I’m trying to use up the last of the holiday ham in a soup, but the broth is so salty it’s actually painful to eat — how do I neutralize this?

The holiday season often leaves us with an abundance of leftovers, and one of the most common is ham. While leftover ham can be a versatile ingredient, turning it into a delicious soup, stew, or casserole, sometimes the inherent saltiness of the cured meat can become overwhelming. This is especially true when trying to create a broth-based dish, where the saltiness can become concentrated and make the dish less enjoyable.

When faced with an overly salty ham soup, it’s tempting to give up and discard the dish. However, there are several strategies you can employ to rescue your culinary creation. In this article, we’ll explore various methods to neutralize the excessive saltiness and make your soup not only edible but delicious.

Holiday hams are typically cured with a significant amount of salt, which acts as a preservative and flavor enhancer. This curing process can infuse the meat with a high level of sodium, which, when added to a soup, can lead to an intensely salty broth. A single serving of ham can contain up to 1,200 milligrams of sodium, which is about half of the recommended daily intake.

When you boil ham in water to make soup, the salt dissolved in the meat leeches into the broth. If you then reduce the broth by simmering it, the concentration of salt increases even further. This can turn a potentially delicious soup into something that’s too salty to enjoy.

Before attempting any fixes, it’s crucial to taste your soup to determine the severity of the saltiness. If the saltiness is mild, a few simple adjustments might suffice. However, if the salt is overwhelming, more drastic measures may be needed.

Take a small spoonful and let it cool slightly before tasting, as hot liquids can intensify the perception of salt. If your soup is just on the brink of being too salty, it might be easily salvaged. However, if the saltiness is overwhelming, you may need to consider starting over with a new broth base.