 I am almost embarrassed to post this ham salad that my mother always made. It's ridiculously simple; it's also ridiculously good! At least that's how I feel. If you've been following Passions to Pastry for awhile and you like what I've been making, you will probably also like this.  I remember my mother serving this ham salad in sandwiches, usually in the summer. But the way I really like to eat this ham salad is on crackers. I'm a sucker for the combination of salty ham and the dillness of the added pickle relish. A bowl of ham salad, a basket of crackers, assorted cheeses, a bunch of grapes, and a bottle of wine make a nice little appetizer for anyone who happens to stop by! • Ridiculously Simple Ham Salad • the way my mother made it Ingredients are listed below. The proportions are approximate. Mix it up the way you like it. • about 3 to 4 cups cubed ham (I will buy a small, fully-cooked, smoked ham) • about 1/4 cup dill pickle relish • mayonnaise Pulse the cubed ham in the bowl of a food processor until a coarse mince. Remove the ham and place in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the pickle relish and mayonnaise to moisten. Adjust amounts to your liking. TAKE a LOOK:
26 Comments
4/13/2011 07:53:20 am
Hi Eileen, I hadn't thought of this ham salad in a long time. A favorite of mine, I knew I could expect in my lunchbox days after Easter. My Dad preferred a Ritz cracker to host his smear, I on the other hand was a Wonder Bread boy and required a sandwich for mine. 4/30/2011 09:27:36 am
Ahhhhh..... Mom always looked forward to the left over ham so she could make her ham salad. Mom would pulse the left over ham and then freeze it for later use. She always mixed hers with a "sweet red pepper relish" and mayo to the consistency of personal preference -Yummy!!!
Becky
4/8/2012 12:54:47 pm
I am so excited about this recipe. My Nana used to make ham salad in the summer for special occasions. I can't wait to try it out!
Raechelle
7/23/2012 12:31:22 am
I'd never had this before but planned to use it for our tea party themed first birthday for my littlest. This was really quite a hit! I made it early in the morning as we were getting ready and my husband sat and snacked on it all morn. Surprisingly yummy! Thanks for this recipe! You're right, this really was easy, too! Thank you!
Eileen
7/23/2012 12:38:46 am
Raechelle -- I'm so glad you liked this! Whenever I eat it, I think of my mom.
Stargazer
9/8/2012 10:51:17 pm
I had some leftover Spam the other day - enough to make this salad. My husband prefers the sweet pickle relish, and I prefer the dill. My grandkids love this for lunchtime sandwiches!
Brenda
7/25/2012 12:56:45 am
My grandmother made this when I was a child but she added a bit of honey.
Eileen
7/25/2012 01:00:06 am
Honey sounds delicious!
Janet Bain
1/29/2015 03:51:15 am
My mom's recipe was like this though she sweetened her with a little ketchup.
Becky
8/18/2012 11:29:36 am
This is absolutely a-mazing!!! I've made it 4 times already, and I only discovered your recipe 2 months ago!! I used dill pickles as well as fresh dill, and green onions. I am in love. I prefer it with saltines. Thanks for sharing. I will continue to enjoy this forever!
Jill Schwieger
9/11/2012 02:35:48 pm
When I was a child, my Mother made this same recipe, except from a big chunk of bologna! Mother grew up in the depression, and my Gram was so creative, they never went hungry! I still love this salad either way! Blessings.....Jill
Paula Atkinson
3/11/2013 01:25:27 am
Someone else who remembers bologna salad! My mother made this for me when we were stationed in Germany when I was a little girl but she doesn't remember it and I have been looking for a recipe for bologna salad for years! I can still remember the taste! If you have a recipe, please post! Thanks! :)
LADONNA HOWARD
5/26/2013 05:04:46 am
My Mom made bologna salad - we called it sandwich spread. She bought a hunk of bologna, pickles, onion, cheese, and ground it up in the old timey meat grinder (use Cuisinart now days) that attached to the counter top. Then she added mayo. Yum Yum. Hope this helps you.
MARY SHEETS
12/26/2012 10:29:58 am
I make my ham salad the same way except I add onion and boiled egg, sooooo good !!!
Bev Wright
1/27/2013 10:29:13 am
My mom would put her ham salad on Parker House rolls. This would always be after Easter Sunday dinner with left overs. Please tell me what is pickle relish?
Eileen
1/27/2013 11:02:23 pm
Bev -- Pickle relish is a condiment that is often served with hot dogs in the U.S. Made with cucumbers, vinegar, and pickling spices such as mustard seeds, celery seeds, onion and garlic,and sweet peppers, the relish can be sweet or savory.
Brenda
2/22/2013 03:16:31 am
My Grandma always cut up some Maraschino cherries in hers. It was delicious. Either way ham salad is a favorite of mine.
Marissa
3/12/2013 01:28:33 pm
This is the closest I've seen to a recipe I grew up with. My dad taught me how to make this with ham, relish, peppercinni and instead of mayo...... We use cream cheese. In Cuba it is eaten on rolls, similar in shape and size to Hawaiian rolls. In English, my family calls it pâté, in Spanish, bocadillos. Still, definitely a summer fave!
Eileen
3/13/2013 12:41:12 am
Marissa -- Thanks for the variations!
Anne
7/21/2013 03:25:46 pm
Thank you!! I had leftover ham cubes and wanted to my mom's ham salad. I know this is it! She didn't have a food processor but with leftover ham from a picnic ham would use an old fashioned grinder. She may have thrown some pimentos in, too. 7/22/2013 12:54:27 am
I'm glad I could help you a bit Anne. My brother was asking my Mother about how to make this ham salad not long ago. Hmmm, now I am hungry for it! It was sooooooooo good and of course anything Mom made was THE best!
Shirley Pendergraft
3/12/2014 01:48:31 am
I love these sandwiches. For year my mom made them for her church. We called them "funeral" sandwiches. She would add a tad of peanut butter too.
Eileen
3/12/2014 01:58:53 am
Hi Shirley --
Bonnie
1/28/2015 07:25:56 am
My mom used green bell pepper in her ham spread. This sounds good too! Leave a Reply. |
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