Vintage Leftover Ham Recipes Using Ground Ham

Ever heard of ground ham? I hadn’t until I started getting into vintage cookbooks, now I’m obsessed with it.

At first, I thought they meant Spam or something, but after some research, I learned ground ham was super popular in the midcentury, and it’s kind of brilliant. It’s just what it sounds like, cooked ham, ground up like hamburger, and it’s an amazing way to use leftover ham. You can use it so many ways, in so many dishes.

It basically melts into hot dishes, adding a delicious umami salty sweetness that is versatile and really addicting. I don’t know why it fell out of popularity, but you can’t find it anywhere anymore. Fortunately, it’s super easy to make your own if you have a meat grinder. I think it would be possible to get close in a food processor, but it can get a little pasty if you’re not careful, so a meat grinder is the way to go if it’s an option.

I made three recipes this week that all use ground ham, which is perfect timing because you probably have some leftover ham in the fridge right now, and as delicious as ham sandwiches are, you may be wanting to mix things up a bit. So, try out some vintage recipes that will use up the last of that Easter ham in a super unique way.