{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (2024)

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5 from 9 Ratings

Published: December 26, 2020Author: Amy

Put your leftover holiday ham to great use in the best ham salad recipe! Make a ham salad sandwich or ham spread for crackers as an easy appetizer. So easy and so delicious!

{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (1)

If you grew up in the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, chances are you’ve had ham salad. Or if you’re like me, born and raised in California, you had a friend or college roommate from the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic, who made you try it. And life is better off for it!

What is Ham Salad?

Ham salad is a popular recipe that resembles chicken salad and tuna salad. The main ingredient is (cold) ham, of course, and is mixed with chopped up vegetables and relish, then combined with a mayonnaise dressing. The ham is either ground up or diced, then used as a spread for crackers or used on bread for a ham salad sandwich.

{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (2)

As mentioned, the first time I ever had it was in college. The second (third, fourth, fifth – you get it – times) were all while I lived in Minnesota. It almost always made an appearance at baby showers and luncheons, served on crackers or slider rolls with a little lettuce. And I would unashamedly eat my weight in it.

Ham Salad Recipe Variations

There are a few variations for ham salad, starting with the texture and also the mix-ins.

  • Ham salad is traditionally made in a meat grinder, but I don’t have one of those, so I just use my food processor. I like the texture somewhere in-between paste-like and chunky, but you can make it smooth as pâté, if you prefer.
  • My recipe calls for 1-2 hard boiled eggs (thus the name Deviled Ham Salad), which adds another layer of flavor and are a great way to use up leftover Easter eggs, but they can easily be omitted without the recipe suffering. I highly recommend you leave them in, though!
  • While dill pickle relish has my heart, I actually think sweet relish is the way to go here. The sweetness from the relish gives great balance to the salty ham. But you can certainly use dill pickle relish, if that’s your preference.
  • The only way I’ve ever had ham salad is with sweet pickle relish, minced onion, and diced celery, but my understanding is the very original recipe didn’t include any of those items. I can’t even imagine it tasting as good!
  • Ground up bologna or Spam can replace the ham, I’m told, but I’ve never tried either.
{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (3)

Recipe Notes

  • Once everything is blended, you should end up with about 3-4 cups of the ground mixture, which will make about 10 sandwiches or enough appetizer spread for a decent sized crowd.
  • My ham always has plenty of salt, so I don’t ever add any extra or it would be too much. Give it a taste before serving and adjust the salt to your liking.
  • This tastes best if you let it sit in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving, so all the flavors can meld.

How to Store Leftovers

HamSalad is typically chilled, either on crackers or as a ham salad sandwich. Since it contains mayonnaise, it should not be left out any longer than 2 hours.

  • To Store:Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Can you freeze ham salad?I wouldn’t recommend freezing ham salad. The mayonnaise tends to separate leaving a less than desirable texture and taste once it’s thawed.

One of my very favorite reasons for serving a ham on Christmas and Easter is for the leftovers so I can make ham balls and this deviled ham recipe. The other 363 days of the year, I just buy a pre-packaged thick ham steak, which also gets the job done!

Watch Ham Salad Being Made

Other Recipes Using Leftover Ham

  • Old Fashioned Ham Balls
  • Ham and Potato Soup
  • Split Pea Soup
  • Hash Brown Egg Casserole

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (4)

Deviled Ham Salad

5 from 9 Ratings

Put your leftover holiday ham to great use in the best ham salad recipe! Make a ham salad sandwich or ham spread for crackers as an easy appetizer. So easy and so delicious!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless cooked ham (leftover or purchased thick slab, trimmed of fat, and diced – about 5 cups)
  • 1-2 hard boiled eggs , sliced or rough chopped
  • 1 stalk celery ,diced
  • 2 tablespoons diced onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (drained and blotted with a paper towel to remove moisture)
  • assorted crackers and soft rolls , for serving

Instructions

  • Put the ham, egg, celery, onion, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.

  • Pulse (short, quick pulses) 20-25 times to mince.

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and sweet pickle relish.

  • Add the minced ham mixture to the bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.

  • Cover and chill for several hours for optimal flavor.

  • Serve as sandwiches on soft rolls or as a spread on crackers for an appetizer.

Video

Notes

My ham always has plenty of salt, so I don’t ever add any extra or it would be too much. Give it a taste before serving and adjust the salt to your liking.

Nutritional value does not include the rolls or crackers.

For recipe notes and variations, please refer to the full article.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 931mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: deviled ham salad, ham salad, ham salad recipe

Did you make this recipe?Snap a picture and mention @bellyfullblog!

{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (5)
{Deviled} Ham Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in Underwood Deviled ham? ›

HAM (CURED WITH WATER, SALT, BROWN SUGAR, SODIUM NITRITE) AND SEASONING (MUSTARD FLOUR, SPICES, TURMERIC).

What's the difference between deviled ham and spam? ›

It is not to be confused with Spam, which involves a meat mixture mostly consisting of pork shoulder, and lacks deviled ham's spicier flavor. The word "devil" appeared in relation to food in the 1700s, and the word "deviled" appeared in 1800 in the following phrase: "At half past two ate a devil'd kidney".

Why is it called deviled ham? ›

Far from evil, the word “deviled” is a culinary term that means “adding spices” — usually hot ones like cayenne pepper, Dijon mustard, or chopped chili peppers — to foods like ham, eggs, turkey, or even lobster. Underwood Deviled Ham Spread — a New England-born favorite since 1868.

What is deli ham salad made of? ›

Ham salad is similar to chicken salad, egg salad, or tuna salad. It is prepared with cooked, cold ham along with vegetables, relish, and mayonnaise. It is then chilled and served cold directly from the refrigerator.

What kind of meat is deviled ham? ›

Deviled ham is ground ham mixed with spicy seasonings, such as chili peppers, cayenne peppers, or mustard.

Does Underwood Deviled ham still exist? ›

Loved Since 1868

Underwood Deviled Ham has been traveling with you on camping trips, going with you to college and being your go-to sandwich meat or snack since 1868.

Is Spam fake ham? ›

Spam is a canned cooked meat product made from ground pork and processed ham. The meat mixture is combined with preservatives and flavoring agents, such as sugar, salt, potato starch and sodium nitrite, and then canned, closed and vacuum-sealed.

Which is healthier, ham or Spam? ›

So yes, there is a difference between ham and spam. Spam contains more calories, more fat, and less protein.

Does deviled ham taste good? ›

Deviled ham makes for a delicious savory snack or appetizer, and it is a great way to use up those ham leftovers.

What do Christians call deviled eggs? ›

At church functions in parts of the Southern and Midwestern United States, the terms "stuffed eggs", "salad eggs", and "dressed eggs" occur instead, to avoid reference to the word "devil". For this reason, the term "angel eggs" is also occasionally used.

Why do they call deviled eggs devil? ›

The term likely comes from the connection between spiciness and the presumably hot temperatures in hell. Since the word "devil" does have negative connotations, though, some groups of people prefer to call the dish "stuffed eggs," "salad eggs," or "dressed eggs."

How long is deviled ham good for? ›

Store your deviled ham in an airtight container or glass jar. It will last in the refrigerator for three days, or you can freeze it for three months. If frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Why does my ham salad get watery? ›

Your ham salad may be watery due to excess moisture from ingredients like celery, onion, and pickles or from the ham itself. To reduce wateriness, dry the ingredients before mixing, and avoid using too much mayonnaise.

Why is deli ham so expensive? ›

Deli meats are a labor-intensive industry, requiring many workers to process the raw meat, while labor shortages in the domestic hog industry have hugely impacted supply, Earnest said.

Why is ham salad pink? ›

Chill for at least one hour prior to serving. (My mom tipped me off that the way that they were able to get the grocery store version of this dish to look so beautiful, pink and fresh is that they add beet juice to it! So I add a bit of red food coloring if I am serving it on a buffet so that it looks more appealing.

What is potted meat made of? ›

Commercial products. A potted meat food product is a food preserved by canning and consisting of various seasoned cooked meats, often puréed, minced, or ground, which is heat-processed and sealed into small cans. Various meats, such as beef, pork, chicken, and turkey, are used.

What are the ingredients in a cubed ham? ›

Ingredients. Cured With: Water, Dextrose, Salt, Contains 2% or Less Of: Modified Food Starch, Potassium Lactate, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.

What is the difference between deviled ham and potted meat? ›

Deviled ham and potted meat are similar in that they are both processed meat spreads, but they are not exactly the same. Deviled ham is typically seasoned with mustard and spices, while potted meat is a more generic term for various types of seasoned, canned meat spreads.

Is spiced ham the same as spam? ›

SPAM was created in 1937 and was originally called Hormel Spiced Ham. The name was shortened to SPAM, taking the "Sp-" from Spiced and the "-am" from Ham).

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