Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (2024)

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (1)

Pssst... Want to play confuse the deli guy? Okay, here's what you do. Walk up to your grocery store’s cold-cuts counter and ask for a pound of Chipped Ham. Unless a member of the deli’s staff is from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, chances are he won’t have a clue what you’re talking about.

Chipped Chopped Ham is unique to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as my husband and I discovered after moving to New York City decades ago--and watching deli guys blink in total confusion whenever we tried to order a sandwich with it.


The whole thing began with a chain of regional stores called Isaly's, a name you might remember as the original producer of the famous Klondike ice cream bar.

Little known fact:

An Islay's advertisement

actually bragged...

"Boston has its Baked Beans. Philly has its Cheesesteaks. Pittsburgh, Ohio, West Virginia and surrounds? We have Isaly’s Original Chipped Chopped Ham."





A Note from Cleo

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (2)

Cleo Coyle, cheap eats

enthusiast, is author of


With retro food as popular as ever, I thought it might be time to take a chance anddecode the mystery of chipped ham for a wider foodie public. And so...


For this post, I am going to show you how to create thatspecial sandwich from "someplace special" (what we Pittsburghers call our Three Rivers city).

TheBBQ Chipped Ham Sandwichwas one of the most popular lunches served in Pittsburgh's school cafeterias when my husband and I were growing up. It was theretro sandwich of our youth. It was also delicious, easy, and cheap. In fact, cheap is the point!

The "chipping" of deli ham is a great wayto make a less expensive brand of ham more tasty. There’s a good reason why it does, too, just keep reading...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (3)

👇

To download this recipe in a free PDF
that you can print, save, or share,
click here or on the image below...


Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (4)
Click here for
the free PDF.


Cleo Coyle'sPittsburgh-Style

BBQ Chipped HamSandwich

Makes 4 Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 pound of "Chipped Ham"
(Below, you'll learn how to order this at any deli.)

½ cup (8 tablespoons) ketchup

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) BBQ sauce

4 soft hamburger buns

(optional garnish) Relish, sweet or dill


Directions:

Step 1: Order the Ham - Although the original "chip chopped" ham was made with pressed ham, you can order up any ham at your deli for this sandwich. Note: Even if you usually order the more expensive black forest or baked Virginia ham, don't be afraid to try the less expensive or "on sale" hams for this sandwich. Here's how to do it...

Simply tell your deli person to shave the ham razor thin. Tell him (or her) not to be afraid to allow the ham to break up into pieces. The deli person is actually "chipping" the meat against the commercial meat slicer blade. Here’s what it should look like...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (5)

By shaving (chipping) the meat very thin, the ham is more tender and has more flavor than if it were sliced more thickly. In Western PA, Northern West Virginia, and Eastern Ohio (aka the Ohio Valley), this slicing process is known as "Pittsburgh Style."

Step 2: Make the Frizzle Fry- When you get the chipped ham home, you’re ready to create your “frizzle fry” sandwich.(Okay, from here on, it's stupidly easy. But if you never made a hot dog before, I suppose you'd need directions, right? So here goes...)

A. Heat the Chipped Ham: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Break the ham up into the pan and stir until heated through.

B. Make your Quickie Sauce:Mix the ketchup and (your favorite) BBQ sauce in a small bowl and add to the skillet. (Some people add a little mustard at this stage. We don't, but it's an option, depending on your taste.)

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (6)
Quick tip: The new "Simply Heinz" ketchup is quite good. I just discovered it, and I'm hooked. No corn syrup. Huzzah! You can really taste the difference. I also like Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, but you can use any BBQ sauce for this recipe.

C. Combine Ham and Sauce: Stir and cook for a few more minutes. The chipped ham should be evenly coated with the ketchup-BBQ sauce. The ham should be steaming and sticky.

D. Pile it high: Divide the ham up onto the four hamburger buns.

Garnish: My husband eats this simple sandwich with no other garnish. Many people in Pittsburgh, however, enjoy adding sweet relish. I really enjoy it with relish—but I prefer dill relish. So add what you like and…

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (7)


👇

To download this recipe in a free PDF
that you can print, save or share,click here.

* * * *

The sandwich in this blog post was mentioned in
Cleo Coyle's culinary mystery
Once Upon a Grind


Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (9)

* * * *

A fairy tale murder
in Central Park...

Join coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi as she solves
the crime against "Sleeping Beauty," opens
secret doors (uptown and down), and investigates
a cold case that's been unsolved since the Cold War.

*

*

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (10)

Once Upon a Grind
by Cleo Coyle

Fresh Pick! ~ Fresh Fiction

Top Pick! ~ RT Book Reviews

“A Best Book of the Year Pick”
~ Kings River Life Magazine

*

Delicious recipes are also featured
inOnce Upon a Grind. To download
the Free Recipe Guide,click here
or on the image below...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (11)

See Once Upon a Grind's

Recipe Guide byclicking here.


Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (12)

Eat (and read) with joy!


New York Times bestselling author

ofThe Coffeehouse Mysteries and

Haunted Bookshop Mysteries

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (13)

Cleo (Alice)with her husband Marc

Visit Cleo's online coffeehousehere.

And follow her at these links...

Mysteries of Pittsburgh: How to Make a BBQ Chipped Ham Sandwich by Cleo Coyle (2024)

FAQs

Is chipped ham a Pittsburgh thing? ›

In the Pittsburgh region, sandwiches of "ham barbecue" or "barbecued chipped ham" are commonly served at home and available at lunch counters. The chain Isaly's helped to popularize chipped chopped ham.

What kind of ham is chipped ham? ›

All About Chipped Chopped Ham

It starts with a loaf (yes, loaf) of chopped ham, which is made of ham, ham trimmings, and seasonings ground up and formed into a mold. Chopped ham was a more economical choice than traditional cooked ham, which is what made it so popular in the post-World War II era.

Who invented chipped ham? ›

Generations of the Isaly family sold dairy products door to door from wagons and carts but soon switched to retail stores bearing their name. By the 1930s, the Isaly name was famous locally for such products as chipped ham, “Skyscraper” ice cream cones and the famous Klondike bar.

How thin is chipped ham? ›

WHAT IS “CHIPPED”?: Ham that is “sliced” wafer thin, so thin that you can almost see through it.

Why is chipped ham so good? ›

Chipped chopped ham starts with a formed ham loaf (chopped ham, pork trimmings, herbs, spices) which made it cheaper than better cuts and “post-war popular” in the 1940s. The chopped loaf then gets shaved paper-thin on a slicer, which gives the meat a decidedly buttery feel on the palate.

How long can you keep chipped ham? ›

In short? Once you open a package of ham, or if it comes open — like if it was sliced at the deli counter— you can safely eat your leftovers for up to five days.

Can you freeze barbecue chipped ham? ›

Barbecued chipped ham sandwiches are a quick solution to dinner. The BBQ sauce is simple and made from scratch on the stovetop. The ham mixture can also be frozen.

What is a ham without a bone called? ›

Aptly named, boneless ham doesn't contain any bone at all.

Who makes Isley's chipped ham? ›

The iconic chipped ham (sometimes marketed as “chipped-chopped ham”) still is available and popular. The brand was recently sold to Conroy Foods in O'Hara Township, which — as “Isaly's LLC” — is starting to revive several flavors of Isaly's ice cream as well.

Are there any Isaly's left in Pittsburgh? ›

There are at least three Isaly's still in operation in southwestern Pennsylvania in the areas of West View, Turtle Creek, and East Allegheny (city neighborhood of Pittsburgh), all retaining most of the classic interior.

Is chipped ham the same as shaved ham? ›

What is it? A compressed ham loaf that is very thinly sliced or shaved. Although it is not the most expensive or healthiest ham, chip chop (chipped chopped) ham does make a tasty and easy BBQ sandwich.

Why is ham called ham? ›

The modern word ham is derived from the Old English ham or hom meaning the hollow or bend of the knee, from a Germanic base where it meant 'crooked'. It began to refer to the cut of pork derived from the hind leg of a pig around the 15th century.

Why are ham slices wet? ›

Why is sliced deli ham always inexplicably wet? Because it is pumped full of water to increase the weight without increasing the amount of actual ham. Cheap ham is cured in a salt water bath with various additional salts like sodium phosphate, which results in it retaining a lot of water.

How many pounds of ham bbq per person? ›

1/4 - 1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham. 1/3 - 1/2 lb. of meat per serving of bone-in ham.

What comes on a chipped ham from pals? ›

Pal's Chipped Ham has deli fresh, thinly sliced 96% fat- free ham, mayo, fresh lettuce and crispy pickles, and is available now at Pal's!

Is ham jerky a thing? ›

If you have only tried beef jerky, you have been missing out. Ham jerky is a great snack to have on hand for you and your family. It is salty, chewy, packed with protein, and delicious enough to curb your cravings without too many calories.

Is there a place called ham near sandwich? ›

It is near the town of Sandwich. In 1931 the parish had a population of 63. On 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished and merged with Northbourne. There is a signpost nearby which points to both the hamlet and the town, thus appearing to read "Ham Sandwich".

Does Isalys still exist? ›

There are at least three Isaly's still in operation in southwestern Pennsylvania in the areas of West View, Turtle Creek, and East Allegheny (city neighborhood of Pittsburgh), all retaining most of the classic interior.

References

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