Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (2024)

Did you make a delicious ham dinner and now you have a whole lotta leftover ham you're not quite sure how to use? Try one of these leftover ham recipes to use up all that extra ham instead of throwing it out!

Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (1)

Mmm… We're still dreaming of our delicious holiday lunch with yummy ham. However, if you're anything like us, you get tired of eating plain ol' leftover hamevery night. And if you're anything like us you absolutely HATE wasting. Anything. Ever.

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Lucky for you we got a little creative! Now you can repurpose your leftover ham to make sure you don't waste a single piece with these yummy recipe ideas! No more wondering what to do with leftover ham! But first, let's talk about how to store what you've got left…

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER HAM

Make sure to wrap your ham tightly and refrigerate quickly! You don't want to let it sit out for too long. If you're not going to use your ham within 4-6 days of cooking, wrap and freeze the ham!

You can easily divide ham into dinner-sized portions, add it to a freezer bag, and freeze it until you're ready to use it. Just thaw it in the fridge the night before you need it, and your ham will be ready to go into one of these leftover recipes in a jiffy!

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER HAM FOR BREAKFAST

Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (2)

In case you didn't know already, ham is the perfect protein to add to your favorite breakfast dishes. Here are a few recipes you might want to try!

  • Egg Muffin Cups – Our delicious egg muffin cup recipe is so quick, easy, and versatile! You can easily sub in diced ham and they'll taste crazy good. These muffin cups are also a great make-ahead freezer breakfast idea!
  • Ham, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pizza – Here's an easy recipe from Delish if you have pizza dough on hand. If not, whip up a quick batch of pizza dough to pull this together. This would be the perfect breakfast for dinner!
  • Ham and Eggs – Heat ham up and serve it with your favorite cooked eggs. The ham helps soak up egg yolk if you eat them fried. Or you can dice up your ham and throw it into your scrambled eggs while they cook!
  • Breakfast Burrito – Take our simple breakfast burrito recipe and add some diced ham! It's so dang good and the whole family will love it.
  • Mini Quiche – We love this easy 10-minute mini quiche recipe from our sister site, Fun Cheap or Free! You can easily throw some ham in it and have a quick and easy breakfast in no time.
  • Ham and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles– Grab your waffle iron and make this easy and crazy delicious recipe from Damn Delicious! It makes for the perfect grab-and-go breakfast and the kids will go crazy over it!
  • Ham and Cheese Quesadilla – Take our easy quesadilla recipe and make it for breakfast! Whip up some scrambled eggs and ham, throw them in a tortilla with cheese, and heat them up on the griddle. Quesadillas are awesome to prep, so make a bunch and freeze them for delicious make-ahead breakfasts!

Those all sound crazy good, right? We're just getting started on our favorite leftover ham recipes!

SNACKS, APPETIZERS, AND LUNCH IDEAS

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Want some groundbreaking leftover ham recipe ideas? These show-stoppers deliver! We're even sharing one of our absolute favorite party staples of all time…

  • Ham and Cheese Sliders – Why not add the best sandwich in the world from Lil' Luna to your menu this week? These sandwiches have the absolute best glaze, so you'll immediately understand why these are a popular choice around here!
  • Ham and Pineapple Kabobs – These kabobs from Paleo Leap are genius and could be pulled off in so many different ways. Just be sure to soak the sticks first, drizzle the kabobs with teriyaki sauce (or brush with brown sugar), and grill until caramelized and heated through.
  • Ham Cobb Salad– This is for all you salad people! Make your own Cobb using what you've got at home. We suggest any combo of lettuce, ham cubes, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, and your favorite dressing. Super yum!
  • Ham and Cheese Hoagies – This is one of our favorite leftover ham recipes! Grab some hoagies, slather in mayo or honey mustard, add ham and your choice of cheese (swiss is always a good choice!), and wrap in foil. Bake at 425°F for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has reached the melty, gooey perfection.
  • Monte Cristo CasseroleDelish's Monte Cristo casserole recipe is really easy to throw together and perfect to feed a crowd!
  • Ham Salad – This is crazy good! We've eaten it with crackers and on bread and it's delicious both ways. Use your food processor to chop the ham up super fine, and you'll be on your way to this delicious ham salad recipe from Tastes of Lizzy T in no time.
  • Plain Jane Ham Sandwich – Yep, that's right. Keep it simple, folks! Take your favorite bread (white, rustic, rolls, croissants, etc.) and turn it into a sandwich using what you've got. It's extra good with some mayo and lettuce or spring mix!

So tasty, so delicious! Now on to our final favorite leftover ham recipes…

LEFTOVER HAM RECIPES FOR DINNER

Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (4)

Ham is one of those proteins that just pairs with pretty much anything — rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread! It seriously goes witheverything.Check out the variety in these leftover ham recipes. We know you won't be bored using up all that ham!

YUM! How much are you loving these leftover ham recipes?

No more wondering what to do with leftover ham for you! The hardest part will be figuring out which one you want to make. And please, for Heaven's sake, don't waste a single piece of that fabulous ham! 😉

What's your favorite way to eat leftover ham? Let us know in the comments below!

Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (5)

Looking for more great leftover ideas?

  • We have a whole category over how to use leftovers that you should DEFINITELY check out!
  • Use these leftover rotisserie chicken recipes the next time you find one on sale!
  • Have leftover turkey rather than ham? Try out these quick and easy recipes to use that turkey up!

Go pig out!

Leftover Ham Recipes | 21 Delicious Ideas! - Shelf Cooking (2024)

FAQs

How long is leftover ham good for in the fridge? ›

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ham is good for three to five days in the refrigerator after it is cooked. If you need more time to use up those leftovers, ham will last up to two months in the freezer. The USDA also recommends wrapping up leftovers well.

Can you eat cooked ham after 7 days? ›

Information. Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months. Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or less and your freezer at or near 0 °F.

What to do with a precooked ham? ›

A fully cooked, ready-to-eat ham (also referred to as a "city ham") can be sliced and served cold or at room temperature—there's no need to reheat it. A spiral-cut ham is delicious this way, whether eaten by the slice, tucked into biscuits, or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

How do you add flavor to already cooked ham? ›

*Make a thick paste by mixing yellow mustard and brown sugar, and smear it over the whole ham. *Put it in the oven on 300°F for a couple of hours, in a roasting pan with some water in the pan to keep the mustard/sugar glaze from burning onto the bottom of the pan.

Can dogs eat ham? ›

Is Ham Bad for Dogs? Ham is not toxic to dogs, but it's also not a healthy treat for them. So if your pup eats a little piece that fell to the floor, they should be totally fine. But feeding ham to your dog as a regular snack can cause some long-term health issues.

Is a 2 year old frozen ham still good? ›

An uncooked, cut country ham can be refrigerated for two to three months or frozen for one month. A cooked Country Ham should be refrigerated for seven days and or frozen for one month. Freezer storage time is for quality only. Frozen hams remain safe indefinitely.

Why is my ham slimy but not expired? ›

If your ham appears dully or somewhat slimy, it's likely that the early stages of spoilage have kicked in. Unpleasant odor: The nose always knows. Fresh ham should smell salty and possibly even smoky depending on how it was flavored or cooked.

Can you eat 5 day old ham? ›

A fully-cooked, unopened, vacuum-sealed ham can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator, according to the USDA, but the clock starts ticking once you open that package. Sliced meat, like fresh cut ham or spiral-cut ham from the store, will last in the refrigerator for only three to five days.

Can you eat 10 day old ham? ›

The best way to determine how long your ham will keep in the refrigerator is to check the packaging and throw it away if it is past the expiration date. Once the packaging or wrap on your ham is open, you should consume it within five days.

Is slimy ham ok to eat? ›

A slimy or sticky texture Ham should have a soft and moist texture, but it won't leave any wet or greasy residue behind on your skin. Slimy ham is a sign of bacterial growth, so don't consume it if it's wet or oily. Some bacteria may cause ham to become sticky, too.

Can I eat 2 week old ham? ›

Most ham will last about five days in the fridge

The outlet notes that cured and fully cooked spiral hams that have been opened and cooked at home will stay fresh in the refrigerator for three to five days afterward, while country ham lasts up to a full week.

How do you jazz up a precooked ham? ›

Add 1/2-3/4 of a cup of wine or stock to the pan (you don't want the ham swimming in liquid) and throw some aromatics in there—a few whole cloves, some star anise, and cinnamon sticks are all good options. Cover the ham with foil and place in a 250-degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 100℉.

What to do with a precooked spiral ham? ›

Oven-Baked Spiral Ham

Since the ham is already cooked, your goal is to thoroughly heat it without drying it out. That means you'll want to opt for low and slow cooking rather than high and fast heat. That said, there isn't one perfect temperature to set your oven at – anywhere in the range of 250ºF to 350ºF will work.

How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out? ›

Reheating ham via skillet is an easy way to get a few slices nice and hot in a flash. To reheat ham slices on the stove, add a few slices at a time to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add up to ½ cup of chicken broth to keep the meat moist or opt for a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil to give the ham a nice sear.

What compliments a ham dinner? ›

  • Steamed Carrots With Hot Honey Butter. Joel Goldberg. ...
  • Potato Gratin Bundles. PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI ; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON. ...
  • Southern Collard Greens. PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE. ...
  • Homemade Mac & Cheese. ...
  • Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts. ...
  • Spring Cobb Salad. ...
  • Roasted Green Beans. ...
  • Garlic-Parmesan Roasted Carrots.
Feb 27, 2024

Can cooked ham be frozen? ›

You can freeze delicious ham and it'll last for weeks before you need to use it. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that fully cooked frozen ham is safe to eat for up to one to two months. If you find yourself with leftover ham, freezing it for future use is both easy and convenient.

Can leftover ham be frozen? ›

Here's the good news: You can absolutely freeze cooked ham. In fact, many hams are cured and/or smoked, which were old-school (and still beloved) ways to preserve food for later use. Ham can be stored in the freezer for up to four months, according to USDA food safety guidelines.

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