Ham Barbecue is thin chipped chopped ham simmered in a sweet and tangy homemade sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, yellow mustard and onion powder, then piled onto Kaiser rolls. It’s a Pittsburgh sandwich made for picnics, weeknight dinners and group get-togethers. One pound of ham makes 4 sandwiches in about 30 minutes.
How to make it: Stir the sauce together in a large bowl, fold in the ham, and heat it in a large skillet over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until a thermometer reads 165°F. Serve it on rolls right away, or keep it hot in a preheated slow cooker.
Why You’ll Love It
- 30 minutes: one bowl for the sauce, one skillet to heat it.
- Pantry sauce: ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and onion powder.
- Made for a crowd: it holds well in a slow cooker for picnics and parties.
- Easy to scale: double or triple the ham and sauce for a group.
Ingredient Notes
Chipped chopped ham: 1 pound. It’s ham shaved paper-thin, so it soaks up the sauce. Thin-sliced deli ham works too (see below).
Brown sugar and ketchup: 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups ketchup make the sweet base.
Apple cider vinegar: 1/4 cup for tang.
Worcestershire, yellow mustard and onion powder: 1 tablespoon of each.
Salt and black pepper: to taste.
Kaiser rolls: for serving. Potato rolls or hamburger buns also work.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chipped chopped ham
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Kaiser rolls, for serving
How to Make Ham Barbecue
1. Make the sauce. In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper.
2. Add the ham. Stir the chipped chopped ham into the sauce.
3. Heat on the stove. Put the ham and sauce in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through and a food thermometer reads 165°F.
4. Keep it warm. If you are not serving right away, move the hot ham to a preheated slow cooker and keep it at 140°F or warmer until ready to serve.
5. Serve. Serve on Kaiser rolls.
Which Ham to Use
Chipped chopped ham is what this recipe uses. It’s shaved so thin that it breaks into soft, saucy shreds in the pan.
Thin-sliced deli ham works the same way:
- Chopped: cut 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of deli ham into small pieces, brown it 2 to 3 minutes over medium-low heat, then stir it into the sauce and cook on low about 5 minutes, until it reaches 165°F.
- Separated slices: pull apart 1 1/2 pounds of thin-sliced ham in a large skillet, pour the sauce over, bring it to a bubble over medium-high heat, then cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes on medium-low, stirring a couple of times. For a thicker sauce, stir in a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold water.
Whichever you use, go by the thermometer, not the color. The ham darkens as the sauce cooks onto it, but 165°F is the test.
Serving Ham Barbecue to a Crowd
This is party food, so how you hold it matters:
- Heat first, then hold. Bring it to 165°F on the stove, then move it to a slow cooker that’s already hot. Keep it at 140°F or warmer.
- Don’t use the slow cooker to reheat. Cold leftovers warm up too slowly in it. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, then transfer.
- Watch the clock outdoors. Don’t leave it out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 90°F, like a summer picnic. After that, throw it out.
You can also make it in the slow cooker from the start: cut 2 pounds of sliced ham into halves or quarters, cover it with the sauce and cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours, until it reaches 165°F.
Toppings and Rolls
- Cheese: a slice of cheddar or provolone, melted under the broiler on the bun.
- Pickles: sliced dill pickles add crunch.
- Rolls: Kaiser rolls, potato rolls or toasted hamburger buns.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days. Store the ham and the rolls separately.
Freezer: Freeze the ham in sauce for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat covered on the stove, bringing the sauce to a rolling boil, until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
For a picnic spread, add layered pasta salad, easy creamy corn casserole or baked zucchini fries.
More sandwiches: slow cooker Amish beef sloppy joes and cold ham salad. For another ham dinner, try crock pot ham and beans.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an easy recipe for a ham barbecue?
Stir ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard and onion powder together, add chipped ham, and heat it on the stove to 165°F. Serve on rolls.
Does barbecue sauce go with ham?
Yes. A sweet and tangy ketchup-based sauce with brown sugar and vinegar is exactly what this sandwich is built on.
What goes with ham barbecue?
Pasta salad, corn casserole, fries, pickles and cheese on the bun.
How do I barbecue a whole ham?
This recipe is a stovetop sandwich filling. For a whole ham, cook uncooked ham to 145°F and rest 3 minutes; reheat fully cooked ham to 140°F if it’s packaged in a USDA-inspected plant, or 165°F otherwise.
Can I keep it warm in a slow cooker?
Yes, once it’s heated to 165°F on the stove. Keep it at 140°F or warmer.
Final Notes
Mix the sauce, heat the ham, and pile it high on soft rolls. If you add cheese and pickles, tell me in the comments how you liked it.
Ham Barbecue
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Ingredients
- 1 pound chipped chopped ham
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- Kaiser rolls for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Stir the chipped chopped ham into the sauce.
- Put the ham and sauce in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through and a food thermometer reads 165°F.
- If you are not serving right away, move the hot ham to a preheated slow cooker and keep it at 140°F or warmer until ready to serve.
- Serve on Kaiser rolls.
