If you’ve never tried Iowa ham balls, now is the perfect time to make them. This recipe originates from Iowa and features little meatballs made from ground ham and bulk pork instead of ground beef. It's an excellent way to use up leftover ham. The salty flavor of the ham pairs wonderfully with a tangy-sweet sauce.
Make ham balls for special occasions, like Easter dinner. It would be a great way to enjoy ham in meatball form. My mother-in-law makes ham balls for Christmas. She uses an old-fashioned ham ball recipe with graham cracker crumbs, tomato soup, and ham loaf mix purchased from a local grocery store.
This modified ham ball recipe uses mashed potato flakes to dial back the sweetness, skips tomato soup to ditch the high fructose corn syrup, and uses a food processor to grind ham steaks.
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Why You'll Love It
- Delicious spin on meatballs
- Great way to use up leftover ham
- Gluten Free, Low FODMAP, and easily modified to be Dairy Free
Featured Ingredients
- Ham Steaks - Fully cooked and a delicious savory ham.
- Ground Pork - Unseasoned ground pork.
- Large Eggs - Holds everything together.
- Mashed Potato Flakes - Gluten free option to bind the meatballs together.
- Milk - Use regular milk or unsweetened almond milk.
- Green Onions - Use the tops of green onions for an onion flavor and a pop of color.
- Ketchup - My favorite is Heinz simply ketchup. It does not have high fructose corn syrup.
- Brown Sugar - Sweetness for the glaze.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - Adds the tangy flavor to the glaze.
- Dry Mustard - The mustard flavor complements the pork.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the roughly chopped ham steaks to a large food processor bowl. Pulse until the texture is fine enough to compress into a meatball.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the ground ham, ground pork, beaten eggs, mashed potato flakes, milk, and green onions. Stir until combined.
Step 3: Form the mixture into meatballs with a large cookie scoop or ice cream scoop. Place the ham balls in a prepared baking pan, such as a 9x13-inch pan.
Step 4: In a small mixing bowl, add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, dried mustard, and salt. Stir until combined.
Step 5: Pour the sweet glaze over the unbaked meatballs.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Top with additional chopped green onions, and serve immediately.
Tips
Ham Loaf Mix - Purchase an already prepared ham loaf mix from the meat counter. It is a combination of ground pork and ham. If you are local, Buchanan’s sells it.
Make In Advance - Ham balls can be made in advance and baked the next day.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep any leftover ham balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat: Cut the ham balls in half and microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated. Likewise, heat the oven to 350 degrees for 10 minutes until warm. Cutting them in half will help ensure the center of the meatball is also warm.
Freeze: Place chilled leftovers in a freezer-friendly container and store them in the freezer for up to four months. Defrost before reheating.
What To Serve With Ham Balls
Serve ham balls as the main course alongside creamy almond milk mashed potatoes or cheesy potatoes. Add a veggie side dish, such as green bean casserole or crockpot corn casserole, for a delicious dinner. For dessert, make brownie ice cream cake. The whole family will love this recipe for special meals or Sunday night dinner.
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Recipe
Iowa Ham Balls
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ham steaks ground in a food processor (Note 1)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 ¾ cups mashed potato flakes dry
- 1 cup milk (Note 2)
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a 14-cup food processor, add large pieces of ham steak or leftover ham pieces. Pulse until the ham resembles ground beef.
- In a large bowl, add the ground ham, ground pork, beaten eggs, mashed potato flakes, milk, and chopped green onions. Stir until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop, form the mixture into a ham ball. Place the equally-sized ham balls in a prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, add the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, dried mustard, and salt. Stir to combine. Pour the glaze over the ham balls.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
- Garnish with additional chopped green onions if wanted. Serve immediately.
Venessa Mandelkow says
We love to use up leftover ham and make ham balls!