Ham Balls are a staple in Iowa. Since there are a lot of different recipes, I had to give you This Iowa Girl’s Ham Balls recipe.
Yes, you read that right. If you’ve lived in Iowa for a while, you’ve probably heard of and eaten the famous ham balls. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read on. .
As I mentioned, there are many versions. Most are a delightful blend of ground pork and ground ham. However, I have seen some recipes with ground beef. Oh, and if you can find ham loaf at a Fareway Store, you’ve really struck gold!
What’s the big deal about ground pork and ground ham? Well, that’s what the base is made of, along with graham cracker crumbs, eggs, and milk. The real beauty is in the sauce. It’s actually quite magical. This Iowa Girl’s Ham Balls have a tangy-sweet sauce made of brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and water. Hold tight while I dry my tears of food happiness, LOL.
What should you serve with ham balls? Anything cheesy! I usually make baked mac and cheese. And, of course, you need bread! Bran Dinner Rolls are a perfect addition.
Oh man! All these visuals and writing about ham balls is making me hungry. I think I know what we are having for supper. .
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As a long-time fan of Fareway’s delicious ham balls, I was thrilled when they started selling them pre-made and fully cooked at their meat markets. These tasty ham balls are the perfect easy appetizer or main course for any occasion. But before you can dig into these tasty morsels, you need to properly warm them up first. Here’s my tried and true method for warming up Fareway’s famous ham balls before serving.
Get Out the Ham Balls
First, take the ham balls out of the fridge or freezer so they can start coming up to temperature Fareway’s ham balls come fully cooked so you just need to gently warm them through before eating Leaving them out for 15-30 minutes usually does the trick.
Choose Your Warming Method
There are a few different ways you can warm up the ham balls The simmer and bake methods tend to work best in my experience,
Simmer:
- Place ham balls in a skillet and add enough chicken or beef broth to come halfway up the ham balls.
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Cover and let the ham balls warm through for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Place ham balls on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until warmed through.
Crockpot:
- Place ham balls in crockpot and set to low heat.
- Cover and let warm through for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Microwave:
- Arrange ham balls in a microwave-safe dish in a single layer.
- Microwave on 50% power in 2-3 minute intervals until warmed through.
I find the simmer and bake methods give you the juiciest, most evenly heated ham balls, but the crockpot and microwave work in a pinch!
Add Your Favorite Sauce or Glaze
Here’s where you can get creative! Fareway’s meat experts recommend smothering the ham balls in bbq sauce as they warm up for juicy, saucy appetizers.
Some of my favorite ham ball sauces include:
- Sweet and tangy bbq sauce
- Brown sugar glaze
- Apple butter
- Pineapple preserves
- Spicy mustard glaze
- Sweet chili sauce
Feel free to mix up a custom glaze by combining ingredients like ketchup, brown sugar, honey, preserves, mustard, etc. Brush the sauce over the ham balls during the last 5-10 minutes of warming to let it get sticky and caramelized.
Keep Them Warm
If you’ll be snacking on the ham balls for awhile or bringing them to a potluck or party, you’ll want to keep them warm after initially heating them up.
The easiest way is to transfer the saucy ham balls to a slow cooker or warming tray set to low heat. You can also keep them in a 200°F oven, but keep a close eye to prevent over-drying.
Letting them sit on a hot platter over a larger pan of simmering water is another great way to keep appetizers like ham balls piping hot for serving.
Serving Suggestions
Now comes the best part – eating the ham balls! Here are some of my favorite ways to serve Fareway’s ready-to-eat ham balls:
- On toothpicks as an appetizer
- Slider-style on Hawaiian rolls
- Over rice as a main dish
- In mini buns for game day
- On top of a salad
- In scrambled eggs or hash for breakfast
- As a pizza topping
- In warm dips like bbq bean dip or chili con queso
- Over mashed potatoes or mac and cheese
- On a sandwich with Swiss cheese and mustard
- With veggie crudités for a hearty snack plate
Get creative with your ham ball toppings and accompaniments! The seasoned, smoky flavor of Fareway’s ham balls pairs well with so many flavors.
Safety Tips
Since the ham balls are fully cooked, you just need to worry about properly warming them to safe serving temperatures.
- Always check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Ham and pork products should reach 145°F.
- Don’t keep ham balls in the temperature “danger zone” between 40-140°F for more than 2 hours.
- Store leftovers within 2 hours of serving and use within 3-4 days. Reheat to 165°F.
- When in doubt, throw it out! Don’t risk eating ham balls that smell or look questionable.
Enjoy Fareway’s Fabulous Ham Balls
Armed with these warming tips, you’re ready to enjoy Fareway’s pre-made ham balls anytime the craving strikes. They make for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, weeknight dinner, game day snack, or holiday meal. Just heat, sauce, and serve these tender, juicy, flavor-packed ham balls.
This Iowa Girl’s Ham BallsYield:
An Iowa favorite. Ham Balls give you the best of both sweet and tangy flavors. Enjoy them with your favorite potatoes or mac and cheese.
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground ham
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. mustard
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Eggs, milk, graham cracker crumbs, ground pork, and ground ham should all be mixed together.
- Put the ham balls in a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to make the balls.
- Mix brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, water, and vinegar together to make the sauce.
- Pour the sauce on top of the ham balls.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Baste the ham balls periodically with the sauce while baking.
If you can find it at your local grocery store, you can use 2 pounds of ham loaf instead of the pork and ham.
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Nutritional data is not always accurate.
How to Reheat a Fully Cooked Spiral Ham | Step by Step
FAQ
How to heat up fareway ham balls?
Are Fareway ham balls precooked?
How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out?
How long to heat a precooked ham?
How do you make Ham balls?
In a medium bowl soak bread in milk for about 5 minutes. Stir in eggs. Add meat and mix together. Shape meat mixture into balls and place in a greased 9×13 inch pan. In a bowl mix together glaze ingredients. Pour glaze over ham balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Baste occasionally with sauce. I like to use a big scoop to make the balls.
How long do you cook Ham balls at 350?
Lay ham balls on a large cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 350°F, turning once halfway through. Place ham balls into a greased 9×13 casserole dish. Mix together the tomato soup, vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard. Pour sauce over ham balls. Bake for another 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Ham Balls are a classic Midwest potluck dish.
How do you make a ham ball with graham cracker crumbs?
This ham ball recipe is pretty simple, it is just a matter of mixing the ingredients and baking. In a large bowl lightly mix together 1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground ham, 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, ¾ cup milk, and 1 egg. Form large meatballs, about ⅓ cup in size, and place in a 9×13 baking dish. You should have about 12-15 meatballs.
How do you cook Ham balls in a crock pot?
These Ham balls, topped with your favorite BBQ sauce, make a great addition to any meal! In a large bowl, combine the four ingredients, mix well. Shape mix into 2 inch balls, place in a shallow roasting pan. Top with your favorite BBQ sauce. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour. Internal temperature should be 165°.