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burghfan t1_je2qnzx wrote

1T vinegar, 1/4c brown sugar, 1c ketchup, 1c water, 1/2t dry mustard. Paprika to color, simmer, add 1 lb ham. Let simmer for at least 15 minutes before serving. Better leftover!

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K10RumbleRumble t1_je36qs4 wrote

ISLYS CHIPPED HAM NOT JUST HAM

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[deleted] t1_je3enuj wrote

[deleted]

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1stCaptainSkrall t1_je3opa6 wrote

I work at a deli. Some psychopaths order it sliced. Yes, it looks unappetizing like that

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FunyunInspector t1_je4xtft wrote

Ordered some chipped ham in my grocery order for curbside pickup from Walmart. To my horror, it came sliced. My thoughts were the deli worker must not be native to the area.

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1stCaptainSkrall t1_je5pquj wrote

There's people that swear it's better sliced. Honestly I'm ashamed these people's vote counts as much as mine, because I cannot possibly fathom being so confidently wrong

And every time I ask why they get it sliced, they always say it was their parents who got them on that when they were kids. I don't know why anyone would make choosing the worst possible way to eat grease meat a lineage.

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CARLEtheCamry t1_je53jnb wrote

> Chopped ham is the product.

Which is equivalent to a hot dog for ham.

Chopped ham is a mixture of ham chunks and trimmings and seasonings, ground together and then packaged into loaves.

Don't get me wrong, I like it and I eat it. But people being picky about it is an oxymoron like "gourmet hot dog" IMO.

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heili t1_je59ria wrote

The biggest difference between bologna and a hot dog is...

diameter.

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K10RumbleRumble t1_je7gywp wrote

Really just scale if we’re comparing a Hot Dog and a Tube of Bologna.

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ShanghaiShrek t1_je2rktj wrote

All these people saying you just add BBQ sauce to chipped ham couldn't be more wrong. This recipe is close to what I learned.

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PearBlossom t1_je2swtx wrote

that recipe isnt that far off from Islay’s actual bbq sauce. They just use a different and cheaper sweetener.

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pghreddit t1_je2voau wrote

>1T vinegar, 1/4c brown sugar, 1c ketchup, 1c water, 1/2t dry mustard.

this is the actual recipe for BBQ sauce. If you have a bottled favorite, it's perfectly fine to use.

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CL-MotoTech t1_je36n5s wrote

BBQ sauce usually has garlic, Worcestershire sauce, onion (either fresh or powder), and usually more sugar than you would find ham BBQ sauce. A lot of BBQ sauces are quite high in the molasses, which ham BBQ is typically not. I know we are sort of splitting hairs here, but personally, ham BBQ sauce is enough different from traditional BBQ sauce to me that I consider them to be two separate things.

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pghreddit t1_je3h6ua wrote

>I know we are sort of splitting hairs here

Agreed. A little personal touch is never a bad thing, particularly with this dish.

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CL-MotoTech t1_je3rgp3 wrote

Personal touches are awesome. I have no qualms. I like to make a very spicy version. That said, I still keep the molasses low. It separates it from a traditional BBQ sauce.

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West-Stock-674 t1_je5h7ha wrote

I agree with you. Most of the old ladies I know that make this use Coke+Ketchup and maybe some onion and garlic powder. Regular bbq sauce doesn't work.

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heili t1_je5a636 wrote

Yes. Ham BBQ sauce is its own distinct sauce and is only used for the ham BBQ, which is not barbecued.

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Kered13 t1_je5m7nm wrote

To be fair, the diversity of BBQ sauces is enormous. Ketchup (or other tomato base) is not even required. The above recipe falls well within the bounds of BBQ sauce.

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kieraey t1_je6qk35 wrote

Yinzers arguing about bbq now? Too many regional variants. Let’s just stick to ketchup.

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CL-MotoTech t1_je6zd50 wrote

There's no argument about ketchup. Heinz is the best and nobody is debating that.

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SilkyZubat t1_je38tpa wrote

Replace the water with Coca-Cola and you pretty much have the recipe I grew up with.

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jetsetninjacat t1_je36lry wrote

You seem to be missing the coca cola part. Not sure where and when but it's in there.

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burghfan t1_je3870j wrote

Never have used cola. This is from a family cookbook. My uncle worked at an isaly's location, but I'm not sure if it originated from his experience or somewhere else.

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West-Stock-674 t1_je5hf8h wrote

Yeah, the official old lady Pittsburgh Ham BBQ is Coke+Ketchup with some onion and garlic powder. No vinegar, because the coke and ketchup are already acidic enough. No sweetener, that's what the coke is for.

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Low-Ear-2171 t1_je38c8c wrote

But don't you also use "official" Isaly's chipped ham? A lot of grocery stores in the area still have it.

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sirjamesbluebeard t1_je3boay wrote

my family (from Brookline) uses Heinz chili sauce in place of the ketchup+dry mustard in their recipe, which is my favorite way to make it. naturally, I’m biased of course.

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Cultural_Blueberry_5 t1_je3jibt wrote

This is how my Pittsburgh raised grandmother taught my mom to make it! I'm biased, too, but this is the way.

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[deleted] t1_je3bw0h wrote

so when you making some and can i come over? haven't had a good ham bbq in a while

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thatoneladythere t1_je36xfh wrote

Sometimes a little tiny bit of sweet relish too! It's that good good extra.

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booksgamesandstuff t1_je41gex wrote

My uncle would always put some piccalilli (that my aunt had made!) on his barbecue chipped ham, and my aunt and cousin would glare at him, as if he were desecrating the barbecue ham. I'd had it both ways for years, depending on whether my mother or my aunt were making it, but wow people got serious about it.

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colindean t1_je39zhm wrote

I had a really dumb recipe that I used to make a lot when I live alone that was basically open pit barbecue sauce because it was so cheap and then I would add some extra soy sauce because I wanted to feel fancy. This recipe is a lot better than that but the way that I used to do it was a great mindless bachelor way to whip up some chipped ham that wasn't just straight from store-bought.

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jinreeko t1_je4m0fc wrote

This reminds me a lot of what Central PA calls BBQ. Except the use ground beef instead of ham. Nice sweet and tangy sauce that crystalizes orange when you put in the fridge

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burghfan t1_je4pzur wrote

Yes, sloppy joes. My recipe for that is very similar, white sugar instead of brown and adds relish.

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jinreeko t1_je4sa6w wrote

Gotta be careful though haha. Sloppy joes outside of central pa is sometimes a much more tomatoey sauce. In my high school cafeteria they just called it "BBQ"

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West-Stock-674 t1_je5gzdj wrote

I disagree, the authentic Pittsburgh Ham BBQ sauce is Coke and Ketchup, nothing more.

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