Bourbon Ham Balls

Name: Bourbon Ham Balls
Prep time: 1 h 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.
Ingredients: 2 pounds fully cooked boneless ham; 1 thick boneless pork loin chop (8 ounces); 1/2 pound bacon strips; 1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs; 1 cup 2% milk; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; Oil for frying; SAUCE:; 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup white vinegar; 1/2 cup bourbon; 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

Grandma Nette was the queen of ham ball recipes. I make them salty-sweet with a bourbon and vinegar kick. Serve them alone, in a sandwich or over pasta or rice. —Kimla Carsten, Grand Junction, Colorado

Ingredients

2 pounds fully cooked boneless ham
1 thick boneless pork loin chop (8 ounces)
1/2 pound bacon strips
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1 cup 2% milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Oil for frying
SAUCE:
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup bourbon
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

Directions

Cut ham, pork chop and bacon into 1-in. pieces; arrange in a single layer in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. pan. Freeze 30 minutes or until partially frozen.
Preheat oven to 350°. Transfer meat to a food processor in batches; pulse until coarsely ground, 20-24 pulses. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, milk and eggs. Add pork mixture; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 in. of oil over medium heat. Add ham balls in batches; cook 3-4 minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.
In a large bowl, whisk sauce ingredients; reserve 1 cup for serving. Add ham balls to remaining sauce, a few at a time, allowing ham balls to soak 1-2 minutes. Transfer ham balls to a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through, brushing occasionally with remaining sauce from soaking. Serve with reserved sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 ham ball with 1 teaspoon sauce: 138 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 27mg cholesterol, 276mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 6g protein.

Originally published as Bourbon Ham Balls in Taste of Home November 2015

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loudone

Feb 14, 2016

Oh my goodness...these Bourbon Ham Balls are wonderful! I took them as an appetizer to my neighborhood Valentines Day wine tasting and they were the hit of the evening! I highly recommend this recipe!