Deviled ham salad DSC6007

Deviled ham salad

After a full day in the kitchen, I like to take a walk to clear my head. On a recent stroll, I spotted a friend holding court in a neighborhood Southern restaurant. He had just moved to New York and as I hadn’t seen him in a while, I popped inside and said howdy. We decided to order some light snacks and saw deviled tasso listed on the menu. What’s that, we wondered? We ordered it and after one bite, I realized it was nothing more than a variation on my old favorite, deviled ham.

Deviled ham also made an appearance at a Derby Day party. A friend had found a can of Underwood’s Deviled Ham and brought it to share with the other guests. She’d never eaten it before but was intrigued by the iconic white can with the grinning devil. (Does anyone know what deviled, when applied to food, actually means?) I hadn’t seen that can in years, but I instantly remembered how much I loved deviled ham and pickle sandwiches when I was young. I decided it was time to make a batch of my own.

I didn’t have to look far for a recipe.

Deviled ham salad | Homesick Texan

At Christmas, my cousin Susan brought her famous ham salad to our family gathering and the big bowl of it was gone in about a minute. We spread it on buttery crackers, a perfect vehicle for the ham salad that was filled with flavors spicy, tangy and sweet.

I asked her for the recipe and she laughed and said she didn’t have one. Of course, she didn’t! That happens so often in my family—we just throw together ingredients and taste until everything is balanced. And I’m not complaining—that’s certainly my favorite way to cook.

She did, however, give me her list of ingredients. There was ham, of course, along with pickles, mustard, and peppers. And like a detective I took these clues and tried to solve the mystery of her famous ham salad. It actually wasn’t difficult—if you have any experience making protein-based salads such as tuna salad, chicken salad or even pimento cheese, you get a feel for how much of each ingredient should belong. This time, however, I kept notes of just how much I was adding so I could pass it on to you.

Deviled ham salad | Homesick Texan

Ham salad is versatile as you can stuff it into celery, spread it on crackers, scoop it onto an iceberg wedge, or layer it on buttered bread. And while it’s perfect for warm days, I find that it’s pretty much appreciated at any time of year.

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4.67 from 3 votes

Deviled ham salad

Servings 8
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped ham
  • 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
  • 1 large dill pickle, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded, stemmed, and diced
  • 3 tablespoons mayo
  • 3 tablespoons mustard
  • 1 teaspoon pickle juice
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  • In a food processor, mix all the ingredients together until blended but not too smooth as you want a bit of texture. Taste and adjust any seasoning or add more mayonnaise and mustard if you like. Keeps in the refrigerator for a few days.

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55 Comments

  1. Ham salad, whoopee! I live in Maine, where nobody under the age of 60 will admit to enjoying chopped-up ham mixed with mayo, and my life is sadder for it.

  2. Anonymous says:

    This recipe looks good. I am sorry if someone already mentioned this, but my mother would add a few ground peanuts to the mixture, or less than a tablespoon of peanut butter. This creates or enhances a smoky flavor, without making it taste like peanut butter. Anonymous West Virginian.

  3. Mom would make us deviled ham sandwiches, for school lunches, from the can or minced, then combined with chopped sweet or dill pickles and mayonnaise, sometimes chopped cheddar. I am 82, loved them all those many years ago and STILL love 'em!!

  4. Expat, and glad of it says:

    I live in Santiago, Chile. Some few days ago, I was browsing the local supermarket’s internet offerings for “jamon” when suddenly a barely-recalled white can appeared! Immediately, I ordered one,, a package of cream cheese, and the local equivalent of saltines. When they arrived, I sat me down in a Swedish leather recliner and GOBBLED it all down! Though I’m a born-and-bred New England elitist, I love Underwood ‘s.
    Oh, incidentally, I will use your recipe for my wife’s and my 50th wedding anniversary. Alas that June is chilly Down Here.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Expat–What a great story! Happy 50th anniversary and may y’all enjoy the deviled ham salad!