Hambone Barley Stew - Crockpot

[heinleinfan]

Next time you get yourself a big spiral ham, save the hambone. It can store well-wrapped in a freezer for a few weeks. Then pull it out for a *super* simple stew some day when you just want to run a crockpot instead of "cooking".

1 hambone, leave a lot of extra meat on it
1 medium onion
1 cup uncooked pearled barley
4-5 fresh sage leaves (or 2 tsp dried sage)
salt/pepper to taste

Chop the onion into large pieces. Place the hambone into the crockpot and cover with 3 inches of water over top of it. Add in the onion, salt/pepper and sage and cook for 2 hours on high. (If the hambone is frozen; if you thaw it out first, then only cook on high for an hour.) Turn the crockpot to low, add in the barley and cook for 3-4 hours on low. About an hour before serving, go in with some tongs or a couple of forks and pull the ham meat off the bone.

[blueblood]

mmmm.....pork stock is good for soup base...