Iowa Ham Balls

Ham loaf is on sale and got it for $1.99 a pound.  I love ham balls for brunch, breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I’m making up 2 pounds and will bake and freeze half of them.  I’m sharing the recipe I use the most, but I like to vary it by adding different juice flavors for the glaze or sauce. 

2 pounds ham loaf

1 egg

1 cups milk (can use evaporated milk also)

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 cups graham cracker crumbs

Glaze

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) tomato soup

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 ¼  cups packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Using your hands combine first 6 ingredients well. Form your meatballs into golf ball sized balls.  Place in a baking dish. Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a quart sized mason jar and shake until well mixed.  Pour over the balls.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes, basting frequently with sauce.  

Variation -  Replace the tomato soup with orange juice, pineapple juice or your favorite juice (I've also done cranberry/raspberry juice).  I used cherry juice and pineapple juice for these and it is like a candied ham.  You may also replace the graham cracker crumbs with bread crumbs or rolled oats (use what you have in the house) or you don't even need filler.  

You can also make it into a loaf and bake it like a meatloaf.  Put the glaze on top of the loaf before baking.  Put a couple rings of pineapple and a cherry in each ring on top for a beautiful presentation.

More snow here today.  God is testing my patience and I'm working very hard to pass his test.  Have a great day, be happy and may God bless you and yours.