The Easiest And Most Delicious Iowa Ham Balls Recipe

If you are a fan of Iowa cooking, you must have tasted the delicious ham balls of Iowa. They are the best. Cooking Ham Balls in your Instant Pot or slow cooker are straightforward hands-off approaches to making this Iowa Classic dinner. I will provide you with an easy and delicious recipe for Iowa Ham Balls. 

Iowa Has several culinary classics it is known for. Every summer, we buy fresh and local sweet corn, We all love a gooey sweet cinnamon roll with a piping hot bowl of chili, pork tenderloin sandwiches, loose meat sandwiches,  and everyone loves the Hot Beef Sundae from the Iowa State Fair!

But one Iowa Classic you may not have heard of unless you have spent significant time in the state is Iowa Ham Balls. Did you know that we have more pigs than people here in Iowa?

Ham balls are sweet meatballs made of leftover ham, ground pork, club crackers, and graham crackers. They can be slow-cooked or baked, but I will instruct you to pressure cook or slow cook this delicious dinner!

Ingredients

ground ham

ground pork

eggs

graham cracker crumbs

club butter crackers

minced onion

milk

Glaze

Canned tomato soup

brown sugar

white vinegar

Equipment 

Food Processor

Pressure cooker or slow cooker

Trivet that comes with your Instant Pot

baking dish if you want to cook them in the oven before serving.

A few recipe notes 

* Some Ham ball recipes call for ground beef as well. If you have some handy, you can add it to your ham ball mixture. If you add ground beef, do one part pork, one part ham, and one part beef.  

* Ham balls can also be made into a ham loaf, form a loaf using the mixture and cook it just like you would a meatloaf  

* Many butcher shops in Iowa ( Fareway) sell cooked off-the-bone ham by the pound. There is no need to purchase an entire ham to make ham balls!

Side Dish Ideas

Rice

Mac and cheese 

any roasted vegetable 

5 from 2 votes

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Instant Pot Iowa Ham Balls

If you are a fan of Iowa cooking, then you must have tasted the delicious ham balls of Iowa. They are the best. Cooking Ham Balls in your Instant Pot is a straightforward hands-off approach to making this Iowa Classic dinner. I will provide you with an easy and delicious recipe for Iowa Ham Balls. 

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Dinner, Iowa, Ham, Midwest, Instant Pot

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground ham
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup crushed club cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup milk

Glaze

• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix ground pork, ground ham, eggs, milk, crushed graham crackers, crushed crackers, and onion. Form 2-inch balls.

2. At the bottom of your Instant Pot, add ingredients for the glaze. Tomato soup, 1 cup of water, brown sugar, and vinegar. Whisk glaze together.

3. Set the trivet on top of the glaze. Add Ham Balls on the top of the trivet.

4. Secure and lock the Instant Pot lid. Set the pressure release valve to "sealing."

5. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-Release the pressure.

6. Remove the ham balls and place them in a dish. Pour the sauce on top.

7. Broil the Ham balls in the oven for 3-4 minutes.

8. Serve

Slow Cooker Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix ground pork, ground ham, eggs, milk, crushed graham crackers, crushed crackers, and onion. Form 2-inch balls.

2. Place the Ham balls in your slow cooker.

3. Mix the ingredients for your glaze. Tomato soup, 1 cup of water, brown sugar, and vinegar. Whisk glaze together.

4. Pour glaze over the Ham balls.

5. Cook on low for 4-6 hours

6. Serve