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Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze

By Jenny Stegen | November 17, 2020

Tired of turkey for Thanksgiving? I highly suggest you add these ham balls to your menu! This is a favorite at my house on Thanksgiving. My kids beg me to make these year-round, but I save them for a holiday treat.

These slightly sweet, juicy, tangy ham balls are sure to please your entire family and your guests. I thank my good friend, Becky, who gave me this recipe years ago after she brought them to my home. We were hosting a dinner party to recruit a new physician to our clinic. He ended up taking a job with our organization - I'm pretty sure the ham balls sold him!

There is no sacrifice in flavor whatsoever when using gluten free bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs. In fact, the gluten free version may be better!

Your expert behind the meat counter can help you with the ground pork and ham. Our local grocery store, Fareway, carries a 50/50 mix of ground pork and ground ham called ham loaf. It works perfectly for this recipe.

I double the recipe and use a large disposable aluminum pan.

Tip - use your blender or food processor to grind your bread into crumbs. My Ninja works like a charm. None of us care to eat the crust pieces from a loaf of bread. We save them up in the freezer and pull them out when we are ready to make ham balls. Throw them in the Ninja and you've got beautiful bread crumbs in seconds!

 

ham balls in aluminum pan

Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze

A favorite main dish for the Holidays or any time of year
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Course Main Course

Servings 10 people

Equipment

  • large disposable tin pan or large deep baking dish

Ingredients

  

  • 1 lb ground ham
  • 1½ lb ground pork
  • 2 c gluten free bread crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 c milk

Glaze

  • 1½ c brown sugar
  • 1 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1/2 c water
  • 1/2 c vinegar white distilled

Instructions

 

  • Using Ninja or food processor to grind gluten free bread into small crumbs.
    Grinding gluten free bread crumbs in Ninja
  • In large bowl mix ground meat, bread crumbs, eggs, milk. Mix well with hands and form into balls. Spray large baking pan with cooking spray and arrage balls in single layer in pan.
  • In medium size bowl, stir together brown sugar, mustard, water, and vinegar. There will be tiny lumps of mustard in your mixture. Pour this glaze over hamballs. You can place them in fridge and allow them to marinaide overnight, or bake right away.
    Pouring brown sugar glaze over ham balls
  • Bake uncovered at 275° for 2½ hours if room temp. If cold, bake for 3 to 3½ hours.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe and make it a tradition of your own!

Blessings,

Jenny's Signature