Ham Loaf — The Quiet Season Supper That Carries You to Spring

Winter. Winter quiet, journal writing on Sunday mornings, white bean soup. The cold months in Louisiana, which are not truly cold by any northern standard but which feel cold to a people who consider sixty degrees a personal affront. The sweaters come out. The gumbo goes on. The comfort food fills the house with the smell of the stove at work, and the stove at work is the heart of the house beating, and the beating is steady, and the steady is the grace.

This is the quiet part of the year, the pause between the holidays and the crawfish, the inhale before the exhale, the resting note in the song. And the resting is necessary because the singing is coming — March and the crawfish and the azaleas and the pit firing up and the neighborhood gathering and the whole loud, beautiful, cayenne-scented life roaring back to full volume. Rest now. Cook now. The roar is coming.

That quiet between the holidays and the crawfish — that’s when I want something in the oven, something that fills the house and gives the stove a reason to beat steady. White beans are my Sunday answer, but on weeknights, it’s this ham loaf that does the work: simple, unhurried, the kind of supper that asks nothing of you except to sit down and receive it. It fits the resting season perfectly — all the warmth of the kitchen without the roar.

Ham Loaf

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min | Total Time: 1 hr 30 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground ham
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• For the glaze:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp dry mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Mix the loaf. In a large bowl, combine ground ham, ground pork, beaten eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, onion, black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until just combined — do not overwork the meat.
3. Shape. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan or shape into a free-form loaf on the baking sheet. Pat it even and smooth the top.
4. Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and dry mustard. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
5. Glaze and bake. Spoon half the glaze over the top of the loaf. Bake for 45 minutes, then spoon the remaining glaze over the top and bake for an additional 25–30 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the glaze is caramelized.
6. Rest and serve. Let the ham loaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm alongside white beans, roasted vegetables, or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 980mg