Ham economics

debtworrier

I find that the boiling/baking softens the clove enough that I can eat it anyway, and I like the spicy boost.

maryb

I cook ham joints in the pressure cooker for 8 minutes per pund then take it out, skin it and glaze it and then give it a quick blast in the oven for 30 minutes to cook the glaze. It alwys stays really moist that way. save the stock!!

I then fry and onion and some celery in the empty pressure cooker and add about 1 tbsp curry powder and a handful of country soup mix - mixed dried pulses you can get from Sainsbury's. add the saved stock, bring to pressure and cook for 20 minutes. really tasty and quick.

I have also cooked spiced beef for sandwiches made with cheap joints of beef you sometimes get on special offer from cheap butchers - you know, the sort they pretend are roasting joints but are actually silverside. It needs marinating for about a week before you cook it but it's really good for slicing thinly as it stays nice and firm and doesn't fall apart. It's gorgeous in thick sliced brown braed with mustard or gherkins

allIcouldwishfor

I got my new slicer today from Amazon as it was reduced so i couldn't resist any longer!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-SL250-100W-food-slicer/dp/B0000ZH0DA/sr=8-1/qid=1170802545/ref=pd_ka_1/203-9803969-6939103?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen

I've been cooking joints of ham instead of buying plastic ham since last August, but have been having rather thick slices. Now I can do proper skinny ham!

Debt_Free_Chick

Sorry, I've only just found this thread and don't know if this has been posted already or not .... but a great use for ham is the beautiful [strike]Spanish [/strike] Portuguese "soup" Caldo Verde. Use the ham instead of the chorizo and if you want "heat" add a little chilli powder when you sweat it with the onions.

Very tasty and incredibly filling. Think "stew" in terms of fillingness, rather than a thin soup. And you can improvise with it too.

It's great as an emergency dish ... I've even used the leaves from a cauli (which I had to fish out of the bin and rinse) :rotfl:

aurora_borealis_2

Ladies, how long will cookd ham keep in the fridge please?

npsmama

3 days, I think

kazmeister

I'll never buy prepacked ham again. I bought a ham on the bone reduced down to £7.49 from Mr T - was reluctant but OH said to get it. I sliced the meat off and there was over 3 1/2 lb of gorgeous meat. Its packaged up into small portions and is now in the freezer. Thats much better economy than the plastic stuff

~Chameleon~

npsmama wrote: »

3 days, I think

More like 7-10 days

thriftlady_2

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

More like 7-10 days

Yes, 10 days

purpleivy

If you like the gammon and ham joints, then consider the joints of collar bacon, which cost less per lb/kg. If it's just for family use I lob a couple of packs of quick soak peas in while I'm actually cooking the ham, onion too and some peppercorns and a bayleaf.

The outside of the bacon might look a little funny, but the soup is just about ready to make without much further cooking (or £ spent on gas). A great money AND time saver