Ham Loaf
intro
A tender, savory-sweet baked ham loaf with tangy brown sugar-Dijon glaze, a beloved Midwestern American comfort food ideal for cozy shared family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep pan and crumbs
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) metal loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later, then coat the paper lightly with nonstick cooking spray. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup (115g) soft fresh white breadcrumbs with 120ml (1/2 cup) whole milk, stir to fully moisten, and let rest 5 minutes to allow crumbs to absorb all the milk.
Mix loaf ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add 450g ground smoked ham, 225g lean ground pork, 75g finely diced yellow onion, 2 beaten large eggs, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and the fully soaked milk-breadcrumb mixture. Gently fold the ingredients together with clean hands or a silicone spatula until just evenly combined; do not overmix, as this will compress the meat and create a tough, dense final loaf.
Shape loaf in pan
Transfer the mixed meat mixture to the prepared loaf pan, pressing gently and evenly to fill the pan without compacting the mixture too tightly. Smooth the top surface with a spatula to create a flat, even layer, leaving a 1/4 inch gap between the mixture and the pan rim to leave space for glaze to bubble without spilling during baking.
Prepare tangy glaze
While the shaped loaf rests for 5 minutes at room temperature before baking, whisk together 100g (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar, 30ml (2 tablespoons) apple cider vinegar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard in a small bowl until completely smooth, with no dry lumps of brown sugar remaining.
Initial loaf bake
Place the filled loaf pan on the center rack of the preheated 175°C (350°F) oven, and bake uncovered for 40 minutes. At this stage, the loaf will be lightly set, with pale golden edges, and will not be fully cooked through at the center.
Glaze and finish baking
Carefully pull the oven rack partway out (do not fully remove the pan to avoid hot spills). Spoon half of the brown sugar glaze over the loaf top, spread to coat evenly, then bake for 20 more minutes. Pull the rack out again, spread the remaining glaze over the top, and bake for a final 10 minutes, until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F) when measured with an instant-read meat thermometer at the thickest point. Total bake time is 70 minutes.
Rest and serve
Once fully baked, carefully lift the ham loaf out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang, transfer to a wooden cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute throughout the loaf. Slice into 2cm (3/4 inch) thick slices, and serve warm with classic sides like mashed potatoes or steamed green beans.
Tips
2.Use soft fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old white bread) instead of dried store-bought crumbs: dried crumbs absorb too much moisture and will create a dry, dense loaf.
3.Let the baked loaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing: cutting into it immediately will cause flavorful juices to run out, leading to dry slices.
OMG this ham loaf was the star of our Sunday family dinner last night! I was a little nervous I’d mess up the glaze because I’m terrible at sweet-savory balances, but it turned out perfectly tangy and sticky. My 3 kids went back for seconds, even my picky 7 year old who turns his nose up at anything that isn’t chicken nuggets! 10/10 will be making this for our next church potluck too.
Game changer for my weekly meal prep! I made this on Sunday, sliced it up, and it’s held up perfectly all week for quick lunches. Super easy to throw together even when I’m half asleep on prep day, and the glaze doesn’t get all soggy in the fridge like I thought it would. SO good, way better than the sad deli meat sandwiches I usually eat.
This was so tasty! I followed the recipe exactly except I used a mix of ground ham and ground pork I had leftover from another recipe, and it came out moist and flavorful. My only tiny note is that my glaze got a little darker than the photos after an hour and a half, but that might be my old oven running hot. Still ate every bite!
My wife used to make ham loaf all the time when we were first married, and I haven’t had it since she passed 5 years ago. I was nervous to try making it myself because I’m not much of a cook, but this recipe was so straightforward it was impossible to mess up. Tasted exactly like I remembered. Brought a tear to my eye, honestly. Great recipe.
I brought this to our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe before I even set the platter down! I doubled the recipe because we have a big crowd, and it still cooked evenly in my big roasting pan. 10/10, this is going in my permanent potluck rotation.
First time making any kind of meatloaf ever, and I was so confused when the meat mixture was way softer than I expected going into the pan! I almost dumped it out and started over, but I popped it in the oven anyway and holy cow it came out amazing. The glaze is chef’s kiss, I will say I wish I’d let it rest 10 minutes before slicing like the recipe said because my first few slices fell apart, but that was 100% my fault for being impatient.