $.79/lb,
weighs 10 1/2 pounds, and costs $8.30. The total cost of the _meat_ on
that larger ham on the bone is still $8.30, but for around seven pounds
of meat, which means, for practical purposes, that the ham really costs
$1.19/lb. You then need to decide if the bone is worth it to you. It
does make a great stock for things like pea soup, etc., but I don't know
if I'd eat much of the marrow from a ham bone, it can be pretty
overpowering compared to, say, beef or veal marrow. 

> I would use the ham meat for a meal
> (maybe two if I have enough for sandwiches) and then the scraps for a soup.
> I remember growing up my Mom loved to eat the marrow from a beef bone after
> she cooked it all day.

All logic aside, I usually look in my freezer and see if I have room for
such an addition. In a perfect world I'd make stock twice a week and
save all the bones that come into the kitchen, but in the real world I
end up throwing most of them away, unfortunately. 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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