Deviled ham is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 14 recipes to get you started.

What is deviled ham?

Deviled ham is a canned spread of finely ground cooked ham seasoned with spices, most famously the Underwood brand sold in its white paper wrapper since the 1860s.

The word "deviled" just means spiced. The ham is ground to a paste and mixed with mustard and vinegar, then sharpened with pepper or cayenne for bite.

It is shelf-stable, spreadable straight from the can, and built for sandwiches and quick appetizers. Think of it as the pork cousin of canned tuna or chicken salad, already seasoned and ready to scoop.

How to Use Deviled Ham

The fastest move is a sandwich. Spread it on soft white bread or a toasted roll, add lettuce and a slice of tomato, and lunch is done in a minute.

It also loosens into dips and fillings. Beat it with softened cream cheese and you get Cream Cheese-Deviled Ham Dip, a party standby that holds up next to crackers and celery.

Bakers fold it into batters and pastry. It fills Deviled Ham Puffs and bakes into Deviled Ham Muffins and Devilicious Quiche, carrying salt and spice through the whole bite.

You can also make your own. Pulse leftover cooked ham in a food processor with mayonnaise, mustard, a little pickle relish, and a dash of hot sauce until it spreads. Homemade tastes fresher and lets you control the salt.

Pairing and Mistakes to Avoid

Deviled ham is salty and tangy, so it likes cool and crunchy partners: cream cheese, hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise, celery, pickles, and a swipe of extra mustard. It also shows up as the filling in Miniature Puff Appetizers & Fillings, where the richness of the pastry balances the spice.

The main mistake is over-salting whatever you add it to. The canned spread is already well seasoned, so taste before you reach for the salt shaker.

The other thing to watch is texture. Straight from the can it can be dense and pasty, so loosen it with a spoonful of mayonnaise or softened cream cheese before spreading on soft bread that would otherwise tear.

Substitutes

No can on hand? Pulse cooked ham with mayonnaise and mustard for a quick homemade version, the closest match by far. Deli ham run through a food processor does the same job.

For a different protein in the same lane, deviled chicken or a seasoned tuna or salmon salad fills the sandwich-spread role, milder and without the pork flavor. Liverwurst or a coarse pork pate works where you want a richer, meatier spread.

Buying and Storing

You will find deviled ham in the canned-meat aisle near the tuna and potted meat, usually in small cans. Brands vary in spice, so check the label if you want more or less heat.

An unopened can keeps for years at room temperature; go by the date stamped on the can. Once opened, scrape it into a covered container in the fridge and use it within three to five days.

Homemade deviled ham has no preservatives, so keep it cold and eat it within three days.

Quick facts

In Chinese

芥末蘸火腿

British (UK) term

Deviled ham

en français

jambon deviled

en español

jamón del diablo

Recipes using deviled ham

There are 14 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 14 recipes