This is my notion of comfort food at its finest: an old family recipe, not-so-good-for-you ingredients, and something that I crave approximately once a year, usually always during the winter. This past weekend the craving set in, after not having these since last January. The recipe for these sandwiches comes from a family member on my mom’s side, Sara, although I am unsure of how we are related. My mom just always referred to these as “Sara’s Ham BBQ Sandwiches”; she made them fairly frequently when we were kids, but then they disappeared out of her rotation. Last winter they suddenly popped into my head and I immediately had to have them, so I had my mom dig out the recipe. The craving was instantly satisfied and I was taken back to my childhood. They’re great for a Saturday or Sunday lunch, and especially good when you’re sitting down to watch sports, which might be why I’m always craving them smack dab in the middle of hockey season, right near the Super Bowl. My inner foodie/sports intuition at work, for sure 
Now, “chipped ham” is a very Pittsburgh thing, but I have found that in other areas of the country it is known as “chopped ham” or “chip-chop ham”. Basically, it’s deli ham meat that is almost shaved it’s so thin and in pieces. I usually always give it another coarse chop when I get it home since this sandwich is best when all of the pieces (ham, egg, and cheese) are cut into smaller, uniform pieces.
These are easy to throw together, which makes them perfect for serving a hungry crowd. Just mix together the sandwich ingredients, assemble them on the buns, wrap each one in foil and pop in the oven for 30 minutes. They come out warm, gooey thanks to the melted cheese, and with the buns having just a touch of crunch. They would be great for the Super Bowl, or any time you’re having some friends over and want something warm, but easy and casual.
Do you have any old favorite family recipes like this one? Maybe not the best for you, but one you crave every once and a great while?
Four years ago: Perfection Pound Cake
Chipped Ham BBQ Sandwiches
Yield: 12 sandwiches
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes
2 pounds chipped ham, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped small
8 ounces Velveeta cheese, diced small
1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
12 sandwich buns1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl mix together the chipped ham, eggs, cheese, and chili sauce, ensuring that the sauce evenly coats all of the other ingredients.
3. Divide the chipped ham mixture evenly between all of the buns. Wrap each one in foil, place on a tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until hot in the middle and the cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite chips.
Tags: Sandwiches, Super Bowl
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I can see why you crave this every once in awhile…that Velveeta cheese can sometimes really hit the spot. I have to admit that sometimes I crave the grilled cheese sandwiches that my grandmother used to make…she made them with Velveeta cheese too.
Not exactly sure where the BBQ comes from. Sound interesting but would have to do a name change since they don’t even get close to a BBQ pit.
it’s because the ham is mixed with BBQ sauce (chili sauce in this recipe)
It’s a ‘Burgh thing. We know it’s not true BBQ, but you’d have to change every church cookbook in western PA.
Definitely a ‘Burgh thing. It’s because of the sauce that gets mixed with the ham. In this particular recipe, it happens to be a chili sauce.
My mom would heat it with a jar of some no name BBQ sauce! No cheese or egg…yummy!
I go to a local WALMART here in central OHIO for Isalay’s chipped ham. We mixed it with ketchup and then heated it up. Mercy! I tend to forget about it since I normally
do not shop WALMART. This is a good reminder. Then CLARK bars for dessert which I can only find at a CRACKER BARREL!
My mom used to make a sauce with ketchup (Heinz of course!), mustard & butter. I made it that way for years. I remember the first time I asked for chipped ham out of state. I know I don’t have a third eye, but they sure looked at me like I did.
I agree, probably not the best for you, but what dish with ham is?
It looks amazing!
YUM. Sandwiches like this are my ultimate comfort food.
I bet my teenage boys would love these! You use Isaly’s ham?
Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely!
These sound SO good and different! this might be a good option for when my family is here this weekend.
These look so yummy and comforting!! I have never heard of Chipped Ham, but I am definitely trying it now!!
I love food that brings back so many memories. I have never heard of Chipped Ham, but you know I am looking for it when I go grocery shopping today!
I like the idea of cheese w/chipped ham bbq. We’ve never done it that way. My grandma made chipped ham bbq with beer, chopped pickle, worchestershire, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce in the sauce. That’s how dad did it, too, and how I do it. Served on a squishy white bun. But I think I need to add the cheese!
I love that everyone is referring to Isaly’s chipped ham – it’s my absolute favorite. I love being from Pittsburgh
This sounds simple and delicious, I’m definitely going to make this one afternoon before I head to class!
The second I saw the title of this post, I knew where you were from. It’s been soooo long since I’ve had a chipped ham sandwich:( Nothing like it!!
Yay! Love that a certain food can totally give away your birthplace!
My parents and extended family are from Pittsburgh, but I was born and raised in the South. It’s so funny to read this, because my dad LOVES these sandwiches. It IS a completely regional thing, though. We don’t have them here in VA. So whenever Dad is having a “chipped ham” or “jumbo” sandwich, I figure it’s his inner yinzer coming out.
Yessss jumbo! My personal favorite is a fried jumbo sandwich
Wow! Did this bring a rush of memories from childhood!!??!! I love chipped ham and haven’t had it since I moved from the northern panhandle of West Virginia, about 50 miles from Pittsburgh. We made chipped ham sandwiches on white bread with butter and ketchup! Was the best with a big glass of cold milk. Yum…..haven’t seen this on the west coast, the Pacific Northwest or the South….all places I’ve lived since moving from WV. Thanks for the memories!!
Oh my, this sounds delish! I think my Husband would love this! I think I am going to make these, but mini size, because I know I will want more then one!
My husband often talks about his mom making fried balonga, aka jumbo, sandwiches. We didn’t have those at our house, but we did have ham bbq’s just about every Sunday after church while watching the Steelers play. My mom’s sauce was so incredibly simple: equal parts of Heinz ketchup & Pepsi with a little pickle relish thrown in. To this day (20+years later) my close friend from college still makes my mom’s recipe for her kids. If you’re diabetic like she is, it’s easy to use Diet Pepsi. But always you must use Heinz ketchup & Isaly’s chipped ham for an authentic chipped ham bbq
As a HARRISBURG, PA native I’ve got to chime in and state that chipped ham is NOT exclusive to Pittsburgh. Harrisburg has it, too. That said, this looks yummy!
Never heard of chipped ham but it looks great!!
Oh my gosh!! Great minds and all that. I was craving these this weekend. Pulled out my Mom’s recipe (Pittsburgh born and bred) and made her chipped ham BBQ sauce, starting with ketchup (Heinz, of course), brown sugar, worchestershire sauce, cinnamon and pepper. They were great!
These reminded me of a bunch of (unhealthy) family food traditions. One sandwich my mom used to always make for us was cheese whiz and potato chip sandwiches on rye bread. Is that even food?!
I love the sound of these – comfort food at it’s finest!!
Just found your blog a week or so ago… love it… I am a Western PA girl now living in Central PA.. grew up with chipped ham cooked on the stove with butter. Yum. I cant really say that I crave that but I have fond memories of that and the white bread. We always had ham BBQ at family get togethers. In central PA, its all Pork BBQ. Thanks for sharing.
Chipped Ham….ahhh yes. I’m from Pittsburgh..I have fine memories of the stuff. My Mom used to make a Chipped Ham kinda salad stuff. Ahhhh memories!
Hi Michelle, I was just curious as to what bread and type of sauce you use?
Hi Brittney, I use Heinz Chili Sauce, and I think I bought Brownberry kaiser sandwich buns this time around. Usually I just grab a bag of buns that look good near the deli.
YUM! I’m not a huge fan of Velveeta – but sometimes it’s just right in certain things. I LOVE chipped ham! It’s my favorite way to have it. When I get meat at the deli here in Florida I ask for chipped EVERY TIME and have to explain it to them EVERY TIME!
Wow! That is Pgh. in a nutshell right there! I remember when my Mom used to make these on Saturdays for lunch (no cheese, though). Tasty sandwiches back then. I really miss our trips to Isaly’s too!
As soon as I saw your title for the post I thought “What a Burgh thing!”. Makes me miss home so much – I am dreaming of those chipped ham flavors now
(And some primantis & pierogies, too)
This is cool. My husband is from Pittsburgh and he makes the chipped ham bbq. He is always complaining though that here in Florida they don’t know how to chip the ham. I had never heard of this before I met him.
These do look like great game day sandwiches!!! Soccer is starting back up in Feb and we may need to have some of these!
Thanks for sharing!
OMG this looks and sounds delicious! I’ve never had chipped ham, chipped beef but they aren’t very similar in recipe. This sounds delicious, I’m going to have to look out for chipped ham, I could totally fall in love with this sandwich.
My aunt from Ohio always mades these “chip-chop ham” sandwiches for our big family reunion (about 50 ppl) that we have on the Chesapeake Bay every other year. There is no egg or cheese, but the chipped ham and homemade bbq sauce (ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar) ingredients are mixed in a couple crock pots and simmered. Then we make our own sandwiches as we go thru the line. Your recipe reminded me vividly of my dear aunt who is now fighting a hard battle with cancer.
Nothing like a chipped ham bbq or a fried jumbo sandwich along with a nice cold can of pop!! Thanks for the memories.
This looks yummy! We will definitely try this dish!
Never had these, but we made the same recipe using hot dogs (chopped), cheddar instead of Velveeta, and added a chopped onion. Put in hot dog rolls, wrap in foil and freeze/bake. They were called “Joan’s Hot Dogs,” since the recipe came from Joan. This was in Binghamton, NY
Our ‘burg recipe was ketchup, mustard, onion flakes, vinegar, brown sugar and water. We used to get the ham at Isley’s and of course, use Heinz ketchup! Still a favorite for my mother — she’ll eat these for days!
Just made these for lunch and they were very good. I particularly liked how the rolls crusted slightly when they were baked in the foil. When I make it again, I will only use about half the cheese and add some pickled jalapenos to the mixture. Tasty lunch option, thanks!
These sounds amazing! I’m in California and have never heard of chipped ham or seen it (but I’ve never looked for it). Would it be sort of the same as thin sliced ham lunch meat? I’d love to make this for lunch
Hi Tiffany, Definitely not the same as just thin-sliced ham lunch meat. I would ask the deli person for “chip chop ham” and I *think* that should work, although I can’t vouch for other areas of the country since it’s so common around here!
Don’t know where you got this receipt but my mom used Hinze sauce with onion and chipped ham…..no cheese or egg…..most Saturdays this was on the stove……
Now that is one nice looking sandwich!
I was visiting in Georgia and stopped at the deli in one of the supermarkets and asked for chipped ham, rather than admit she did’t know what I wanted, she replied ” We got some in, but it was bad , so we had to send it back” I told her to
shave the ham so you could see through it. She asked what I was going to do with it, so I gave her a quick explanation. She just shook her head and tried to slice the ham. I just kept saying thinner…thinner ! They also have no idea what jumbo is !
Made these sandwiches! We loved them. I will for sure make them again. Thanks for sharing.
holy way back machine, batman! These take me back to grade school! I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a ham BBQ sandwich, but I think I’m going to need to make these up this weekend. thanks for the reminder of my Pittsburgh roots!