Sometimes I find buying big huge pieces of meat in the grocery store a bit daunting, especially when there is only Hubby and I to eat it all.

But you can get some wonderful deals on whole tenderloin, ham, chicken, and etc from time to time.  Right now bone in cooked hams are on sale in many places.  So here are some ideas on how to use a whole ham in a relatively healthy and tasty way:

First- cut your ham into manageable sections, leaving the ham hock with a bit of meat, not large sections because you want to be able to thaw and use a piece completely.

First night: Ham, butternut squash and green bean saute.  This is a quick fix because well after breaking down a ham you don’t want to linger hours over a soup, but want something filling.  Either start cooking your rice out ahead of time or cheat and use instant rice.  I suggest brown or wild rice.  Set your over to 350 degrees.  Cut half a peeled medium butternut squash into about 1/2″ cubes,roughly slice/chop a shallot put them in a roasting pan with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon parsley and salt, pepper and mix pieces to coat. Roast about 20 minutes.  While that is roasting cube about 1 1/2 cups of ham into 1″ cubes (Cut about 1 cup extra for future use).  Then snap and cut about 1/2 cup of green beans into 1″ segments.  Remove the roasting pan and add the ham and green beans and stir the mixture.  Roast about 10 more minutes.  Remove and add your rice (however cooked) right to the roasting pot, add about 1 tablespoon of butter and mix gently.  Then serve.

Then slice some ham for sandwiches.  Refridgerate your ham hock and sandwich meat.  Wrap the remaining meat in butcher paper and freeze for a time that you won’t be sick of… ham.

Next day: Ham and swiss panini with mustard, mayo and bread and butter pickles, a faux cuban if you will.  If you don’t have a panini maker at work you could use a toaster oven to melt your cheese for the desired goodness.

Next evening: Ham Hock White Bean Cabbage Soup, well it’s more like a stew really.  Put the ham hock in a large stock pot with about 3 pints of water, bring to a boil then down to a simmer for an hour.  Use that time to dice 3 potatoes, 3 cups of cabbage, half a cooking onion and 3 cloves of garlic and drain and rinse a can of cannelli beans.  Add those to the pot with 1 large bay leaf, 2-3 tablespoons dried parsley and 1 tablespoon dried thyme and let simmer for about 20 minutes.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes and remove the ham hock let it cool and shred the meat to add back to the pot.  Add a couple dashes of Old Bay to the pot.  Then remove the bay leaf and serve.  It is excellent with a few dashes of Old Bay.

Next day or two if you are full of ham.  It is time for a ham and brie sandwich on pretzel roll.  I first discovered this sandwich at the Greenbrier and have loved it ever since.  Put some spicy grainy mustard on it to cut the richness and enjoy.

Then use your left over dice to make breakfast with a ham, cheddar and jalapeno (or spinach or mushroom with swiss) scramble.

That should do quite well for about half or more of your ham.  I suggest waiting a little while before using the rest.

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