If you're watching your pennies and cook from scratch...

[Curiousmama]

then I urge you to buy a ham shank!

I got one the other day, boiled it in water (nothing else) and got loads of ham stock for my pea and ham soup, loads of ham to put in it and also loads of fat to mince and feed the birds (that's why I didn't add anything at that stage) Also the dog got some from it.

It only cost £1.49 from Morrisons butcher counter. The dried peas were very cheap so enough soup to feed at least 10 probably more was just over £2. It's on cooking now and has filled my big stockpot

My dad always used a ham shank in his broth.

[moondog]

Ham shanks are the business.I buy lots of cooked ones from the butcher and the ham is am illion times nicer than the stuff in a plastic box like a wetwipe.

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

Unfortunately I can't read the words "ham shank" without thinking of it as rhyming slang for wank (eg "having a ham shank").

I do appreciate that this is still good advice though

[Curiousmama]

dorothea that's what dp said too although he does like a ham shank

[Curiousmama]

wetwipe I know what you mean moondog.

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

Someone (bloke) that I know once conflated the terms "ham shank" and "hand shandy" in error, creating the frankly baffling "ham shandy".

[Dumbledoresgirl]

What exactly is a ham shank? Is it the thigh bone from a pig? Is it just a bone with scraps of meat on or is there real meat there too?

[moondog]

Oh, there's plenty of meat on it alright.

[Curiousmama]

There's lots of meat on it but I would say by the time you get it off it's bits, good for soup and sandwiches ect... but not to sever the vicar on a platter

[moondog]

Et voila!

[Curiousmama]

that was serve ...obviously I don't sever the vicar..

[moondog]

Et........voila!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Oh fgs. I know the schools are shut but do we have to bring the playground into what was going to be an instructive thread.

I thought better of you moondog.

[Curiousmama]

Yes nothing like a big meaty ham shank

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

lol at severing the vicar on a platter

[Curiousmama]

4 ham shanks!!!

[LilRedWG]

Curiousmama - you've just made me laugh out loud with your severing the vicar comment. Thank you - it's the first time I've laughed in days.

[Dumbledoresgirl]

Ah that was what I was thinking of.

Actually the sight of it turns my stomach. A few years back, I found myself in the Alsace region of France in what looked like a biker's bar ordering lunch and precisely what you have linked to moondog was served to each person, by which I mean an entire shank for each person, and that was after a massive (and totally satisfying) starter salad. Needlesstosay, hardly any of it got eaten. I am not surprised it feeds 12 plus the vicar and the entire neighbourhood of birds.

[moondog]

You wuss.
I could polish off a hamshank alone in minutes!

[Dumbledoresgirl]

(Not after the huge salad I had already eaten)

[Dumbledoresgirl]

PS it wasn't just lettuce leaves etc. I can't remember the full details but it included some carbs too and I remember feeling full before I set eyes on the ham.

I can't remember the last time I felt so nauseated at the sight of food, if you don't count the plate of mussels about 20 years ago which just the smell of made me leave the restaurant

Anyway, sorry, am rambling. Thanks for the tip curiousmama. I am sure someone will find it useful (not your vicar though perhaps).

[Curiousmama]

Awww LilRedWG glad I could make you laugh but sad it's not been for days.

Dumbledoresgirl what an odd thing to serve? Were there any French in your group or were you all English? ...just wondering

[Dumbledoresgirl]

LOL curiousmama, we were English. We picked this meal as it was down as the house speciality. I can imagine a load of Meatloaf lookalikes riding in on their bikes of a weekend and downing a couple of shanks apiece!

[Curiousmama]

House speciality! Yes can just imagine the bikers inhaling them.

I tried my pea and ham soup and it's delicious. Making leek and potato now, there's still stock left from the shank so will use that too. Broth mix soaking for tomorrow. It's like a soup kitchen 'ere

[Dumbledoresgirl]

You put me to shame. I have just watched Delia on iplayer. Still got 2 beds to change and a load of hoovering to do before I can get into the kitchen and make marmalade. Must get on with things.....


Enjoy your soups. They sound just the thing.

[Curiousmama]

I'm trying to lose weight and soup helps plus it's so easy to make and everyone eats it..and it freezes well.
My house isn't very tidy but I don't care really. I've never made marmalade but MIL used to and it was lovely.

I love delia, dp is obsessed with her. I said if he ever met her there'd be a puddle on the floor he'd be so excited