HoneyBaked Hambone Soup

We got a coupon in the mail for a Honeybaked Ham.  This is my favorite ham of all time.  You can debate country ham and regular ham, but you will never have a more tender or wonderful ham than a Honeybaked Ham.  There.  That is my unpaid advertisement.

On the other hand, there is a good possibility you will never buy a more expensive ham.  So I wait for a coupon.  And I freeze it in batches so it stays fresh.  Always get the ham with the bone in.  The other is not nearly as tender.  And you can cut all the slices off the bone to save and then use the bone for soup.  I like to make split pea soup with the bone,
http://shenandoahgatewayfarm.blogspot.com/2010/12/split-pea-soup.html  but this time I bought the soup mix they sell and made that.  It says it has 16 beans, but Lee says he only counted 15 in his bowl.  Please do not be amused.  It only encourages him.

 

Honeybaked Hambone Soup

1 HoneyBaked Ham bone
12 cups cold water
1 package HoneyBaked Ham Bone Soup Mix
1 28 oz. Can Whole Tomatoes
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Place the hambone on a large stock pot.  Add 12 cups cold water and bring to a boil. 

 

If 12 cups don't fit, and it didn't in my pot, reserve it for when you remove the ham.

 

Add the beans from the box and the seasoning packet.  Return to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 hours.

Remove the ham bone and allow it to cool.  Add the reserved water at this time, if you were unable to fit it all in earlier.

 

Place the tomatoes, diced veggies, garlic and s&p in the pot and continue to cook for another hour, or until the beans are tender.  You may want to break up the tomatoes as they cook.

 

When the ham is cool enough, trim the meat off the bones ,remove the fat and dice it up.  Give the bones to your dog.  He will love you!  Do not expect to see them ever again.  He ate them in about 20 minutes.  Is this good for a dog?  I don't know, but he loves them.

Return the trimmed ham to the pot.

Serve with some of the bread from the deli with whole roasted garlic baked right in.  Yum.

 

This is a delicious soup, but it made a boatload.  We had one meal, then invited a friend over for another meal.  We sent a few bowls home with her and we will still be eating this for another dinner or two!  Make it when you are expecting company.  A lot of company.