As accurately as I could predict what would be on our Easter dinner table when I was a child I could predict that on the day or two following the holiday my mother would make ham salad. She usually served it with SPLIT PEA SOUP and either made sandwiches or let us scoop it onto Ritz crackers. Sandwiches were nothing fancy…white bread, iceberg lettuce and ham salad served with potato chips…but we loved them, and I can still picture the old cast iron grinder clamped to the kitchen counter as my mom cranked out the chopped ingredients for this family favorite. I was happy to get rid of that old grinder when I got my first food processor, but I would give anything to have it back again if for nothing more than the memories it evokes.
Cut the ham into chunks and pulse in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Combine all the ingredients, mix well, and refrigerate several hours or overnight so the flavors can blend. Use dill pickles if you must, but sweet ones are traditional and add a lot of flavor to the salad. I dressed up my version of our favorite sandwich by substituting home made biscuits for the white bread and green leaf lettuce for the iceberg.
We didn’t have spiral cut ham back in the old days and my parents always bought a whole ham that they decorated with fruit and roasted in a slow oven with a brown sugar glaze until is was juicy and caramelized. I’m going to try that old fashioned way next year and will count on better results that I got this year with a spiral-cut from a big box retailer. Their meat department is usually excellent and I thought I would take a chance on one of their hams…won’t do that again. I didn’t get any complaints but I know what a ham should taste like and that wasn’t it! It does make good split pea soup and ham salad so it won’t go to waste.
- 12-ounces cooked ham
- ⅓ to ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chop ham in a food processor or grind in a grinder if you have one.
- Mix together the mayonnaise and mustard. Set aside
- Combine celery, green onions, sweet pickle, parsley and seasonings.
- Add mayo mixture and combine well.
- Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
You have my mouth watering. I too love ham salad and almost look more forward to it than the ham itself. Your recipe looks wonderful/
Thanks, Karen. We love the leftovers too. It is such a simple recipe and I have tried adding different things but always come back to my mom’s version.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
As many hams as my mother baked, she sadly never made ham salad. I really do think I missed out on something as wonderful as the sandwich you’ve shown. I must rectify that!
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Spicy Coconut Shrimp Soup
I haven’t made that in years, and I agree SWEET pickles! I also agree about the ham. We found one we like, Leidy’s, sliced it yourself, slow roasted, very good! I hope your Easter was a good one!
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I had to chuckle as I still have that old food grinder and swear by it! I’ve bought more than my share of food processors (which are all in the garage or given away by now) but, always use my old food grinder clamped to my kitchen table. My mother always made ham salad way back in the day and I still do, the old-fashioned way! And even better is to grind up roast beef in it and make a salad in the same manner. Delicious, to say the least! It amazes everyone!
Sorry, what I meant to say about using the old cast iron food grinder is that the texture of the ham is totally different from a food processor, and that is all the difference in the world in making a ham salad! It’s about the texture and the grind!
I completely agree, Pam. The texture using a food processor is completely different. I’m going to keep my eyes open when I visit garages sales to see if I can find an old grinder. Making the salad with beef sounds delicious. I’ve never tried that.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
I miss the old food grinder as well. Even tried to get one on ebay which was a bust because it was SO rusty I didn’t feel comfortable using it (after trying everything we could think of to clean it)! I make my ham salad the same way you all do, except coarse-grain mustard instead of Dijon!
We usually have a ham at Easter..I miss it!
The pea soup w/ ham..and this!!!
Always relish in ours too!
I want a bite now:)
Monique recently posted..Parrot Tulips~
Forgot to say..we always use our old grinder..I have never even thought of the processor..
Funny thing..I had a Braun processor for oh 30 yrs maybe..the bowl crcked etc..missing parts..Bought a new one in Fl in Nov.. have used it twice:)
Monique recently posted..Parrot Tulips~
Hi Cathy, my Mom had one of those grinders and I had one, too, in my early years do marriage. I think I lost a part to it! Your ham salad looks so good. Have you ever had bologna salad? My mom would make it the same way as ham salad and it was really good! I hope to share a post on my BRM products next week.
Kitty recently posted..Raspberry Crumble Bars
sounds good haven’t had a ham salad before
rebecca recently posted..Jamaican Apple and Ginger Juice
Ham salad is my favorite…in fact I bought a 12# one today to make more of it, along with some pea soup. I make mine basically like yours, but I add horseradish, too. I am getting hungry just looking at your photos!
Have a great week, Cathy.
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Your post made me smile, my mother was the same way. As a matter of fact, you could depend on ham salad, roast beef salad, chicken salad…a meat salad sandwich the day after a big Sunday meal. Ours was always made with dill pickles, I bet the sweet pickle relish is good. 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Turkey Tenderloin With Blood Orange Sauce
My grandma always made ham sandwiches like this after Easter. I never realized how special those sandwiches were until a few years ago. She had a meat grinder attached to her counter and she always smelled of almonds and cherries because of the hand lotion she used.
cheri recently posted..Smoked Salmon Orzo Salad
Your memories are similar to my memories about ham bones being used for soup. My mother always made white navy bean soup with her ham bone, and sometimes split pea soup. At weddings, they would make ham sandwiches, which is a delight that my children have never had, because I have never made them. Your ham sandwiches look wonderful, and your memories evoked warm memories in me. Joni
Forgot to add, that she had a meat grinder too. I wanted it when she died, but sadly didn’t get it. Joni
Sounds really good!
Looks delish.
Every Christmas we are invited to an Afternoon Tea. The host makes sure she makes mini ham salad sandwiches. She is 83 years old but is so tuned in to food and what it tastes like. She insists it be hand ground. Since I don’t have one I will use my Cuisinart – just a pulse or two.
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon recently posted..Visitandines
I’ve never made ham salad before. But perhaps I should try it!
Julia recently posted..Homemade Buckwheat Noodle Soup
I hope you do try it, Julia. It is delicious and I bet you will enjoy it.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
Those meals you mom served sound really good to me and I like all meat salads. We still have the old meat grinder and break it our on occasion as it delivers a different texture than other devices.
Larry recently posted..Small Businesses
I swear, we’re related, Cathy…I, too, grew up with ham for Easter followed by the exact same ham salad & the pea soup, too!! I still have my Mom’s grinder, even!!! She used to attach it to the seat of an old wooden chair so as not to mar the “formica” finish on our big kitchen table. I haven’t used it for years but should put it out on display, just so my grandkidlets could see how it was done in the *olden days* LOL
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Now I’m off to make some ham salad with DILL PICKLES!!! *wink*
Rettabug recently posted..Quilty Goodies
Ha! Those were the old days, Rett. I regret getting rid of our old grinder. If I find one in a thrift shop I will probably have to pay a fortune to buy it. I love the mental picture of your mom’s grinder attached to a kitchen chair. They were so creative back then, weren’t they?
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
Ham Salad! That sounds wonderful. You know, the older I get, the more these old recipes mean to me. It seems that for years I had left them behind, but now when I come across one tucked into a cookbook, or when someone in my family makes one of the oldies but goodies, I really enjoy them. And don’t get me going about the old grinder. What WAS I thinking when I got rid of that treasure? I hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Hi Adri – Sorry you got rid of your old grinder but I’m happy to read that I’m not the only one to do such a thing. I agree that those old recipes become more precious as the years go by. My mom’s cooking wasn’t fancy most of the time but it was made with such care and we all loved it.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
I make chicken/turkey/tuna salad but have never made ham salad! This piggy’s gonna give that a try:@)
I missed having a ham at Easter the past several years. My oldest daughter has decided it’s too fatty and salty for her 🙁 I need to bake a small ham for my husband and myself just so we can have split pea soup AND ham salad sandwiches. Love your recipes, Cathy.
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Ham Salad Sandwiches – Yum! That was always a treat after Easter for us, too, Cathy. Your grinder reminded me of the green mixing bowls my mom used. I had a set so many years ago and but did not keep them. They are a fond memory!
~Judy
JG recently posted..~Grilled Swordfish~
Ham salad brings back such fond memories for me. My mom made it a lot, it wasn’t an Easter event for us. I appreciate this recipe because I tried to recreate it a few weeks ago and it wasn’t just “right”. I’m thinking the Dijon is the trick. Pinned.
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) recently posted..Turkey Sloppy Joes, Is Ground Turkey Healthier than Ground Beef?
It’s amazing how delicious this simple recipe is, Lea Ann. I hope it is what you are looking for. I love it with plain old Ritz crackers.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
Love the color. I have some leftover ham this is waiting for. I love for and memory posts, especially holiday ones. Thanks!
Debra recently posted..Easter Ham
Your ham salad looks delicious Cathy. And I really like the homemade biscuits that you served it on. I have been experimenting with biscuits lately and am getting better at it. Some things just take practice. I love your tradition of ham salad and split pea soup after Easter.
Penny recently posted..Polynesian Meatballs
I haven’t had ham salad sandwiches in years. Now I think I would like some.
We don’t have ham on Easter, so no left overs, but occasionally I buy a thick slice
for breakfast and could buy some extra. Yummmmm!
Marilyn recently posted..Monday’s Quotes
I enjoyed this ham salad so much that I think I’ll make it again with a slice of ham. I would be happy to eat it all with a box of Ritz crackers. Not at all fancy but so darn good.
Cathy recently posted..Old Fashioned Ham Salad
Cathy, this looks delicious. I’ve been meaning to make a ham salad.
I have not had a good ham salad sandwich in years. These look wonderful. I’m going to have to try your recipe.
Eileen recently posted..Sunlit orchid…
Cathy, have not eaten this in years. Loved it as a child. So happy our blog has been mended. Happy Easter to you and your family.
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