Croquetas de Jamón (Ham Croquettes)
Croquetas de Jamón (Ham Croquettes) are crispy on the outside with a smooth, savory ham filling inside. You’ll cook a rich ham-studded béchamel, shape it into logs, and roll each one in breadcrumbs before frying. It’s a little hands-on, but the payoff is huge – golden, crunchy croquetas that taste just like the ones from a Cuban bakery, especially with a Cuban cafecito.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon dry cooking wine, (vino seco)
- 1 pound ground ham*, (see note)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup bread crumbs, (or finely ground saltine crackers)
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt butter at medium-low heat. Add onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in milk, 1/3 cup of flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk until it becomes a very thick sauce (a roux).
- Add in the cooking wine and ground ham to the sauce. Mix together slowly until all is combined. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the filling to a bowl. Let it rest at room temperature then refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight (the longer the better). The mixture has to harden in order to form into logs and coat evenly. If this step is skipped, it will be very hard to form logs, coat with the breading, and fry. This is an important step. Don't skip it.
- Remove the filling from the refrigerator. Form logs from the mixture straight from the fridge. It's ok if they are cold, it will be easier to form the logs this way. You want the logs to be approximately 3" long and 1" wide. If the mixture is sticky as you're making the logs, add bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the mixture until it's no longer sticky.
- Continue forming the logs until you have all the croquette logs done then place them back in the fridge to firm up once again, about 30 minutes.**
- To bread the croquette logs, you want to set up a breading station. In one bowl, whisk eggs and set aside. In another bowl, mix the remaining flour and bread crumbs.
- Remove the logs from the fridge. Dip each croquette log in the egg wash and then coat in bread crumb/flour mixture. Repeat with each one until they are all breaded. Let the croquettes rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before frying.
- In a large pot or pan, heat enough vegetable oil to cover the croquettes completely. Fry each croquette until golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes, at medium-high heat. Don't crowd the pot too much as you are frying. This will help them all get evenly cooked.
- Remove the croquettes from oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with saltines and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe adapted from Cocina al Minuto
Best ham for croquetas. You can use leftover holiday ham like my Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze recipe, diced ham that comes fully cooked, or ham steak. If you prefer a milder taste, go for a less salty ham. If you want a more robust flavor, opt for a saltier or more intensely flavored ham. The ham mixture must be cold. To form into logs and coat evenly, the mixture needs to be cold. If the mixture is warm, it will be very hard to form logs, coat with the breading, and fry. If the mixture is sticky, add breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the mixture until it's no longer sticky. Make sure the logs are all the same size. You want the logs to be approximately 3" long and 1" wide. This will ensure they all fry and cook evenly. Do not crowd the pan. Adding too many croquetas at once to your pot will cause the temperature of the oil to suddenly drop, which may cause the croquetas to burst. I would recommend frying them 3 at a time PRO TIP: To keep the croquetas from bursting, make sure to fry them at medium-high heat (no higher than 350ºF). You may have to first heat up the oil to 400ºF because the temperature of the oil usually drops once you add the croquetas in. Also, do not fry them for very long in the hot oil. Only fry the croquetas until golden brown - 3-4 minutes tops. Make Ahead Instructions: You can make these ham croquetas up until step 9. After coating the croqueta logs with the breadcrumbs, you can transfer the uncooked, breaded croquettes to a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Storage Tips: You can keep cooked croquettes at room temperature for up to 1 day before placing them in the fridge in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 days.
Best ham for croquetas. You can use leftover holiday ham like my Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze recipe, diced ham that comes fully cooked, or ham steak. If you prefer a milder taste, go for a less salty ham. If you want a more robust flavor, opt for a saltier or more intensely flavored ham. The ham mixture must be cold. To form into logs and coat evenly, the mixture needs to be cold. If the mixture is warm, it will be very hard to form logs, coat with the breading, and fry. If the mixture is sticky, add breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the mixture until it's no longer sticky. Make sure the logs are all the same size. You want the logs to be approximately 3" long and 1" wide. This will ensure they all fry and cook evenly. Do not crowd the pan. Adding too many croquetas at once to your pot will cause the temperature of the oil to suddenly drop, which may cause the croquetas to burst. I would recommend frying them 3 at a time PRO TIP: To keep the croquetas from bursting, make sure to fry them at medium-high heat (no higher than 350ºF). You may have to first heat up the oil to 400ºF because the temperature of the oil usually drops once you add the croquetas in. Also, do not fry them for very long in the hot oil. Only fry the croquetas until golden brown - 3-4 minutes tops. Make Ahead Instructions: You can make these ham croquetas up until step 9. After coating the croqueta logs with the breadcrumbs, you can transfer the uncooked, breaded croquettes to a freezer bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Storage Tips: You can keep cooked croquettes at room temperature for up to 1 day before placing them in the fridge in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 days.
Serving: 1croquette, Calories: 187kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.3g, Protein: 6.4g, Fat: 14.9g, Saturated Fat: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 35mg, Sodium: 281mg, Potassium: 147mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1.1g, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.7mg
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