Try this Ham and Potato Casserole recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 239.9496 g
- Cholesterol 7.95 mg
- Fat 13.641825 g
- Fiber 28.7260006184876 g
- Protein 30.88685 g
- Saturated Fat 4.1674425 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1644g)
- Sodium 162.7925 mg
- Sugar 211.223599381512 g
- Trans Fat 1.06042 g
- Calories 1176 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix a small amount of milk into the concentrated soup so that the consistency is thicker than a prepared soup, but not gloppy!
- Spread some of this mixture on the bottom of your casserole dish.
- Next, top with a layer of ham, then a layer of potatoes, then a layer of onions.
- Pour over all soup to cover.
- Keep layering in this fashion until all ingredients are used, making sure to end with soup mixture.
- Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until potatoes are done.
- Serve with a salad and a nice glass of wine.
- Enjoy.
The Logic of Layered Bakes
Thinly slicing tubers allows starches to leach out and bind with surrounding dairy proteins during baking, creating a cohesive matrix rather than a collection of floating pieces. When preparing starchy varieties like Russets or Yukon Golds, remember that raw slices require adequate moisture transfer to soften completely within the specified one-hour window at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Stacking dense layers tightly ensures that steam circulates evenly through the gaps, preventing dry spots while the exterior edges brown.
Transforming Leftovers
Casseroles originated not merely as convenience meals, but as sophisticated preservation systems designed to repurpose roasted meats and dairy remnants before spoilage occurred. Incorporating cured proteins like honey ham introduces concentrated salt and sugars that actively season the surrounding unseasoned starches during the thermal process. This specific type of meat brings a distinct chemical composition that reacts differently to sustained heat than fresh cuts, releasing rendered fats that enrich the neighboring potato layers.
Fresh Versus Preserved Elements
Utilizing canned soup provides a pre-emulsified base of fats and starches that stabilizes the sauce against breaking under prolonged heat exposure, whereas scratch-made cream sauces demand precise flour-to-butter ratios to prevent separation. While fresh onions release high volumes of water as cell walls rupture, thinly slicing them into rings ensures rapid moisture evaporation rather than pooling at the bottom of the vessel. Balancing these moisture levels dictates whether the final dish achieves a fork-tender consistency or remains watery after resting.
