Not Your Grandmother's Ham Loaf by Barbara

Ham Loaf

I was on mission to find the origin of ham loaf, and the best way to make it, back in the late 2000's.  It isn't a well-known dish, much to the surprise of my relatives.  

The reason this is not your grandmother's ham loaf is 1) the boutique butcher ingredients when hers would have used inexpensive cuts, and/or leftovers.  And 2)  the fact that it is made in a loaf pan when hers would have been shaped into a free form loaf in a Pyrex dish.

Grandma Hall's recipe was given to her by a church lady.  Ham loaf is often served at pot luck dinners at the churches in the Beaver county, north of Pittsburgh, where my relatives lived.    

After years of researching, I updated my grandmother's ham loaf recipe so that it works well for us.

Not Your Grandmother's Ham Loaf
(based on Grandma Hall's recipe given to her by a church lady)

1 pound ground pork
1 pound smoked ham, ground or chopped fine  (The Piggery's)
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs, unseasoned
2/3 cup milk to moisten

Glaze/Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1 T. mustard

Start with smoked deli ham, the best you can afford.  Make sure it is smoked.

Grind the smoked ham or chop it up finely in a food processor as I did.

In a large bowl, place the pork and the chopped ham.

Scatter the bread crumbs over the meat.Lightly beat the eggs and pour on the meat.

Add the milk.

Then, gently mix it all together with a spatula or use your hands.

To bake it you can either place it in a loaf pan or form a log and place it in the center of a large ovensafe baking dish.

In a preheated 350 degrees oven, bake the loaf for 60 minutes, then check it.

Meanwhile, make your glaze, or sauce.

When you are at about 160 degrees, pour the glaze on top and keep baking it for another 10-20 minutes until you reach 170 degrees and the top is richly browned.

Our ham loaf took 1 1/2 hours in total.

Make sure you let it sit for 15 minutes to half hour so that it won't fall apart on you.  It is worth waiting.

My mother would be proud.  She participated in The Ham Loaf Saga and got a kick out my interest in ham loaf.

B