The most typical way to repurpose a ham bone is to use it to flavor soups. That’s a solid choice, but if you want to think beyond the soup bowl, there are other options.

To enhance veggies' smoky, salty flavor, consider incorporating ham bones into greens like collards, fresh Swiss chard, or mustard greens.

Two other Southern favorites are pinto beans, red beans, and rice, sometimes made with ham hock. For these, you can also substitute a ham bone.

Black-eyed peas are another legume that can be jazzed up by cooking them with a ham bone. Another popular use of ham bones is to make a stock, just like you might with chicken.