Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches

If you’ve never had this Southern favorite, then you are in for a treat.  Spicy ham, creamy swiss cheese, and a sweet and spicy sauce are baked into fluffy Hawaiian rolls.  They make a great appetizer, party snack, or lunch for the kids (adults love them for lunch too!)

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Platter of Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches.

What Are Funeral Sandwiches?

If you’ve been to any kind of Southern get-together, you’ve likely seen the baked, slider-sized sandwiches as part of the spread.  These 3-bite appetizers are an easy and economical way to feed a crowd.

Funeral sandwiches are one of those old-fashioned, simple recipes that have been passed down through generations as a much-loved treat. They were originally named for the Southern tradition of taking a covered dish to a grieving family at a funeral to help feed the mourners.

My take on this Southern classic bumps up the spice just a little bit.  Make them the night before and allow all the sauce to soak into the rolls.  Bake them the next day when needed.  

Ingredients Needed

  • Butter
  • Brown sugar – light or dark brown sugar works equally well.
  • Dijon mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Hot sauce – I used Crystal.
  • Dried onion flakes, onion powder, and garlic powder
  • Poppy seeds
  • Sweet Hawaiian rolls – 12 count package
  • Spicy deli ham – or any deli ham that you enjoy.  I used an Italian-style hot honey ham.
  • Swiss cheese

Platter of Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches.

Steps To Make This Recipe

  1. Make the sauce by whisking all the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Pour a bit of the sauce into a baking dish.
  3. Slice the rolls and lay the bottom half of the rolls in the baking dish.
  4. Top the rolls with a layer of cheese, then ham, another layer of cheese, and the top half of the roll.
  5. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls.
  6. Cover the pan and chill for at least an hour or even better, overnight.
  7. When you’re ready bake till golden brown and serve warm.

Tips And Variations

  • If you don’t have the time to allow the sandwiches to marinate, bring the sauce to a simmer in a small pot.  Pour the warm sauce over the sandwiches and bake as mentioned in the recipe.  Simmering helps the flavors to blend together and helps the sandwiches soak the sauce in better.
  • If you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, omit the hot sauce in the recipe and use honey ham, boiled ham, or baked ham instead of the spicy ham.
  • Sliced pickles can be added just before baking.
  • Try to vary the meats and cheeses.  Provolone and Italian beef, roast turkey and gouda, Roast beef and swiss, ham and cheddar cheese are just a few suggestions.

Platter of Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches.

If you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more to try:

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Platter of Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches.

Hot Ham And Cheese Funeral Sandwiches


Description

If you’ve never had this Southern favorite, then you are in for a treat.  Spicy ham, creamy swiss cheese, and a sweet and spicy sauce are baked into fluffy Hawaiian rolls.  They make a great appetizer, party snack, or lunch for the kids (adults love them for lunch too!)


Ingredients

Scale

For the sauce:

  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

For the sandwiches:

  • 1 pack (12-count) Hawaiian rolls
  • ½ pound spicy deli ham, sliced thin, but not shaved
  • ½ pound Swiss cheese, sliced thin

Instructions

Make the sauce.

In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, dried onions, and poppy seeds.  Set aside.

Make the sandwiches:

Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Drizzle 4-5 tablespoons of the sauce into the bottom of the pan.

Use a sharp knife to slice the rolls in half horizontally.

Arrange the bottom portions of the rolls in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Layer half of the swiss cheese over the rolls, followed by the ham, and the remaining cheese.

Place the top half of the rolls over the cheese and pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolls.

Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the rolls, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the rolls to cool for 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Marinating Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Starters - Appetizers
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Southern

Keywords: hot ham and cheese funeral sandwiches, Southern food, potluck, slider sandwiches, ham and cheese sandwiches, funeral sandwiches

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