If you didn’t grow up in the midwest (I didn’t!!), you might not know this meatball. Full of savory flavor that’s a little salty and a little sweet—these are the best little ham balls smothered in a thick, zesty brown sugar glaze, you ever did meet!
They’re perfect for potlucks, church suppers, and special occasions, even Easter dinner!
Old Fashioned Ham Balls Recipe
Such a Ham! Go on. Say ‘ham balls’ with a straight face—I dare you. That part isn’t so easy—but I promise these ham balls are as easy to make as they are to eat.
If you’ve never made these before, you may be surprised to see graham crackers on the shopping list. Trust me. They do the same work that traditional breadcrumbs do—with an added sweetness that really complements the saltiness of the ham.
These ham balls would be an appetizing snack on their own, but we take it up a notch—and toss them in a beautiful, glossy sauce that continues to give you that savory-sweet flavor satisfaction.
These are easy ingredients to get your hands on—this recipe also happens to be one of my absolute favorite ways to use leftover ham. So wherever you grew up—and wherever you are now— this Midwestern Meatball will comfort you and your family.
Looking for more traditional meatballs? Try my Italian meatballs, grape jelly meatballs, and porcupine meatballs. Let me just say.,..this Girl LOVES meatballs! I promise I share only my best recipes so you know these meatballs will be great!!!♥
What are Iowa Ham Balls?
A mild meatball made with a mixture of meats, graham cracker crumbs, and covered in a delicious thick brown sugar glaze with a bit of zip! These tasty treats are a regional favorite in the state of Iowa.
Each recipe has its own mix of meats. Mine uses ground pork, ground ham, and ground beef to round out a more layered flavor profile. While the graham crackers seem unusual to non-Midwesterners, they really work!
While meatballs are a staple in most countries, these are truly unique meatballs, with a taste all of their own. They’re similar to ham loaf, which generally uses seasoned bread crumbs or cracker crumbs in place of the ham balls, signature graham cracker crumbs.
Is Ground Pork The Same As Ground Ham?
No! Ground ham is not to be confused with ground pork. The two products are two horses of different colors. They are two entirely different meat products. They have a very different textures and one generally refers to an uncooked pork product while the other is completely cooked.
Ground pork can be made from various cuts of pork. It’s is readily available in raw form in most supermarkets nationally.
Ground ham is made from, you guessed it, just cured ham, which is completely cooked. It’s only available in a few Midwest states. It’s very easy to make with a food processor. The text below explains how to do it!
How To Make Ground Ham For Ham Balls
This is obviously the key ingredient in this recipe. If you happen to live in Iowa or Nebraska you might be able to find ground ham at the supermarkets.
For the rest of us, it’s actually fairly easy to prepare at home if you have a food processor. I either use leftover ham or buy a fresh ham steak at the market. Cut the ham into cubes and place them in the bowl of a food processor then pulse until ham is ground to your liking.
If your meat counter has a butcher, ask them to grind it for you instead.
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Iowas Ham Balls
- Ham Balls
- Ground Smoked Ham
- Ground Pork
- Ground BeefÂ
- Milk
- Eggs
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
Brown Sugar Tomato Glaze
- Tomato Soup
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Onion
- Brown Sugar
- Dry Mustard Powder
- Dijon Mustard
Tips + Tricks
- Mixing: Obviously the meatball mixture, as with any meatball mixture, must be completely and thoroughly combined. That said, if you overmix the mixture, you run the risk of tough meatballs.
- Using a Large Cookie Scoop: a large cookie scoop generally measures approximately 1/4 cup. This recipe calls for the meatballs to be measured at about 1/3 cup before baking. You can just use a heaping scoop to measure.
Storing + Freezing Tips + Make-Ahead Tips
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Cooked meatballs will last for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This?  Personally, I prefer these meatballs the day they’re made. That said, if you want or need to freeze them, you can. Cooked meatballs can last up to 4 months.
- Freeze uncooked meatballs and for best, sauciest results, make the sauce separately and bake when you’re ready to serve.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs, flash freeze them by placing the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and letting it in the freezer uncovered for 30 minutes. Transfer them to a resealable food bag. Thaw the meatballs at room temperature, then cook as directed in the recipe below.
- To freeze cooked meatballs, let them cool and transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. The reheated meatballs won’t be quite as saucy as the originals, that’s why I recommend above, to freeze them uncooked and then, thaw it and proceed with the recipe below.
- Make-Ahead Tips:Â If you want to make these ahead, you can make the sauce a couple of days before you plan on serving and the meatballs can be put together and rolled into shape, stored in the fridge, the day before you plan to bake them.
- Reheat Leftovers: Place in a saucepan, add a splash of pineapple juice or water, cover, and very gently reheat. Over place in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and heat until warm.
Variations, Substitutes, + Additions
- Party Appetizer Size: You can roll these into smaller 1 1/2 inch meatballs to serve as an appetizer. You’ll need to at least double the sauce depending on the exact size you roll and how many pans you bake them in. Just make sure each pan has enough sauce for the meatballs to simmer in, in the oven.
- You can also bake these and keep them party-ready to serve in a slow cooker.
- Pineapple Juice: For a sweeter version of these meatballs add some pineapple juice to your meatballs and sauce.
Serving Recommendations
These make wonderful use of leftover ham served over my easy make ahead mashed potatoes or plain rice. If you happen to have any of these meatballs leftovers, slice them up and make sandwiches.
If you’re serving these for a special meal, pair them with my amazing, all scratch, 4 generation family recipe for green bean casserole, Â or my wonderful Brussels sprouts! If you’re looking for something more Spring friendly, try my KFC coleslaw (one of the all-time most popular recipes on my site in all of our over 10-year history!), broccoli salad, or carrot salad.
More Meatball Recipes
- Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe
- Mexican Meatballs
- Cranberry Meatballs
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
More Ham Recipes
Let’s Stay Connected!
Tag me on Instagram @gonna_want_seconds with your pictures or share them on the Pinterest pin so everyone can see. Sign up for my email newsletter so you don’t miss any recipes and you can get my weekly meal plan (every week!) absolutely free!
Ham Balls
Ingredients
Ham Balls:
- 1 ¼ pounds ground smoked ham
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
Sauce:
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can tomato soup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup onion minced
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Mix together ham (1 ¼ pounds), ground pork (1 pound), and ground beef (1 pound) in a large bowl. Stir in milk (1 cup), eggs (2), and graham cracker crumbs (1 ½ cups) until well combined.
- Using your hands, form the meat mixture into large balls with 1/3 cup filling, about 2 inches in diameter, and place them in the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together tomato soup (1 (10.75-ounce) can), vinegar (¼ cup), minced onion (1/4 cup), brown sugar (1 cup), mustard powder (1 teaspoon), and Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon). Mix well and pour over the meatballs.
- Bake in the preheated oven, for about 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 160°F.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Mixing: Obviously the meatball mixture, as with any meatball mixture, must be completely and thoroughly combined. That said, if you overmix the mixture, you run the risk of tough meatballs.
- Using a Large Cookie Scoop:Â generally measures approximately 1/4 cup. This recipe calls for the meatballs to be measured at about 1/3 cup before baking. You can just use a heaping scoop to measure.
It’s so juicy! It’s our new favorite.
That’s amazing, Jessica. Thank you for sharing your positive review 🙂