Can You Buy Bones From HoneyBaked Ham? The Frugal Answer

HoneyBaked Ham is a well-known chain that sells spiral-sliced hams that have been glazed with a sweet honey and brown sugar mixture. They often have a lot of people in their stores around the holidays, buying hams for parties and gifts.

If you’ve ever gotten a HoneyBaked Ham, you may have noticed the bone is removed before slicing. This raises the question – what happens to those leftover ham bones? It turns out you can actually purchase them directly from HoneyBaked Ham stores for a very reasonable price.

Here’s a look at how and why you might want to buy ham bones from this iconic brand

Does HoneyBaked Ham Sell Bones?

Yes, HoneyBaked Ham stores sell their ham bones after they have spiral sliced the meat for their hams. The bones have had the majority of meat removed, but there is still some tasty remnants clinging to them.

HoneyBaked confirmed that bones can be bought, but where you live may affect your ability to do so. You’ll want to call your local store ahead to check.

Why Would You Want to Buy Ham Bones?

Here are some of the top reasons to get your hands on HoneyBaked’s ham bones if you can find them available

Make Soup Stock – Simmering bones makes a wonderfully rich and flavorful stock perfect for ham soup split pea soup bean soup, and more. Much better than store-bought!

Elevate Beans & Greens – Ham bones can impart delicious smoky, meaty flavor to dishes like beans, collard greens, mustard greens, and cabbage.

Flavor Rice & Grains – Use ham stock instead of plain water when cooking rice, quinoa, bulgur, farro or other grains for a major flavor boost.

Make ham.

Enhance Gravy – Boil bones to make ‘hammy’ stock for extra savory gravy from the pan drippings.

Dog Treats – Dogs go wild over these meaty bones. Be sure to supervise to avoid choking hazards.

Bone Broth Nutrition – Bone broth offers collagen, amino acids, and minerals from the bones. Freeze for later use.

Frugal Food Source – At just a couple bucks per pound, the bones stretch your food dollars.

How Much Do HoneyBaked Ham Bones Cost?

HoneyBaked Ham bones typically cost right around $2 per pound. However, you may find some locations offer deals like 5 pounds for $10.

Considering a whole bone-in ham can cost over $100, getting bones for soup and stock for just a few bucks a pound is an awesome frugal opportunity.

The ham bones usually weigh around 1-2 pounds each. You can request bones from honey hams or smoked hams.

How to Use HoneyBaked Ham Bones

Here are some tips for making the most out of your HoneyBaked Ham bones:

• Simmer bones in a pot of water for at least 2 hours, up to 8-12 hours for maximum flavor extraction. Add aromatics like onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and bay leaves.

• Strain the stock through a mesh sieve to remove bone fragments. Let cool completely then skim off the fat layer from the top.

• Freeze stock in batches for later use in soups, stews, beans, rice, etc. Pro tip – ice cube trays are perfect for freezing stock!

• Pick off any meat remaining on the bones after simmering and use in soups or salads.

• Toss bones after cooking to unlock more nutrients and collagen, or share with your furry friends.

• Blend cooked bones and add to smoothies for an extra protein and mineral boost. Sounds weird but it works!

Ham Bone Soup Recipes to Try

Here are just a few of the many possibilities for ham bone soups:

Ham and Bean Soup – White beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, ham bone stock, and kale or spinach.

Ham and Potato Soup – Potatoes, ham bone stock, onions, carrots, celery, cream or milk, parsley.

Split Pea Ham Soup – Split peas, ham bones or chunks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme.

Cabbage Ham Soup – Shredded cabbage, diced potatoes, ham pieces, chicken or ham stock, onions, garlic.

Ham Bone Lentil Soup – Lentils, ham bone stock, onions, celery, carrots, spinach or kale, thyme.

Smoky Ham Chowder – Potatoes, ham pieces, ham bone stock, corn, onion, celery, creamy milk.

Rice and Ham Soup – Cook rice in ham stock. Add ham chunks, peas, carrots, parsley.

Can You Buy Bones from Other Ham Brands?

HoneyBaked Ham is far from the only place you can score ham bones on the cheap for making soup stock. Here are some other places to check for ham bones:

• Local butcher shops or meat markets
• Deli counters at grocery stores
• Cafeterias, restaurants, or diners
• Direct from pork farms or producers
• Local food cooperatives or buying clubs

Around the holidays especially, it’s a smart move to ask any place that sells hams if they have bones available. You can stock up your freezer for hearty soup all winter long.

Ham Hock vs Ham Bone

Note that ham hocks are different from ham bones, though both can be used to flavor soups and beans. Hocks are cut from the lower portion