There have been at least three ham salads at our family reunions since as far back as I can remember. Mom and Aunt Bertha always brought a big bowl full, but what I remember most was Uncle Henry’s ham salad.
When I was about seven or eight years old, I remember sitting with him at his kitchen table as he carefully cut onions and peppers. Each piece had to be equal in size. Mama said it was ridiculous to go to such an extreme and that there was no sense in being so picky.
However, at each family reunion, Uncle Henry’s ham salad was the first to go and pretty soon I began to believe that Mom and Aunt Bertha were jealous; because they were both very defensive about it saying things like, “Ham salad is ham salad, and ours tastes just as good as his.
Nevertheless, Uncle Henry’s ham salad was awesome and I was one of the ones who flocked around the bowl to get my share. No offense to Mom and Aunt Bertha because they both made a great ham salad, but Uncle Henry’s simply tasted better.
As a kid, I wasn’t interested in recipes. I just knew his ham salad was better. But as I approached adulthood, I asked Uncle Henry why his ham salad tasted so much better. He said he used only the best ingredients and that each and every ingredient was measured precisely and every piece was cut equally so that all of the flavors blended well.
He also said that he had offered to teach Mom and Aunt Bertha his method, but they refused. I told him I’d love to learn his secret method. He said it was no secret and that every good cook knows that a carefully followed recipe yields the best results.
Uncle Henry’s ham salad
2 pounds of chopped smoked ham
2 & 1/4 cups of Hellmann’s real mayonnaise
1/2 cup of chopped sweet red peppers
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of sweet pickle relish with pimentos
1/2 teaspoon of French’s yellow mustard
1/3 cup of chopped Spanish onions
1 & 1/2 teaspoon of regular table salt
1/2 teaspoon of finely ground black pepper
It usually took Mama about thirty minutes to make her ham salad, but it took Uncle Henry two hours! I sat at his kitchen table and watched him cut the onions and peppers, and he made absolutely sure that each piece was the exact same size. Then I watched him measure the ingredients, leveling off each one and setting it aside.
Hellmann’s real mayonnaise was the only mayonnaise he would use and he said it was the best tasting of them all. He’d fold the ingredients into the mayonnaise first, making a sauce, then he would fold the ham into it.
He said that one of the most important things to remember was that the ham salad should be refrigerated twenty four hours before serving, turning it occasionally to blend all of the flavors. He always made it the day before the family reunion.
Mom and Aunt Bertha finally swallowed their pride and admitted that their ham salad paled in comparison to Uncle Henry’s, but they still agree that the time it took to make it wasn’t worth it. However, I and many others, disagree. If you want the best ham salad you’ve ever tasted, try making it Uncle Henry’s way.
Uncle Henry is with the Lord Jesus now, but his ham salad will always be a legend in our family. I have learned how to make it and will teach my kids as well, making sure they always give Uncle Henry credit for the recipe.
Mom’s Ham Salad Recipe:
2 pounds of chopped smoked ham
2 cups of Miracle Whip
1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of sweet pickle relish
1/3 cup of chopped sweet onions
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
Aunt Bertha’s Ham Salad Recipe:
2 pounds of chopped smoked ham
2 cups of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of chopped sweet red peppers
1/4 cup of chopped bell peppers
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of sweet pickle relish
1/3 cup of chopped green onions
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
