Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls
Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls are the pork meatball recipe that combines ground ham and ground and drenched in a sweet bourbon glaze for the sweet and savory ham ball. These things were so good. But when I looked into making them I literally was like these stores in Indiana don’t sell ham loaf. It took me a hot minute to figure out how to to make these ham balls. When I did they naturally became bourbon glazed ham balls.
Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls are a pork lovers dream with the combination of ground ham and ground pork. Then mixed along with onion, crackers, and egg combine with my pork seasoning and drenched in a sweet bourbon glaze for the best pork meatball around. You are going to want to try these ham balls! My friends from Iowa have this delicacy called ham balls. It was literally an almost like a spiritual experience for me the first time I bit into a ham ball while visiting the fine folks at the National Pork Board.
Ham Ball Ingredients
When making ham balls the biggest obstacle is the ground ham. But I found the solution for those of us who do not live in pig loving Iowa. Ground pork can be found in the fresh pork section while ground ham can be found in the processed meat section. However, if you have a fresh ham in your pork section, ask the grocery store butcher to grind it for you. That would be the ideal situation. But these ground ham packages worked perfectly for me.
In addition to the ground ham and ground pork, you will need
- dehydrated chopped onions
- butter crackers like Club crackers
- egg
- milk
- my pork seasoning salt.
These ingredients combine easily just like any other meatball.
How to Make Ham Balls
Start by crushing the crackers. Place the ground pork and ham in a large bowl. Pour the crushed crackers, two eggs, milk, and pork seasoning salt over the meat. Then dig your hands into the ingredients to combine.
Take the combined meat and cracker combination to form the ham balls. I made my ham balls by using an ice cream scoop to form ham balls. This will create about 2-inch ham balls.
By making these meatballs this size you will get roughly 32 ham balls. I baked the ham balls in two 9×9 glass pans before transferring to a casserole crock pot for serving.
Bake the ham balls on 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While the ham balls are baking, prepare the bourbon glaze for the top of the ham balls.
How to Make Bourbon Glaze
The bourbon glaze is the sweet and smokey combination of bourbon, ketchup, brown sugar, and dried mustard.
- In a saucepan, combine ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, and dry mustard.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously.
- Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and set aside.
Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls
- Once baked, transfer the ham balls to a serving dish or a casserole-style slow cooker.
- Pour the prepared bourbon glaze over the ham balls, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Keep warm until ready to serve. The glaze will continue to infuse the ham balls with flavor over time.
Don’t be afraid to stack those meatballs up either. The more gooey bourbon glaze all over the ham balls the better.
Keep the ham balls on warm while you serve the ham balls. If you have any leftovers they will definitely be fought over. The glaze just keeps getting better as it soaks into the ham balls.
Tips for Making Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls
- Drain any excess liquid from the ground ham to ensure the mixture binds well.
- Crush the crackers coarsely; they add texture and help absorb moisture.
- Uniformity in ham ball size ensures even cooking.
- Serving immediately? Glaze the ham balls in the baking dish. For later serving, transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm.
- Freezing option: Prepare and freeze a batch for future use.
Serving Suggestions
These Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls are perfect as:
- A hearty appetizer for gatherings
- A main course served with mashed potatoes or rice
- A flavorful addition to holiday meals
Meatball Recipes
Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls
Ingredients
Ham Balls
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 pounds ground ham
- 1 sleeve butter crackers, crushed about 2 cups
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pork seasoning salt
Bourbon Glaze
- 1 ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
Ham Balls
- Combine the pork, ham, crackers, eggs, milk, and pork seasoning salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands until just incorporated.
- Form two-inch balls and place them in a pyrex 8×8 pan. You will be able to fill two pans.
- Bake on 350° for 45-50 minutes.
Bourbon Glaze
- In a saucepan stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, bourbon, and mustard.
- Bring to a boil and simmer at the boil for one minute. Then remove from heat.
Bourbon Glazed Ham Balls
- Pour the bourbon glaze over the cooked ham balls. If serving at a party, transfer to a casserole crock pot to keep warm.
Nutrition
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I have eaten ham balls and loved them, but never made them. I’m wondering if I could skip the bourbon in the glaze or substitute something for it? I just don’t keep bourbon on hand.
You can totally just substitute vinegar for the bourbon or glaze them in a barbeque sauce of your liking.