Ham Loaf

If you love a good classic Meatloaf then you’re going to love the ground ham and pork combination of this Ham Loaf. Covered in a brown sugar glaze this juicy and tender, not to mention easy to make, Ham Loaf is a great dinner that goes perfectly with mashed potatoes.

I love nostalgic recipes like Lime Jello Salad or Ambrosia that drum up memories of delicious dinners past and this recipe is no different. Maybe as a child, you didn’t enjoy meatloaf or ham loaf, but I invite you back to the table to try this juicy and tender meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Great way to use up leftover ham. While it’s not necessary to use leftover ham if you’ve got some extra from the holidays then you can easily use it in this ham loaf recipe. It’s a great alternative to using up that ham instead of making a soup like Ham and White Bean Soup.
• Easy to make. There’s not much prep needed to pull this simple dinner together and then you just slide it into the oven to bake while you whip up some sides like Green Beans or a simple salad.

Ingredients Needed

• Ham – I use cubed ham, but you can easily use leftover ham for this recipe too or buy ham steaks and cut it up. Place it in a food processor and pulse it into smaller pieces, which will create a smooth texture.
• Ground Pork – I use plain ground pork, but you can also use ground pork sausage for added flavor. The pork gives the overall recipe moisture and helps hold it all together.
• Breadcrumbs – You can use plain breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs. Either will work well to give stability to the texture and also helps hold it all together.
• Olive Oil – Whether I’m making meatloaf, meatballs, or ham loaf I always add some olive oil to give it some additional moisture. This helps create a tender and juicy finish.

How to Make Ham Loaf

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or my preference a silicone baking mat.

2. Place the ham in the food processor. Pulse the ham until it’s ground down into small bits. This is optional but will create a more combined texture overall and helps keep the loaf in one piece when it’s sliced.
3. Sauté the onions. Place the butter in a medium-sized skillet set over medium heat and allow it to melt before adding the diced onions. Sauté them until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

4. Mix the loaf ingredients together. Grab a large mixing bowl and move the sauteéd onions to it along with the ham, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, all of the spices, and olive oil. Mix the ingredients together (using your hands if needed) until they’re all fully incorporated.
5. Shape the loaf. Once fully mixed turn the ham and pork mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and shape it into an 8×4-inch-sized loaf.
6. Bake. Place the baking sheet into the oven to bake for 1 hour or until the center reached 160º F on a meat thermometer.

7. Make the glaze. In a small bowl whisk the glaze ingredients together and spread it over the loaf with 20 minutes left in the cooking process.
8. Let it cool. Before slicing the ham loaf left it cool for about 10 minutes.

Storage Information

• Freezing Information – If you plan on freezing this ham loaf recipe slice it into individual servings and wrap those servings in plastic wrap and place them into an airtight freezer-safe container. It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.
• Leftover Storage – Place leftovers into an airtight container and keep them stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• To over-grind the ham. When you place the ham in the food processor just grind it down into small bits but don’t over-grind it too much or it will become mushy.
• Make it into individual servings. Place the ground pork and ham mixture into a muffin tin instead of shaping it into a loaf.
• Turn it into ham loaf sandwiches. Anyone who has ever had a meatloaf sandwich knows how delicious they are and using a ham loaf to make one is no different.
• To reheat leftovers place the ham loaf or individual slices into a foil packet (you will seal the foil together at the top to create the packet) and place 3 tablespoons in the bottom of the pack. Seal and heat at 350º for 20 to 25 minutes until heated throughout. This will steam the loaf instead of further cooking it and drying it out.

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If you enjoyed this easy recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars.