Isaly's Chipped Ham

For anybody who ever lived in Pittsburgh, the best coldcut was chipped chopped ham from ISALY's dairy. Alas, Isaly's is no more (save for a few scattered stores), but you can get ISALY's chipped ham at most of the major supermarkets in the western Pennsylvania area.

Chipped chopped ham is NOT sliced ham. Often imitated, never equaled, you need to buy it in Pittsburgh, and ALWAYS ask for ISALY's chipped chopped ham!

Yep, chipped ham was the cat's meow when I was growing up and we only bought it at Isaly's (in Rochester, PA, 30 mi. north of Pgh.). Once my Mother came to visit me in Boston, we went into a deli and she asked for "chipped ham". Huh? They all looked at each other and I just laughed while she tried to explain........

Insiders who worked at ISALY's always said that the name stood for:


I SHALL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!

I thought that was great!!

quote:

Originally posted by jm199

Chipped chopped ham is NOT sliced ham. Often imitated, never equaled, you need to buy it in Pittsburgh, and ALWAYS ask for ISALY's chipped chopped ham!

We live in Florida. My husband (from PA) always asks the deli clerk for "chipped-chopped" ham, and they always look at him like he has minature gorillas emerging from his ears.

Our Publix grocers will "shave ham". It's so thin that you have you pick it up in clumps and kind of spread it around. I'm I even in the right neihborhood here?? Kristi S., maybe your husband could refer to ham that way when asking the deli clerk. Again, if I'm close to what ya'll are talking about. Insert face with "stupid" look here.....

But look! You can order it online!

http://www.isalys.com/

We lived in Monroeville, a suburb outside of Pittsburgh for two years when I was in my teens, and I have had cravings for the Islay's ham ever since. There is nothing that can duplicate it.

or here:

https://shop.sourceminders.com/cgi-bin/isalyscatalog/IS2001.html

Okay, I'm a fur-ner in these here parts, but what exactly is chipped ham, and does it have any relation to that thing on a shingle?

No, it is chipped chopped ham and makes wonderful sandwiches. My favorite was the ham in the Islay's barbeque sauce.

You can use it in omelettes and scrambled eggs too. It is not like the Armour dried beef.

Another great thing that ISALY's invented was the KLONDIKE frozen ice cream treat right here in Pittsburgh!!!!

Now you can buy Klondikes in almost any grocery store in the United States....ah, i miss Isaly's!!!

I could never stand Isaly's chip-chopped meats. I like my cold-cuts sliced thinly, but I want each slice flat-stacked.

Chipped ham was a big part of my 1960s-1970s childhood in the Detroit area, where Lawson's dairy stores offered it. Lawson's appears to have long faded away.

Err...I know this is an old thread, but I ate at an Isaly's location in Pittsburgh in 2006

So while they are certainly not as big as they used to be, they have not died off either

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14045

I had a great breakfast in the Isaly's in West View (north of Pittsburgh) a few month back including some grilled chipped ham. I thought the pancakes were a good as Pamela's. Chipped ham and other meats are also available in the Allentown's farmer's market.

I am fortunate enough to live about an hour away from Pittsburgh, and to avail myself of Isaly's chopped from every deli in Morgantown.

Isaly's Chopped ham is one of the socially acceptable preformed ham products. People will not make fun of you for savoring it.(Well, maybe Hoffmudgeon It starts out as a large rectangle(much like boiled ham or Polish Hams) It's consistency is very similar to the aforementioned hams, with more marbleing, not as in grissle or stringy fat, but a smooth mosaic. It's color varies from a light baby pink, deepening to a cameo rose color , further enhancing the mosaic effect. The ideal slice is equal to the thickness of Parma prosciutto, micro-thin and almost transparent. Being processed, this causes the meat to often clump into small , tender lumps. It is perfectly correct to have it sliced in any thickness you desire, from the microthin to a thicker slab-style.

Isaly's also sells a selection of several other more traditional hams. Another popular item is the Isaly's BBQ Sauce in hot and mild. It is a ketchupy type sauce that's fairly thin and bears a much stronger resemblance to sloppy joe sauce than any BBQ sauce I've ever made or tasted. It's most common use is to simply toss some Isaly's chopped ham into a skillet and heat.( I like to slightly brown the edges of the ham. Pour sauce over the heated ham, simmer a couple minutes and serve over Sunbeam hamburger buns.(Sunbeam if you want to stick to tradition.)

Isaly's was also the perennial stop that every child's school bus trip to P'burgh culminated in.

Be warned: there are several brands(such as BAR S) that attempt to copycat Isaly's. Accept no substitutions. Like Taylor Pork Roll, and Seltzer's Sweet Lebanon Bologna, other Pennsylvania regional favorites, it's the king of the Kingdom.

There's still an Isaly's in Washington PA that i've stopped at a few times. To be honest, chipped ham is chipped ham to me. I ask for chipped ham at my local Kroger's and it tastes the same as the chipped ham from Isaly's. To each their own I suppose.

Do you people have no shame?! Now you've done it- after reading about Isaly's chipped/chopped ham, I had to go to the local deli and buy some! I had 2 sandwiches for supper- both on plain white buns- one w/ American cheese, mustard and ketchup, and the other with American cheese and BBQ sauce! I'm now wishing that I had made both with the BBQ sauce- that sandwich was awesome! We had platefuls of leftover homemade pizza, and I had the Isaly's chopped ham sandwiches instead! My wife had pizza, and I had the better dinner of the 2! Wow- Isaly's chopped ham w/ BBQ sauce! What a cheap and wonderful way to further clog my arteries! I'll have another one, please! BTW- I usually make my own BBQ sauce, but the other night, I bought a bottle at the store- Jack Daniel's Steakhouse BBQ sauce. While I prefer my own, I have to say- for BBQ sauce from the store, this stuff is really good. Thanks for the heads up about the Isaly's chopped ham!

If we had shame about eating what we like,we wouldn't be on this site.Enjoy!!

Let me ask this, is a grilled ham sandwich (or a Slammer for that matter)at Islay's worth a special trip, or is it something extraordinary?

I can't answer that , Pigiron for it's been a great while since I've been to Isaly's proper. I'll defer to TJ Jackson or one of the yi'ns from Pburgh to give more recent reviews.

tkitna, you're probably right. It's just that Isaly's seems to have a bit less fat marbleing and more "meat" to me, plus a bit saltier.(I'm the girl that can snack on a unsoaked country ham with glee)

quote:

Originally posted by redtressed

tkitna, you're probably right. It's just that Isaly's seems to have a bit less fat marbleing and more "meat" to me, plus a bit saltier.(I'm the girl that can snack on a unsoaked country ham with glee)

No Redtressed, your probably right. I have never really inspected the meat before. I was just basing on taste alone and I could never tell the difference in any of them.

I wish I had a dime for every BBQ'd chipped ham sandwich i've eaten. Just made some a few weeks ago. Comfort food.

Is this the same as "chopped ham"?

quote:

Originally posted by steaklover

Is this the same as "chopped ham"?

Yes.