Chipped Ham BBQ Sandwiches
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.
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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
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) chipped ham, chopped
- 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped small
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) Velveeta cheese, diced small
- 12 ounces (340.2 ml) chili sauce
- 12 sandwich buns
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- 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.
- 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.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
really good
Hi from WI!
Unless I am not finding the correct recipe on your blog, I am not seeing what I temember as chipped ham BBQ. The one I read here was popular at teen parties in the 70s, …without the chili sauce.
I was thinking this would have a tomato-y, Swedish sauce, with ketchup and brown sugar as ingredients. So if you have a recipe for that particular sandwich, this former Pittsburgher would appreciate it!
Keep warm!
Hi Mary Lou, Ahhh unfortunately this is the only chipped ham BBQ sandwich recipe that I have!
So in the Burg, we call these Drunken Bum sandwiches but you add mayo to the chili sauce, use shredded cheddar mix it all together, and use English muffins instead of bun…Its the best day after sandwich ever!!!
My parents were from the Pittsburgh area (they both went to Slippery Rock) and we grew up with BBQ chipped ham sandwiches made with ham from Isaly’s! There’s nothing like it.
You got that right we didn’t make ours with eggs and cheese
Hi, I found your Blog today and I so happy that I did. I am from New Castle, PA, 50 miles Northwest of Pittsburgh. I found a butcher, here in Southern California, who’s wife is from Pittsburgh and he had Chopped Ham in his meat case and he would chip it for me. When he retired, I ordersd it from Pittsburgh, but I haven’t ordered it in about a year. Upon reading your recipe, I have to have it, like RIGHT NOW. Tomorrow, I will order it and I will be enjoying your recipe on Thursday!! Love your blog!!!!
Hi Thelma, Always great to hear from people from Pittsburgh! Enjoy the recipes! :)
Just ran across this, had to add this comment. When working at a hospital in Virginia, our new medical records director (who happened to grow up in Pittsburgh) brought lunch in for us one day. It was chipped ham with BBQ sauce made in the crock pot to keep it warm and served on buns. She was really surprised that those of us who grew up in the south had never had this type of BBQ. We were a little skeptical, but it was really good. This was 25 years ago or more and you just brought back a dusty, old memory. Now I’ve got a craving to make this for myself. They don’t have the ham here that you talk about, but I’m guessing that a regular deli ham will do just fine if they slice it right. Your sandwich with the egg and cheese looks good too, I’ll have to try it. Love your blog!/bj
My mom/family calls them slop sandwiches XD and we make them in hotdog buns. I am seriously craving them and I tried to tell other people about them but how do you explain this to people who don’t even know what chipped ham is? This is the first time I’ve seen a recipe (my mom just throws it together from memory) and I had to google all the ingredients just to find it XD thanks for posting it.
I had no clue when I moved thousands of miles from pittsburgh that chipped ham was an unknown meat! The first time I went to the grocery store they thought I was crazy….I went home sad and then realized if I have them cut it as thin as possible I could make it work. This is an all time Favorite and have never tried with Cheese but I am going to give it a try! I love making this for friends too…all time pittsburgh favorite….after Primanti’s of course! Thanks for the idea!!
I’m from Canton, OH and we grew up on Isaly’s chip chopped ham sandwiches. My Aunt or Grandma would throw it in the crockpot with a jar of Isaly’s barbeque sauce on Sundays and we would have it for lunch or dinner while watching football. They were served on soft white hamburger buns with candied dill pickle slices. Also nothing better than chip chopped ham on a bagel with cream cheese!
I knew you had to be from Pittsburgh when I saw the chipped ham bbq sandwiches. I now live in Virginia and my friends are always amazed at our cookie tables for weddings and graduation parties. Lady locks..who doesn’t love those!!!!
Native Pittsburgher here! I’m really impressed that this is the most tweeted article for this last week. I’ve always stayed with the classic Isaly’s version but yours looks very tasty.
I make these but I have the Deli shave the ham and I add Heinz ketchup, sweet relish, brown sugar to taste and if desired a little mustard. Heat all till hot serve on buns. Very fast cheap meal. I also use deli boiled ham because of the high fat in the chopped ham! Not bad!
This is definitely a burg thing as you cannot find chipped ham out side of western Pa. I’ve lived in several states now after growing up in western Pa and if you ask for it in the grocery store they think you are crazy.
wooow thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made them yesterday night and invited my friends over. know what? they loved them :D
btw I’m from Argentina and last week found out about your blog! since then I can´t stop cooking haha
I am going to first make the DIY American cheese tonight and then make this recipe!!
I was so stoked to see this recipe on your page! My husband is from Pittsburgh and when he first asked me if I knew how to make a chipped ham sandwich I looked at him like he was from outer space. I’m born and raised Socal girl, no one here even knows what chipped ham is (I did learn I could get shaved ham which is the closest thing I’ve found out here). I will be making him this recipe within the week, can’t wait! Thank you so much!
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!
Made these sandwiches! We loved them. I will for sure make them again. Thanks for sharing.
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 !
Now that is one nice looking sandwich!
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……
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 :D
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!
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!
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!
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
This looks yummy! We will definitely try this dish!
Nothing like a chipped ham bbq or a fried jumbo sandwich along with a nice cold can of pop!! Thanks for the memories.
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.
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.