Pineapple Glazed Ham Balls

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5 from 2 votes

Pineapple Glazed Ham Balls

This is a retro recipe that was popular in the 50’s. It was surprisingly tasty and would be great at a tiki party

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 15

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Meat & Poultry: pork

Servings:

Calories: 363kcal

Author: Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

Food processor
9” x 13” baking dish
Saucepan

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 ½ lb. ham chopped into cubes
¾ lb. ground pork
⅓ cup onion minced
1 cup panko
2 eggs
¼ tsp ginger
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
¼ tsp pepper

For the Glaze

1 cup crushed pineapple
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp dry mustard
¼ cup lime jelly
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Process ham and ground pork in a food processor over low speed until coarsely ground (do not puree). Place meat mixture in large bowl with the rest of the meatball ingredients and mix well with hands or sturdy spoon to combine.
1 1/2 lb. ham, 3/4 lb. ground pork, 1/3 cup onion, 1 cup panko, 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, 1/4 tsp pepper
Use hands to form meatballs approximately 2-inches in diameter.
Arrange meatballs in baking dish and place in the oven without glaze for 20 minutes
While the meatballs are cooking make the glaze by mixing all of the glaze ingredients except the corn starch in a small pot over a medium-high burner.
Bring to a boil.
1 cup crushed pineapple, 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp dry mustard, 1/4 cup lime jelly, 1/4 cup brown sugar
Whisk in the corn starch/water solution and simmer at a low boil 1-2 minutes.
1 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water
Pour the glaze over the meatballs, coating them well. Continue to cook at 350, basting with the glaze every 20 minutes.
Meatballs should be done after 1 hour total cooking time. If you want to test internal temperature it should read around 165 degrees.

Video

Notes

**Note: This recipe would be easy to adapt to a crockpot for party appetizers. If you want to get really retro, serve each meatball inside of a pineapple ring.

Ingredients for a Modern Mai Tai:

- 1 oz. Meyers rum (dark rum)

- 1 oz. light rum (I used Cruzan)

- 1 oz. coconut water

- 1 oz. pineapple juice

- 1 1/2 oz. ginger lime syrup (you can use any other simple syrup here)

- 1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice (or 2 lime wedges squeezed into shaker)

- 2 dashes bitters

- 3 drops orange blossom water (or orgeat syrup)

- stick of sugar cane or lime wedges for garnish

Nutrition