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Quick BBQ Ham Sandwiches

Quick & easy BBQ Ham Sandwiches are a family favorite with slices of tender ham simmered in a semi-homemade bbq sauce. Serve over buns and with provolone cheese for the best 30 minute dinner.
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword bbq ham sandwiches
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 382kcal
Author Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

BBQ Sauce

  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar bbq sauce
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

Ham

  • pounds thinly sliced deli honey ham (*see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water

Serving

  • 6-8 hamburger buns or bread of choice
  • 6-8 slices non-smoked provolone cheese (optional)

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together all the bbq sauce ingredients.
    3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup brown sugar bbq sauce, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Separate the ham and put it into a large skillet pan (with a lid). Pour the bbq sauce mixture over the ham.
    1½ pounds thinly sliced deli honey ham
  • Cook over medium-high heat until it's bubbling and slightly boiling. This will take about 5 minutes.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, and cover the pan with the lid. Allow it to simmer for 10-12 minutes.
    * Take the lid off and stir the ham at least a couple of times during the simmer time to ensure that all the ham is getting coated and soaked in the sauce.
    * You will know when the ham is down when it's darker in color and the sauce has almost caramelized to the ham, and the sauce will be slightly thicker.
  • Stir together the cornstarch + cold water in a small bowl with a fork. Pour it into the skillet pan, while stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened.
    1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon cold water
  • Use tongs to serve the BBQ ham onto hamburger buns, with or without cheese. You can also toast the buns & cheese under the broil in the oven for a few minutes (see notes for tips).
    6-8 hamburger buns or bread of choice, 6-8 slices non-smoked provolone cheese

Notes

Deli Honey Ham : For best results go to the deli counter and ask for 1 1/2 pounds of thinly sliced honey ham. It's a bit more expensive than the lunch deli meat (pre-packaged) but it tastes so much better in these sandwiches. You can also use regular roasted ham or brown sugar ham. 
Using freshly sliced deli ham gives you that fresh flavor and it allows the pieces of ham to be cut thinner, which is a good thing while the meat simmers. The thinner pieces of ham get super tender and soft and the bbq sauce just infuses each piece with tons of flavor.
How To Toast Buns : Separate the hamburger buns and place each side on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Spread butter on both sides. Broil for a few minutes until toasted. Take the pan out of the oven and place 1 sliced of cheese on each bottom bun. Return the pan to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted. Serve the ham on top of the melted cheese and top with the top bun. These sandwiches are also really good without toasting the bread. If you're in a hurry just serve them 'sloppy Joe' style and let everyone make their own. 
Nutrition Information : This is for 6 servings of the ham and does not include the bun or cheese. 6 servings makes some larger sandwiches with lots of ham, so you can easily get 8 servings if feeding kids or only a few people.
Simmer Time : Don't rush this. This simmer time is what allows the ham to become super tender, really flavorful, and like velvety smooth almost. The ham will almost develop a 'crust' on it (a good thing) while simmering. And make sure you put the lid on the pan during the simmer time as this allows the flavor to really infuse into the ham and it keeps things hotter. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1839mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg