Ham & Dumplings: Homemade Comfort Food

Ham & Dumplings starts with ham hocks or a ham bone simmered in water with onion, ham bouillon, and black pepper. While the stock cooks, there is time to make, cut, and rest the dumplings before they go into the pot.

Watch How to Make It

This version from Cookinwithbabe also gives you the option to thicken the broth with cornstarch and milk. The ham is removed from the hocks or bone, cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces, then returned to the pot with the dumplings.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

The stock begins with ham hocks or a ham bone, yellow onion, ham bouillon, water, and black pepper. After an hour of simmering, the stock is set aside briefly before being brought back to a boil for the dumplings.

The dumplings are made from all-purpose flour, salt, milk, and either bacon grease or softened butter. They are kneaded until smooth, rolled to the thickness you want, cut into approximately 2-inch squares, and rested for one hour before cooking.

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Ingredients You'll Need

For the stock, gather 3 ham hocks or 1 ham bone, 10 cups of water, a quartered yellow onion, ham bouillon, and black pepper. The ham hocks or bone provide the meat that will be removed later, cut or shredded, and added back to the pot.

The dumpling dough uses all-purpose flour, salt, milk, and bacon grease or softened butter. Keep extra flour nearby for kneading the dough after it is turned out onto a lightly floured clean work surface.

Cornstarch and milk are optional for anyone who prefers a thicker broth. Additional bouillon, salt, and black pepper can be used after tasting the finished broth.

How To Make It

Start the stock first so it can simmer while the dumpling dough is prepared. The dumplings need their full resting period before they are added to the boiling stock.

In a large pot, add the water, ham hocks or ham bone, quartered onion, ham bouillon, and black pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the stock for 1 hour.

While the stock simmers, combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the bacon grease or softened butter, then work it into the flour with your hands, a fork, or a pastry blender until the ingredients become crumbly.

Stir in the milk until a dough forms. Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto it, and knead until smooth before rolling it to your desired thickness.

Cut the dough into approximately 2-inch squares and let the dumplings rest for 1 hour. Once they have rested, remove the stock from the heat and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the ham hocks or ham bone and the onion, if desired. Bring the stock back to a boil, then carefully drop in the dumplings, stirring gently as they are added so they do not stick together.

Boil the dumplings for about 5 minutes. While they cook, remove the meat from the ham hocks or ham bone and cut or shred it into bite-sized pieces.

Add the ham to the pot. For a thicker broth, stir the cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk together in a measuring cup until smooth, then slowly pour it into the stock while stirring and continue cooking until the broth thickens.

Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed with additional bouillon, salt, or black pepper. Let the dumplings cool slightly before serving.

Serving & Variations

Serve the ham and dumplings after the dumplings have cooled slightly. The recipe includes two broth options – leave it as is after the ham is returned to the pot, or use the cornstarch and milk step for a thicker broth.

Pro tip: Mix the cornstarch and milk until smooth before slowly stirring it into the stock. That optional step is added while the dumplings are cooking, followed by continued cooking until the broth thickens.

Wrapping Up

This Ham & Dumplings recipe follows the full stock simmer, dumpling rest, boiling, and final seasoning process in order. Choose ham hocks or a ham bone, then finish with the optional thickened broth if preferred. Recipe created by Cookinwithbabe for Trust Me Try It.

Ham & Dumplings: Homemade Comfort Food

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 ham hocks or 1 ham bone
• 10 cup water
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 2 tsps. ham bullion
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsps. cornstarch
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup bacon grease or softened butter
• 1 tsp salt
• Flour for kneading the dough

Instructions

• In a large pot, add the water, ham hocks or ham bone, onion, bouillon, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
• While the stock is simmering, prepare the dumplings.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
• Add the bacon grease or butter, working it into the flour with your hands, a fork, or a pastry blender until the mixture becomes crumbly.
• Stir in the milk until a dough forms.
• Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
• Knead until the dough is smooth, then roll it out to your desired thickness.
• Cut the dough into approximately 2-inch squares.
• Allow the dumplings to rest for 1 hour.
• After the dumplings have rested, remove the stock from the heat and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the ham hocks or ham bone and onion, if desired.
• Bring the stock back to a boil.
• Carefully drop the dumplings into the boiling stock, stirring gently as you add them to keep them from sticking together.
• Boil for about 5 minutes.
• While the dumplings are cooking, remove any meat from the ham hocks or ham bone and cut or shred it into bite-sized pieces.
• Add the ham to the pot.
• If you prefer a thicker broth, combine the cornstarch and milk in a measuring cup, stirring until smooth.
• Slowly pour the mixture into the stock while stirring.
• Continue cooking until the broth thickens.
• Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding additional bouillon, salt, or pepper to taste.
• Allow the dumplings to cool slightly before serving.