Mrs. Hubbs’ Ham Loaf from Jane Honeyman

This a delicious way to make ham loaf... with tomato soup. 

A few years ago, at the butcher counter at Morgan's Grocery in Penn Yan, I was asking how they made their ham loaf  --- when a local resident next to me said she had a great recipe --- it came from a woman in Hammondsport at the other end of the lake.  She said she made it all the time and would send me the recipe if I wanted.  

So we exchanged email addresses by writing them down on each other's paper wrapper from the meat counter. And later that afternoon she sent me this photo of her recipe card.  How thoughtful, Jane Honeyman!  Thank you for a great recipe.  

Fyi, I did some research on Mrs. Hubbs. She died at age 95 in 2006.  She was born Frances Page in 1910 in Batavia, New York and lived in Hammondsport, married to Melvin Barney Hubbs, Sr.  He worked at Taylor Wine Company. She was active in the Women's Club and other organizations.

It is hard to find ground ham, but Morgan's Grocery in Penn Yan will do it for you, if you call ahead. (315) 536-6612  

Tom is a big fan! We are going up to the lake this wintery weekend and plan to make it. Good homey meal. 

---Barbara 

Mrs. Hubbs' Ham Loaf

Serves 10

For the ham loaf:

2 lbs. ground pork

1 lb. ground cured ham

1 beaten egg

1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup milk

3 T. canned tomato soup

1/2 t. paprika

1/4 t. salt

For the mustard sauce:

1/2 cup tomato soup (the rest of the can)

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter

3 beaten egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine pork, ham, beaten egg, bread crumbs, milk, tomato soup, paprika and salt.  Mix thoroughly, using your hands, if necessary.  Pack well into a greased loaf pan.  If desired sliced onion on top.

Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, (until 185 degrees), basting occasionally with a few tablespoons of hot water.  (optional) 

Let rest for at least 15 minutes before removing and slicing.  

To make the mustard sauce, Mrs. Hubbs recommends a double boiler, but I placed the ingredients in a small saucepan, whisked them over very low heat, and cooked until thickened. 

Serve with roasted parmesan potatoes and buttered lima beans with tarragon, and a generous amount of mustard sauce.

Refrigerate any extra sauce, and gently reheat before serving.

Slice and freeze any extra ham loaf. Slices will reheat quickly if placed on a baking sheet in a 350 oven until meat is warm in the center. 

B