This recipe is one my mom has made forever. She fixes it for family get-togethers, and when our family reunions were potlucks, she always took these and would come home with an empty dish. When my sons come to visit and I ask them what they want me to fix, if it’s not taco salad, it’s these ham balls.

These are super easy to make, and they freeze beautifully (now I sound like Anell on Steel Magnolias…”I want something that freezes beautifully”), but it’s true. Make a full-size batch of ham balls, and if you don’t need them all at once, place them in Ziploc freezer bags and pull them out as you need. When the boys come to visit, I need the entire recipe, but since it’s just me at home, being able to just grab a few from the freezer makes a quick dinner without a lot of leftovers.

The original recipe my mom used was from a 1964 cookbook my hometown church published, and I got a copy of that cookbook plus the added 1984 version when I graduated from high school. My copy is well worn and has a few stains in it – a good sign that there are plenty of good recipes within the pages.

Ham Balls

2 pounds ground ham

1 pound ground lean pork

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (plain flavor if you can find them)

2 eggs, well beaten

3/4 cup milk

For the Sauce:

1 can tomato soup

1-1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all ingredients for the ham balls together and mix thoroughly. Scoop into 1-2/ cup measure (I use a large cookie scoop) and form into balls. Place in a greased baking pan.

Combine all ingredients with the sauce in a large bowl, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Drain any grease that may form. Pour sauce over ham balls and bake for another 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Yield: About 18 ham balls

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