Ham Loaf (A Western PA thing)

[Gdetrailer]

My Mom would make a Ham loaf with a very tasty sauce when I was a youngster.. So, the taste and smell brings up a lot of childhood memories..

Our local food store often would mix a batch and we would buy it as soon as we noticed that they had it, unfortunately, our local store has gone out of business and finding one that knows what to mix and how much is just not happening..

So, digging around on the Internet I found that typically it is a mix of Ham and Pork ground up together, about 1.5 lbs of ground Pork to 1 lb of ground ham is the base.

So, we bought a electric grinder, 1/2 of a ham (bone in ready to eat) and a pork butt and gave it a try..

The result was pretty good on our first attempt!

My Mom would buy 2.5 lbs of the base mix, then add 1/2 lb of ground burger, one egg, couple of handfuls of crushed crackers a few splashes of milk and a dash of pepper.

Mix and form into a loaf to fit in a deep glass baking dish. We also added a small amount of Paprika to our homemade mix since the store we used to buy from also had that in their mix.

Then she would make the sauce.

Sauce consists of 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of vinegar (you can adjust this a bit, my DD LOVES a stronger vinegar flavor so she uses 3/4 cup of vinegar), 1/2 cup of water, 1 TBSP (Table spoon) of yellow mustard and a splash of Ketchup (to make it red according to my Moms notes). Stir with a whisk while heating the sauce (using a whisk helps to incorporate the Mustard and Ketchup into the sauce, can use a spoon but often will have little lumps of mustard if you do so). Cook the sauce for 5 minutes.

Pour a small amount of the sauce over the ham loaf (don't overfill, it WILL boil over if you do).

Place in oven set to 375 (we use 425 since our oven runs on the cold side) for 1.5 hrs..

You need to check on the loaf to make sure the bottom is not burning (the sauce tends to burn if not careful).

Bast the Ham loaf often while cooking..

Serve the ham loaf with a splash of extra sauce spooned on top..

🙂

[WallynDiane]

Bardine's in Crabtree, Pa makes an excellent ham loaf. Crabtree is about 5 miles north of Greensburg on Pa Route 119. They have excellent meats.

[Gdetrailer]

JoeH wrote:
Well, I tried te ham loaf I picked up at my local butcher-- it was very good. I'll be getting another one in the future. Used 1 c brown sugar,1/3c apple cider vinegar,1/3 c h2o and 1 tbs Colemans dry mustard for glaze.

🙂

Glad you liked it!

The glaze/sauce really gives it a lot of flavor..

[dirtyhandz]

Here's how we make it. We add some hot sauce or spicy musturd to the glaze sometimes.
It's really good the next morning fried for breakfast.

1lb. ground ham
1lb. ground pork
2 eggs
1/2 cup cracker crumbs (12 Ritz crackers or bread crumbs).
1/3 cup minute tapioca
1 cup milk
dash of pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion

Beat eggs, add milk,cracker crumbs and tapioca.
Let stand until well thickened (about 20 Minutes).
Add meat, pepper and mix well.
Shape into 2 loaves and place in greased shallow pan or dish.

Topping:
Combine in saucepan 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1tbs mustard,
1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water.
Boil until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly (about 3 min).
Pour over ham loaf and bake at 350 about 2 hours. baste often.

[JoeH]

Well, I tried te ham loaf I picked up at my local butcher-- it was very good. I'll be getting another one in the future. Used 1 c brown sugar,1/3c apple cider vinegar,1/3 c h2o and 1 tbs Colemans dry mustard for glaze.

[JoeH]

I had planned to make a ham loaf after reading this. So, when we got home from our last trip the other day, I called the local butcher shop to see if they had any ground ham. They said they didn't have any right now, but they had pre-made ham loafs ! What a surprise. I picked one up yesterday and will cook it up in a day or so( it's frozen) . I'll just have to make the glaze.

[Gdetrailer]

parker.rowe wrote:
Interesting. So, basically like (ground beef) meatloaf, but with ham/pork instead.

Correct.

However, the vinegar/brown sugar/mustard sauce I mentioned above adds a huge amount of flavor and IS required. Without the sauce, it would be pretty bland and taste pretty much like a ground beef meatloaf.

[parker_rowe]

Interesting. So, basically like (ground beef) meatloaf, but with ham/pork instead.

[hondapro]

We love ham loaf,we can still buy the mix at our local meat market in Dubois but I will save the recipe in case they stop making it.

[mowingman]

Mom made it all the time. I have the recipe, which is almost like the one posted above. I think ham loaf is a German type food, but not sure. It was very common in southeastern Ohio where I grew up. This reminds me that I need to make some.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Kraisingers Mkt in Mt Pleasant.
G&D Mkt in Melcroft.
Sarnellis Mkt in Champion/ Jones Mills
Worlys Meat Mkt in Scottdale.
Roofgarden Mkt Somerset.


G&D takes the blue ribbon.

Just thought of another....
Cox Mkt in Mononghahela.

[ljr]

That brings back memories. My Mom was from Western PA. I grew up in NE Ohio. She never had a problem getting the ingredients.

Wow, am I hungry for ham loaf now!

[Dave_in_TN]

I grew up in Chautauqua County NY, over the state line from western PA, and I remember the ham loaf but more so that sauce! My grandmother would make it. Good stuff. Thanks for the memory.

[Gdetrailer]

Big Katuna wrote:
You should be able to find it around Lancaster County in one of the butcher shops or small groceries.

It’s easily found in Holmes County, Ohio Amish country.

My folks made it.Basically like egg salad or chicken salad only chopped ham.

That IS quite a haul from where I live near Pittsburgh..

Much more cost effective to make my own "mix".. And from our first attempt, I would have to say we pretty much nailed the flavor..

Granted, 1/2 ham and a pork butt makes a lot of mix but we vacuum packed and froze the extra uncooked ham/pork mix we didn't use.

The only other place that I am aware of close to me is a very small "butcher shop" an hr away from me.. They are not open on weekends and are only open to 4 on week days and you have to call ahead to have them make it..

Most local grocery stores around here just kind of give that deer in the headlight look when you ask for Ham loaf.. I was lucky to have a small grocery chain that knew exactly what ham loaf is.. Sadly, no more..

Do appreciate the suggestion 🙂

[Big_Katuna]

You should be able to find it around Lancaster County in one of the butcher shops or small groceries.

It’s easily found in Holmes County, Ohio Amish country.

My folks made it.Basically like egg salad or chicken salad only chopped ham.