Milwaukee Hot Ham & Roll Sliders
Best Of The Midwest
These Milwaukee Hot Ham & Roll Sliders are inspired by the old school Sunday hot ham and rolls you’d find at Milwaukee delis and taverns. Load these up with shaved ham that’s been simmered in a buttery mustard beer sauce then bake with melty Swiss cheese on sweet Hawaiian rolls for a perfect mix of savory, buttery, salty, and slightly sweet that would be right at home at a Packers party, summer cookout, or cozy Friday night in the Northwoods.
I first learned about Milwaukee hot ham and rolls just a couple years ago and now I am completely obsessed with them. This classic Wisconsin tradition dates back decades.
It is often served at Sunday gatherings, taverns, weddings, church socials, Packers parties, and family get togethers. Warm shaved ham is kept in a buttery savory sauce then piled onto soft rolls with mustard, pickles, and cheese nearby for people to build their own sandwiches.
Grebe’s Bakery is one of the most famous places in Milwaukee, WI to get these famous hot ham and rolls. This meal idea is very close to my recipe for Shaved Ham in a Coca Cola Sauce.
I wanted to make a fun copycat appetizer version using sweet Hawaiian rolls. I thought this will be great baked together with shaved ham.
The ham is simmered in buttery mustard beer sauce and topped with lots of melty cheese. They came out warm, buttery, savory, slightly sweet, and absolutely perfect for feeding a crowd.
Onions Are A Choice
There was no fresh onion on hand when I made these. I used dried minced onion in the sauce and it worked perfectly fine.
I will say though, sometimes dried onion can really sneak up on people and give them the toots. If you have a fresh onion available, I definitely recommend grating that into the butter sauce instead for a smoother flavor.
You could also use part of a Lipton onion soup packet in a pinch. Be very careful with the salt because those packets are already heavily seasoned and salty.
If you go that route, I would reduce the celery salt and taste the sauce before adding any additional seasoning.
Cheese Choices
For the cheese, I used Munster on the bottom layer because it melts beautifully. It also gives that creamy Wisconsin deli flavor.
On the top, I added some Land O Lakes yellow American cheese. This gets extra gooey to create that classic hot sandwich texture that almost melts right into the buttery rolls and ham.
Milwaukee Hot Ham & Roll Sliders Recipe
These Milwaukee Hot Ham & Roll Sliders are inspired by the classic Sunday hot ham and rolls served at Milwaukee delis and taverns, made with shaved ham simmered in a buttery mustard sauce and baked on sweet Hawaiian rolls with melty Swiss cheese. They are warm, savory, slightly sweet, and perfect for game day, casual parties, or an easy comfort food dinner.
Ingredients
- 12 Hawaiian rolls
- 1 pound shaved ham
- 8 to 10 slices Swiss, brick cheese, or muenster cheese *more cheese can be added
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 stick butter
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Splash of lager beer
- Optional splash of pickle juice
- Poppy seeds or caraway seeds for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the grated onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, black pepper, brown sugar, beer, and optional pickle juice. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes until combined and fragrant.
- Add the shaved ham to the sauce and toss gently until warmed through. Reserve a little for the top so that it all does not soak into the ham.
- Slice the Hawaiian rolls in half as one large sheet. Place the bottom half into a greased baking dish. Layer with half of the cheese, then pile on the warm ham mixture. Add the remaining cheese and place the tops of the rolls on. I used Muenster and American.
- Brush the tops generously with extra butter sauce and sprinkle with poppy seeds or caraway seeds.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 8 minutes until the tops are golden and the cheese is melted.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve with pickle spears and potato chips for the full Milwaukee deli experience.