Rocky's Zesty Ham Croquettes

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 16
Yield: 16 servings

Description

Rocky's zesty ham croquette recipe includes ham, dried onions, garlic, bread crumbs, and Cheddar cheese. They're lightly breaded and fried until golden.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds leftover baked ham
4 eggs, divided
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup fresh chopped garlic
1/4 cup dried minced onion
3 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon water
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1 Grind ham into a large bowl; set aside.
2 Beat 3 eggs in a separate small bowl; set aside.
3 Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and dried onion; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes.
4 Mix garlic mixture, 3 beaten eggs, 1 cup bread crumbs, Cheddar cheese, brown sugar, and black pepper into ham by hand until combined; shape into 15 to 18 medium-sized croquettes or rectangular balls.
5 Beat remaining 1 egg in the same small bowl with 1 tablespoon water. Spread remaining 2 cups bread crumbs in a large nonstick baking pan. Dip each croquette into egg wash; roll in bread crumbs to evenly coat.
6 Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry croquettes, in batches, until golden brown, about 10 minutes total. Place croquettes on paper towels to drain.