How To Make Ham Stock In A Slow Cooker

How to make ham stock in the slow cooker

If you're making a ham for the holidays (or anytime), don't throw away that bone before make a batch of ham stock. You could do it in a pot on the stove top, but if you have a slow cooker or crockpot, why not let it do all the work for you—set it and forget it!

Add the bone (I like leaving a little bit of meat attached) to the slow cooker insert along with a few veggies and herbs, plus water...then cover and leave it for at least 18 hours, but up to 24. Then you simply strain it and it's ready to use in soups, stews, and other comforting dishes to sustain you through the cold months.

You can also store the cooled stock and freeze it for using later. If you're lucky, you'll get a nice, jellied stock like you see in the photos—full of collagen and health benefits of the gelatin pulled from the marrow and cartilage of your ham bone!

Use the ham bone left over from making these ham recipes for making stock:

Coca-Cola Ham
Slow Cooker Christmas Ham
Ham with Apple Cherry Maple Glaze

Use the finished ham stock to make these soup recipes:

Lentil Soup with Chorizo
(Almost) Nigella's Black Bean Soup
Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup
Creamy Ham and Greens Noodle Soup (variation: Creamy Noodles with Ham and Greens)

Or try these soup recipes that are made using ham bones:

Crockpot Black Bean Soup
15-Bean Soup with Smoked Pork and Greens
Smoky Yellow Eye Bean Soup

yield: 3-4 quarts print recipe

Slow Cooker Ham Stock

How to make easy homemade ham stock in the slow cooker using a ham bone.

prep time: 5 MINS cook time: 24 hour total time: 24 hours and 5 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1 large ham bone - left over from a roasted or boiled ham
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 large celery stalk, cut into large pieces
2 medium carrots, cut into large pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
several parsley stems
1 bushy thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place all of the ingredients in the crock of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker. Fill to the rim with cold water. Cover and cook on LOW for 18-24 hours.
Line a wire-mesh strainer with a coffee filter and ladle the stock into the lined strainer. Allow to cool completely. Transfer to jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or into freezer-safe baggies and freeze for up to 3 months.