Ham Balls are a beloved Midwestern dish, especially popular in Iowa and Nebraska. This unique recipe combines ground beef and ground ham with graham cracker crumbs to form flavorful meatballs. They are then baked to perfection and topped with a sweet and tangy tomato-brown sugar glaze, creating an unexpectedly delicious dish.
Equipment: 9×13 baking dish
INGREDIENTS
Ham Balls:
1 lb ground ham (see note on finding or making ground ham)
1 lb ground beef (85/15)
1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1 egg
¾ cup milk
Sauce:
1 (10 ¾ oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the meatball ingredients. In a large bowl, gently combine the ground ham, ground beef, graham cracker crumbs, milk, and egg.
- Form the meatballs. Shape the mixture into large meatballs, about ⅓ cup each, and place them in a 9×13 baking dish. You should end up with 12-15 meatballs.
- Prepare the sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk together the condensed tomato soup, brown sugar, white vinegar, and dry mustard.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Drizzle the sauce evenly over the meatballs in the baking dish.
- Bake for 1 hour. Bake the meatballs uncovered for 1 hour, basting them with the sauce once or twice during cooking.
- Cool and serve. Let the meatballs cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. They pair wonderfully with mashed or baked potatoes and vegetables.
