Ham Loaf with Tasty Glaze

Ham loaf... Tastes great any time of the year.



I'm a lover of meatloaf, but you can't beat a good ham loaf.  Some people make their ham loaf with ground ham and ground turkey.  Not me... it's whole hog all the way.  I like using ground ham and ground pork.  At the end of the post, you'll find my favorite version of ham loaf.  But there is an easier way for we campers because....

It is often cheaper (and just as tasty) to buy the ham loaf already made.  Being a penny pincher, I watch the butcher counter at the local grocery store.  They put the ham loaves in a display case for a few days and then as the sell by date approaches, put a "SPECIAL PRICE" sticker on them, cutting the price in half.  The magic day at this store is Saturday.

I bought a 2 pounder yesterday - enough for four servings - for $4.00.  Then it was divided up into halves and frozen in mini foil loaf pans in anticipation of the next camping trip.  I bake them at 350 until the internal temp hits about 170.  Size matters -  a 2 lb loaf can take an hour and a half while a one point loaf can be done in a mere half hour.

Here is the glaze that I use... It is amazingly simple but the flavor is out of this world.  Ham loaf is good anyway, but this simple little glaze takes it to new heights.  This glaze is also heavenly on roasted turkey, too!

Tasty Ham Glaze

1/2  cup brown sugar
1/4  cup of coarse ground mustard
1T  orange or pineapple juice

That's it.  You just mix the glaze and spoon it over the ham loaf and bake.  When checking the temperature, I baste some of the juices back over the meat.

The beauty of this dish is that you can cook it in an oven, toaster oven, over a campfire, you name it...  If the glaze gets a little warm, it might darken and scorch, leaving even more flavor!

But should you want to make one and not buy it at the store, here is the recipe for a simple but delicious ham loaf.


Midwest Style Hamloaf

1 lb fresh ground pork (fairly lean)
1 lb ground ham (ask the butcher)
1 cup bread crumbs (I used packaged, seasoned)
1 shallot or small onion,  finely chopped (you can use reconsituted dried onions)
2 eggs or 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
1/4 C milk
1/2 t seasoning salt (optional)

Mix everything together well and press into a large metal loaf pan or 2 mini loaf pans.   Top with optional glaze.  Bake at 350 till internal temp is about 165 - 170 degrees.

Enjoy!

Bradford, the "Van Trekker"