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Deviled Ham Spread
I
fondly remember Underwood Deviled Ham from my childhood, from the small round
can with the iconic perky little red devil on the label. It’s still available,
but the Underwood Company, founded as an innovative food canning company by
William Underwood in Boston in 1822, was bought by a series of other big food
companies beginning in 1982. Underwood’s Deviled Ham was created in 1868 as a
mixture of ground ham, mustard powder, and various other spices. The culinary
term “deviled” typically connotes seasoned with mustard, hot and black pepper.
I’ve
made my own deviled ham spread occasionally as a buffet appetizer, but most
recently at a family gathering where my daughter Anna and I prepared a number
of spreadable salads – chicken, tuna, egg, as well as deviled ham – for a
luncheon served with artisanal breads and crackers. It reminded me of how easy
this version of deviled ham is to make from ingredients available at the
supermarket.
Here’s
my recipe. It will serve six to eight or more people as part of a buffet meal,
or can be made into sandwiches with or without lettuce. The recipe is easily
multiplied to serve more people at a gathering. The spread should be made
ahead, maybe the day before serving, and allowed to mellow and blend its
flavors.
1/2
pound smoked ham thinly sliced at
the deli counter
4
teaspoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard (not yellow hot dog style)
3
teaspoons mayonnaise
1/4
teaspoon vinegar
1/4
teaspoon sugar
1/8
teaspoon black pepper
1/8
teaspoon cayenne
Finely
mince the sliced ham, either on a cutting board with a chef’s knife or in a
food processor (keep it a little coarse, not turned into a paste).
Combine
the minced ham with the remaining ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Cover and
store the mixture in the refrigerator for a few hours, or preferably overnight.
Mix well before serving in a shallow bowl.
Serve
with interesting bread or low-salt crackers.
