This easy chipped ham barbecue recipe is a classic Pittsburgh dish made by home cooks for picnics, everyday dinners, and group functions. A tangy delicious treat that can be kept warm in a slow cooker for hours making this an easy option for parties or busy moms.
Growing up in Pittsburgh I've had my share of ham barbecue sandwiches. These were a staple for picnics and birthday parties. They were also popular lunches and could be found frequently in Pittsburgh's school cafeterias.
Maybe you've had ham barbecue sandwiches too. However, I doubt they were exactly the same. After all, you can find these yummy ham sandwiches throughout Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and parts of Ohio.
The Key to Chipped Ham Barbecue Sandwiches
The key ingredient and I've never seen this anywhere else, is the chipped chopped ham. Pittsburgh is famous for its "Chipped Chopped Ham." The key ingredient and I've never seen this anywhere else, is the chipped chopped ham. Pittsburgh is famous for its "Chipped Chopped Ham." Typically found in the deli as Isaly's chipped ham. Isaly's was a PA local dairy chain famous for chipped chopped ham and barbecue sauce. The stores no longer exist but you can buy the ham and sauce in the grocery stores and online.
What is Chipped Chopped Ham?
It's a type of luncheon meat made up of parts, somewhat like a hotdog, chunks of ham, and seasonings that are ground up and then pressed into a loaf. This chopped ham is then chipped or shaved into thin slices. I remember my mother liked to eat it with yellow mustard on white bread. However, most of the time I think of it as part of ham bbq sandwiches.
I made my own barbecue sauce for this recipe but back in the day, you could buy it bottled from Islays and can sometimes still find it near local grocery store's cold-cuts.
It couldn't be easier. Just mix up the barbecue sauce with the ham and heat it.
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Many people like to cook it and keep it warm in a slow cooker. This is especially great for parties and watching football games. This way people can go serve themselves as they like.
If you can't find chopped ham in your grocery store just order Virginia ham and ask the deli person to chip or shave the ham razor thin. Not quite the same but still pretty good.
I confess that I haven't had a bbq chipped ham sandwich for a while. However, it all came back rushing back with warm and fuzzy feelings when I made some for dinner recently. Tangy, juicy comfort food, oh so good!
Chipped Ham Barbecue Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of Chipped Chopped Ham
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1.5 cup Ketchup Heinz is best
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
Instructions
- Make a bbq sauce by combining the brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper, mustard, and onion powder together in a large bowl.
- Stir the chipped chopped ham in with the sauce.
- Heat the ham and barbecue sauce on the stove in a large skillet or pan at medium heat until warmed through about 15-20 minutes.
- Keep warm in a slow cooker until ready to serve.
- Serve on Kaiser rolls.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Donna Walsh
I am starting a sandwich street vendor cart as well as catering. We will be selling these ham sandwiches as no one has ever heard about them in Las Vegas! Just looking for authentic sides to sell along with the sandwich! Made these when I was in high school in Calif. EVERYONE loved them!
Patti Estep
What a great idea Donna. Best of luck with your new venture.
Doug MacDonald
This recipe is spot on to what I grew up eating in Pittsburgh. I hosted a Steelers watch party on the west coast and my guests loved these sandwiches.
Patti Estep
Glad you like it Doug. It's a good one for a Steelers game. Thanks for sharing.
Deanna Cignetti
My husband I belong to a small group at our church. This meeting I am responsible for sandwiches. I grew up in GA, so naturally, I am going to make pimento cheese. We moved to Pittsburgh in 1968 ( my husband is originally from Apollo) and left in 1981. I was trying to think of something different to make, and these sandwiches came to mind. When we get back to the area, we take a separate cooler for chipped,chopped ham when we come back to MO as we do with Brunswick Stew when we go back to GA. Thank you for the recipe
Patti Estep
What a great story. Thanks for sharing!
Sparky
Am I the only one who puts potato chips on their sandwich....SO GOOD!
Patti Estep
Actually, my husband does that with cold-cut sandwiches sometimes so you aren't alone.
Jill
Potato chips are wonderful on sandwiches!
Vaughn
Made this for the Eagles/Chiefs super bowl party and it was a huge hit. I doubled the sauce recipe using the recommended ingredient measurements and used 3-1/2 lbs. chipped chopped ham. Much better than the recipe I used to use. Thanks for the tasty recipe.
Patti Estep
That's great to hear Vaughn. Thanks for sharing how you increased the recipe.
Barbara Scott
I remember the big Isaly’s in Oakland near Univetsity of Pittsburgh. I’m going to make it for the seniors pot luck dinner soon
Patti Estep
I hope they love it Barbara.
KTB
Good recipe! Isalys does still exist! My mother in law owns it in West View, PA right on Main Street by where West View Park used to be. Thank you for keeping this Pittsburgh traditional recipe alive!
Patti Estep
So glad you like the recipe and I'll have to make a trip to West View to see your MIL's Isalys shop. Thanks for sharing!
Tammy
This is SO GOOD!!! I added a little extra brown sugar and a tablespoon of KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce to it. IT'S THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD!!!
(I'm from Latrobe, PA)
Patti Estep
So glad you liked it Tammy and thanks for sharing your ideas.
Karen
Hi! It’s my daughters birthday and she asked for ham barbecues and pierogies for her birthday dinner! We lived in Washington PA and my kids grew up eating Isaly’s chipped ham and BBQ sauce, we live in Florida now and of course don’t have Isaly’s around. So I’m really thankful for your recipe! It tasted so close to the original! I remember as a child going to Isaly’s in my hometown of Canonsburg and my mom getting chipped ham and barbecue sauce! It really is a family tradition! There is an Isaly’s in the Wolfdale area of Washington PA. I was just there in June 2021 and bought chipped ham and Isaly’s bbq sauce to make for dinner at my son’s house. I wish I would have bought a couple of jars to bring home to Florida with me. You can also order the chipped chopped ham and barbecue sauce online at pennmac.com and have it delivered! ❤️Pittsburgh
Thanks again!
Karen
Patti Estep
Karen, it's always so great to hear from a fellow Pittsburgher. They are always the nicest people and have the best stories. Thanks for the kind comment info.
Niki Delehant
Karen - my godparents used to live in Canonsburg (Bluff St). We would drive up every summer for the Forth of July parade and go swimming at Town Park up the hill. Ham BBQ was always on the menu.
He of the E
Isaly's appears to be alive and well in Deutschtown (537 E Ohio St) and in West View (448 Perry Hwy); and, of course, "Jynt Iggl" carries both the ham and the sauce. I pay to have 'em shipped (to Texas), once in a while—think I might have had to do the meat through PennMac,
Usually, though, I chip my own from a par-frozen ham, when I can get it cheap (like after Easter): getting anyone to slice it right, around here, is like some kind of black art.
Patti Estep
Great comment and funny too. Thanks for sharing.
Jewel
Boy, does that take me back to my beginnings. Isaly's also had a barbeque sandwich which we enjoyed after a Sunday afternoon movie. We have stopped in southwestern PA when travelling through just for the 'chipped ham' from Isaly's. Some cannot eat these without a certain lemon drink. But I cannot remember what it was. I can taste it but the name is elusive.
Patti Estep
Jewell, maybe you are thinking of Lemon Blend? I haven't thought about that for years either but it was everywhere when I was young. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Alice
Reymer’s Lemon Blend.
Patti Estep
Ah that's it. Thanks Alice!
Patti Estep
What a great story Susan. I hope you had a great time with your family and thank you for sharing.