Ham salad generally includes cooked or canned cold ham which has been minced, cubed, or ground; the mayonnaise or other dressing; diced sour or sweet cucumber pickles or cucumber pickle relish; and perhaps chopped raw celery, green pepper, or onion.[2][3] Raw cucumber, shredded carrot, pimento, sweet corn kernels, or tomato are sometimes used. The salad can be mixed or garnished with generous quantities of chopped hard-boiled egg;[4][self-published source][5] grated cheese may be used, or peas[6] or boiled potato[7] may be added to bulk out the dish. The salad is typically chilled and served cold.[8]
Like other mayonnaise-bound meat salads, the finished dish typically has a chunky, grainy, or pasty texture, and is frequently served as a spread upon crackers or upon bread in a sandwich.
As with other Anglo-American salads, the recipe for ham salad has many regional and family variations. Similar salads are made using chopped or ground bologna, Spam, and other cured or potted meats and sausages.
Ham salad is popular in the Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, which have long histories of pork and ham production.
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