Ham Balls

📜 Collection: Dwayne Collection | ✍️ Attribution: Sharon | 📂 Category: Entrees A classic midwestern comfort food, these sweet and savory ham balls are made with a blend of ground ham, pork, and beef, then baked in a rich brown sugar tomato glaze.


Prep TimeCook TimeInactive / Chill TimeYield / Servings
30 mins1 hrNone16 servings

🔪 Key Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Shallow baking dish
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Foil

Ingredients

Ham Balls

MeasurementsIngredientsPrep / Notes
2 1/2 lbs.Ground Hamground twice with pork and beef if possible
2 lbs.Ground Porklean, ground twice with ham and beef if possible
1 lb.Ground Beeflean, ground twice with ham and pork if possible
3Eggsbeaten
3 cupsGraham Cracker CrumbsNone
2 cupsMilkNone

Sauce

MeasurementsIngredientsPrep / Notes
2 cupsTomato SauceNone
3/4 cupVinegarNone
2 1/2 cupsBrown SugarNone
2 tsp.Dry MustardNone

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Ham Balls

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 1/2 lbs. ground ham, 2 lbs. ground pork, 1 lb. ground beef, 3 eggs, 3 cups graham cracker crumbs, and 2 cups milk. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
  3. Shape the mixture into golf-ball-sized portions and place them in a shallow baking dish.

Step 2: Sauce and Bake

  1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups tomato sauce, 3/4 cup vinegar, 2 1/2 cups brown sugar, and 2 tsp. dry mustard until smooth.
  2. Pour the sauce evenly over the ham balls in the baking dish.
  3. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for the first part of cooking. Uncover for the remaining time, baking for a total of 1 hour until the ham balls are cooked through, caramelized on top, and the sauce is bubbling.

💡 Make-Ahead & Storage: The ham balls can be shaped and placed in the baking dish a day ahead; cover and refrigerate, then add the sauce just before baking. Leftovers freeze beautifully in the sauce.


Original Recipe Scan

Page 1

Page 2