Ham & Vegetable Aspic (Savory Ham Jelly)

The dish in your photo appears to be ham and vegetable aspic (savory meat jelly) or a gelatin-set ham soup. It’s commonly made by simmering ham with vegetables, then chilling the broth until the natural gelatin (or added gelatin) sets. The white specks and rim are likely solidified fat and gelatin.

Ham & Vegetable Aspic (Savory Ham Jelly)

Ingredients

For the broth

• 2–3 lbs (900–1350 g) smoked ham hocks, ham shank, or a meaty ham bone
• 10 cups water
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)

Vegetables & Meat

• 2 cups diced cooked ham
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

For setting

• Natural gelatin from the ham broth may be enough.
• If needed, add 1–2 packets (7–14 g) unflavored gelatin.

Instructions

1. Make the broth

1. Place ham hocks or ham bone in a large pot.
2. Add water, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, and garlic.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for 2½–3 hours until the meat is tender and the broth is rich.

2. Strain and reserve

1. Remove the meat and vegetables.
2. Strain the broth through a fine sieve.
3. Allow the meat to cool and remove it from the bones.
4. Dice the ham into bite-sized pieces.

3. Cook vegetables

1. Return the strained broth to the pot.
2. Add diced potatoes, carrots, and celery.
3. Simmer 15–20 minutes until tender.

4. Check gelatin strength

1. Chill a spoonful of broth for 10–15 minutes.
2. If it firms up, no extra gelatin is necessary.
3. If not, dissolve gelatin in a little cold water and stir into the hot broth.

5. Assemble

1. Place diced ham and parsley into a loaf pan or storage container.
2. Add the cooked vegetables.
3. Pour hot broth over everything.

6. Chill

1. Cool to room temperature.
2. Refrigerate 6–12 hours or overnight until fully set.

Serving

• Slice and serve cold.
• Accompany with mustard, horseradish, rye bread, or crackers.
• Traditionally enjoyed as a luncheon dish or holiday appetizer in many European and Midwestern households.

Why It Looks Like Your Photo

• The cubes of pink meat resemble ham.
• The orange pieces appear to be carrots.
• The pale cubes are likely potatoes.
• The cloudy gel and white flecks are typical of collagen-rich ham broth that has chilled and solidified.

If this came from a specific family tradition (Polish, Czech, Slovak, German, Ukrainian, etc.), I can help identify the exact regional version and provide a more authentic recipe.