Ham loaf and ham balls are a popular Lancaster Amish main dish. My mom served a lot of Mock Ham Loaf while we ran a catering business in the old order Amish community. These ham balls, with that delightful pineapple glaze, are a little more delicate than ham loaf and make a delicious main dish to pair with mashed potatoes, pasta and more. We also like to serve them with Amish egg noodles, cooked in water or chicken broth and tossed with several tablespoons of browned butter. For more Amish recipes, check below the recipe card for a list of my personal favorites!
As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases. Follow along for Amish recipes (and more) and feel free to leave a rating and comment in the comment section below!
Amish Ham Balls with Pineapple Glaze
Ingredients
Ham Balls:
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1 pound ground ham (ground hot dogs or ground deli ham can be used)
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pineapple Glaze:
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 20 oz. crushed pineapple with juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350:
- Place all the ingredients for the ham balls into a medium sized mixing bowl and mix by hand until well combined.
- Roll the ham ball mixture into roughly 30 meatballs and place into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and an 8 or 9-inch baking dish (extra dish may not be needed).
For the glaze:
- Place the ingredients for the pineapple glaze into a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring frequently to dissolve the brown sugar. If needed, you can add a slurry of cornstarch and water to the glaze to thicken. Pour over ham balls.
- Cover the baking dishes with foil and bake for 50 minutes in a preheated oven. During the last ten minutes of baking, uncover the ham balls to allow them to brown slightly. Ham balls are done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Subscribe today and get free meal inspirations delivered to your doorstep!
Ingredients needed for these ham balls with pineapple: crushed pineapple (with juice), eggs, brown sugar, vinegar, prepared yellow mustard, ground ham, graham cracker or bread crumbs, ground sausage and milk.
How to grind ham for these ham balls:
You can grind ham in a food processor or with a meat grinder. I ordered a meat grinder attachment that came with my stand mixer and have actually used it quite a bit already. I like to use meat ends from a local deli, but you can also use ground hot dogs or any ground ham.
Step 1: Combine the ground ham, sausage, crumbs, milk, egg and seasonings for the ham ball mixture. Massage by hand until the mixture sticks together well.
Step 2-3: Shape the ham mixture into balls and place into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish plus an additional 8 by 8-inch or 9 by 9-inch baking dish (as needed). Place the ingredients for the pineapple glaze into a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring frequently to dissolve the brown sugar. Pour the glaze over prepared ham balls.
What to do if the glaze is too thin:
I personally did not add any cornstarch to the glaze because I don’t mind it with a little more of a sauce consistency. But, if you prefer the glaze to be thicker, I recommend adding a slurry of cornstarch and water (a little at a time) to the glaze while cooking. Bring to a boil while whisking rapidly until the cornstarch is clear and the consistency is to your preference.
Last Step: Cover the baking dishes with foil and bake for 50 minutes in a preheated oven. During the last ten minutes of baking, uncover the ham balls to give them more color. Cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
Additional Favorite Amish Recipes:
- Soft Pretzels
- Browned Butter Chicken
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Dairy Casserole
- Breakfast Casserole
- Homemade Granola
- Chocolate Mousse Pie
- Spiced Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Storage options for these Ham Balls with Pineapple Glaze:
This recipe does make a lot. For a large family or a hosting event the amount is great, but if you end up with lots of leftovers you can easily freeze the ham balls. I would recommend freezing them in dinner sized portions for a quick main dish on a busy day. The ham balls also taste great the next day and can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. To prep the ham balls ahead of time, you can fix them the evening before with the glaze and then tightly wrap them and keep them chilled until you are ready to bake them.
As always, thanks for stopping by! You can support the blog by pinning this recipe to Pinterest or by tagging me on Instagram at Thismom.cooks to show off your own creation with this recipe. Thank you and have a blessed day!
