Growing up on a farm, my family lived on cold meat sandwiches during harvest. Both lunch and supper would be served to the men out in the field.
90% of the meals to the field and the ones we ate at home for September and October consisted of a sandwich, an apple or pear, and three cookies.
As kids, if we rode on the combine with dad, mom would send us a little version of dad’s supper. We thought it was the coolest thing to eat lunch out in the field with dad.
Because we ate sandwiches for so many meals, we learned to get a bit creative. Mom was great at looking for inspiration for new twists on ham sandwiches.
These harvest ham sandwiches are a twist on one of our favorites. We called them ABC sandwiches, and we layered apples, bacon and cheddar cheese, between slices of bread – hence the name “ABC Sandwiches”.
The version I’m sharing today features oatmeal bread with a thin layer of mayonnaise stacked with honey ham, thick-cut bacon, juicy apples, and sharp cheddar cheese. And that ham makes a difference!
Just like the sandwiches we took to the field in harvest, these sandwiches are simple, only 6 ingredients, and come together in a few minutes, especially if you have the bacon already cooked.
Once you have all the ingredients, start with a slice of oatmeal bread, like this one if you can find it. Often we would make our own bread for the sandwiches to the field.
I don’t usually have time to make bread these days, but a good fresh, hearty, traditional loaf of store-bought bread works well and really makes the sandwich.
Next, add a layer of mayonnaise. Its classic flavor is essential and will keep the sandwich nice and moist. Dry sandwiches that stick to the roof of your mouth are never fun.
After that, add a layer of honey ham. You can’t beat that flavor, and the texture of the extra-thin slices are a perfect contrast to the thick-cut bacon.
Next, add a few slices of crispy, thick-cut bacon, a few juicy apples, and a big slice of cheddar cheese.
Finally, add one last slice of bread spread with mayonnaise and enjoy!
If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover pasta salad or soup in the fridge to pair with these sandwiches, you’ll have a meal hearty enough for dinner ready in almost no time at all.
Harvest Apple, Bacon and Cheddar Ham Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 slices oatmeal bread
- 1 9 ounce package Honey Ham
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 apple thinly sliced
- 6 pieces thick-cut bacon cooked
- 2 slices cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Assemble the sandwich by spreading all 4 slices of bread with mayonnaise. Then layer on ham, apple slices, thick cut bacon and a slice of cheddar cheese. Top with the remaining two slices of bread. Enjoy immediately.
Nutrition
{originally published 9/13/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/4/21}
Emily says
I LOVE sandwiches! And, this one looks amazing! #client