13 Delicious Ways to Use Up Leftover Ham Skin

Mmm, ham It’s a staple during the holidays and always so delicious But once you carve away those juicy slices of meat, you’re often left staring at the giant ham skin that’s still clinging to the bone. If you’re like me, you probably aren’t sure what to do with it besides toss it in the trash. Well, don’t throw it out just yet! That ham skin is actually very versatile and can be used in all sorts of tasty recipes.

I’ve dug up 13 clever ways to transform that leftover ham skin into something really yummy. Keep reading to get some inspiration on how to reduce food waste and get the most out of your holiday ham. With a little creativity, that skin can become crunchy cracklings, flavorful collard greens, hearty ham-bone soup, and more.

1. Make Crunchy Chicharrones (Pork Cracklings)

If you love pork rinds, then you’ll flip for homemade chicharrones. They’re super easy to make with leftover ham skin. Just dice up the skin into small 1-inch pieces. Remove any fat or meat chunks still attached. Then bake the pieces at 400°F for 30-60 minutes until browned and crispy. Season with salt pepper, chili powder – whatever flavors you like. The rendering fat bastes the skin, creating irresistibly crunchy cracklings. Enjoy these crispy bits as a snack, use them as a taco topping, or sprinkle them on salads for a savory crunch.

2. Flavor Beans or Collard Greens

Don’t let that ham skin go to waste – use it to add smoky, salty, porky flavor to beans or cooked greens. Simply simmer the ham skin in a pot with beans or chopped collard greens. The skin infuses tons of flavor as it cooks. Remove the skin before serving. This is such an easy way to get tender beans or greens with a hit of ham.

3. Make Your Own Lard

Love cooking with lard? Then make your own from leftover ham skin. Chop the skin into small pieces and render in a skillet over low heat until melted. Strain out any remaining solids. Let the liquid fat cool completely – the fat will turn white and become thick lard as it solidifies. Store the lard in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months. Use it for pie crusts, cornbread, biscuits, or anywhere else you want rich, savory flavor.

4. Flavor Soup Broth or Beans

Toss cubes of leftover ham skin into a soup pot to add rich, meaty flavor to the broth. Ham skins contain plenty of collagen and fat that infuse the liquid as it simmers. Try adding skins to bean soup, ham and bean soup, split pea soup, or other brothy soups. You can also simmer skins in the liquid when cooking beans from scratch. Just fish out the skins before serving the soup or beans.

5. Make Ham-Bone Soup

Don’t toss out the ham bone after carving! Use it along with any remaining ham skin to simmer up a pot of hearty ham-bone soup. Cover the bone and skin with water, add veggies like onions, carrots, and celery, and simmer for an hour or two. Remove the skin and bone before serving. This captures all the hammy flavor and collagen, creating a brothy soup that tastes like it simmered all day. Serve with crusty bread!

6. Bake Homemade Ham Chips

If you love pork cracklings, then you’ll also love these oven-baked ham chips! Simply slice the skin into long, thin strips, around 1/8-inch thick. Arrange in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes until super crispy. Season with salt and spices if desired. Let cool completely before serving. These crunchy, salty ham chips make a fun snack or soup topper.

7. Make Southern-Style “Red Beans and Rice”

In the South, ham skin is often cooked with red beans to add flavor. Dice up some ham skin and simmer it in a pot with soaked red beans, onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and spices like thyme and bay leaves. Once the beans are tender, remove the skin and serve the beans over white rice. The ham skin gives so much smoky, savory flavor to this classic dish.

8. Use as a Flavor Boost for Greens

Whether making braised collards, sautéed kale, or any other cooked greens, toss in a few pieces of chopped ham skin while cooking. The ham skin infuses the greens with a hit of smoky pork flavor. Just remove the skin pieces before serving up your greens. This adds a savory, salty twist to healthy greens.

9. Make “Ham Jam”

Chop or shred the ham skin and cook it in a skillet over medium heat until crispy and browned. Remove any rendered fat. Then stir in apple butter, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and spices like black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook until thickened. Cool and serve like jam or relish with biscuits, toast, or crackers. The sweet-savory combo is so delicious!

10. Add Flavor to Baked Beans

Toss cubes of leftover ham skin right into your favorite baked bean recipe. As the beans bake, the ham skin slowly renders and adds smoky, salty, porky flavor to the sauce. Just remove the skin chunks before serving. This adds a subtle meaty flavor that takes basic baked beans to the next level.

11. Make Southern-Inspired “Ham Hocks”

Technically, ham hocks come from a pig’s ankles, but you can give leftover ham skin a similar smoky flavor. Simply simmer the skin in water with onions, garlic, peppers, bay leaves, and vinegar for 1-2 hours. Shred the tender skin and serve like ham hocks with beans, greens, or in soup. This mimics the same smoky flavor using the leftover skin you already have.

12. Flavor Your Next Batch of Beans

Next time you cook up a pot of beans, toss in a few pieces of leftover ham skin. As the beans simmer, the ham skin slowly adds deep flavor to the surrounding broth. Remove the skin chunks before serving the beans. The rendered ham skin makes beans taste like they’ve been simmering for hours!

13. Make Southern-Style “Collard Likker”

In the American South, pot likker is the flavorful broth left from cooking greens. To make a smoky collard likker, simmer chopped collards and ham skin for an hour or two. Remove the greens and skin chunks, leaving behind the potent pot likker. Drizzle this over torn biscuits or cornbread. The savory pork-infused broth takes any meal up a notch.

So there you have it – 13 savory ways to transform leftover ham skin into something delicious. Whether snacking on cracklings, flavoring soup broth, or simmering beans, that skin can add a smoky, salty boost of flavor. Don’t let it go to waste this holiday season. With a little creativity, you can get the most out of your ham.