Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. While the pasta cooks, prep your vegetables: finely dice the onion, dice the celery, red bell pepper, and cucumber (make sure to peel and seed the cucumber to avoid excess moisture). Drain the cooked macaroni and rinse it thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking and prevent it from becoming mushy—this is essential for a good texture in the final salad. Set the cooled pasta aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and sweet relish until completely smooth and well combined. The vinegar and sugar balance the richness of the mayo, while the mustard and relish add depth and Southern flavor. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. I like to let this sit for a minute so the flavors can meld together before adding the other ingredients.

Stir the smoked paprika and celery seed into the dressing from Step 2—these spices add a subtle smokiness and aromatic quality that's distinctly Southern. Gently fold in the hard-boiled eggs, being careful not to break them up too much. The eggs should remain in distinct pieces for texture. Pour the dressing-egg mixture over the cooled pasta from Step 1 and stir gently to coat everything evenly.

Add the prepped vegetables from Step 1 (onion, celery, pepper, and cucumber) and the cubed ham to the pasta-dressing mixture. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly. I prefer to fold rather than stir vigorously to maintain nice texture and keep the pasta from breaking apart.

Transfer the macaroni salad to a serving dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This chilling time allows the flavors to meld together and develop more fully, while also ensuring the salad is refreshingly cold. The salad actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.