Ham Loaf

Ham Loaf is a delicious meat loaf made with a combination of ground ham and ground pork and smothered with an apricot glaze.
(Originally published 4/22/21 and updated for content 7/30/24)

If you like this recipe, check out my Pork Stroganoff and Air Fryer Meatloaf next!

I remember my Mom liking ham loaf. If you aren’t familiar, ham loaf is a meatloaf. But instead of being made with ground beef it is made with a combination of pork and ham. A local meat market near my hometown makes good ham loaves, but I’ve never tried them. So in memory of my Mom, I made a good ham loaf recipe from scratch. I am really impressed with how this meatloaf made with ground pork and ground ham turned out. It’s tender, juicy, sweet and savory. It was a favorite of hers and it might become one of your family favorites too.

More recipes with ground pork

• Ground Pork Tacos
• Ravioli Lasagna 
• BBQ Pork Burgers

Ingredients for old fashioned ham loaf recipe

Loaf Ingredients

• Ground Pork – Find ground pork in your grocery store meat section with the other packaged cuts of pork, not with the sausage.
• Deli Ham – I used sliced ham from the deli and then ground it up in my food processor. You could purchase ham steaks instead. Or this is a great way to use up leftover holiday ham.
• Panko Breadcrumbs – I love the crispy texture of Panko bread crumbs. You could use an equal amount of cracker crumbs if you prefer.
• Mayonnaise – Helps to bind the ham loaf mixture together and keep it tender and juicy as it bakes.
• Soy Sauce – Gives the ham loaf good umami flavor.
• Dried Onion Flakes – I like the convenience of dried onion, but you could choose to use 1/4 cup of fresh chopped onion instead. Just be sure and chop it really fine.
• Dried Parsley – If you choose to use fresh parsley instead, increase the amount to one tablespoon.
• Garlic Powder – I like the mellow flavor of garlic powder. You can use one fresh minced garlic clove if you prefer.
• Paprika – Use sweet or smoked paprika, whichever you have on hand.
• Salt and Pepper

Glaze Ingredients

• Apricot Jam – The key ingredient in my glaze. I really love the flavor of apricot with pork. Other good choices would be peach butter, apple jelly or even orange marmalade.
• Brown Sugar – I personally love a meatloaf with a sweet glaze on it.
• Yellow Mustard – Gives a little bright, zingy flavor to the sweet glaze.

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo with the soy sauce and all the meatloaf seasonings. Crumble the ground pork and chopped ham over the seasonings and then lightly mix it all together with your hands or a spatula until well combined. Transfer the meat mixture to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Form it into a large loaf shape and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together the apricot jam, brown sugar and mustard until smooth. Microwave for a few seconds if necessary. Brush the glaze evenly on top of the baked meatloaf and return it to the oven to bake an additional 15 minutes. Be sure the meatloaf is at least 160 degrees F before removing it from the oven.

Pro tips

• Use a small food processor to finely chop the deli ham. Or if you have a meat grinder attachment for your Kitchen Aid mixer use that to grind up the ham. That’s how my Mom used to prepare her ham for making ham salad.
• Bake the meatloaf on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper for no sticking and ease of cleanup. You can also line the pan with aluminum foil if that’s what you have on hand.
• The ham loaf must be baked until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Be sure and check your loaf in several places with an instant-read thermometer.

Serving suggestions

I love mashed potatoes and some sort of vegetable like green beans with meatloaf. Here’s some of my other recipes that would go great with this ham loaf to make it a complete meal –

• Cheesy Potatoes
• Spinach Strawberry Salad
• Apple Dapple Cake

Storage directions

Store any leftover ham loaf in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. I like to label my leftovers with the date so that there’s no question if it might be spoiled. You can also freeze the cooked meatloaf for up to one month.

Kitchen tools

• This is my favorite (and inexpensive) instant read digital meat thermometer.
• Parchment paper for lining your sheet pan
• Use a small silicone pastry brush to help brush the glaze onto the ham loaf

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More ham recipes

• Air Fryer Ham Steaks
• Fried Rice with Ham and Pineapple
• Clubhouse Sandwich