This is the best ham steak recipe! Glazed with a simple brown sugar reduction, this easy recipe is just like mama used to make it. Sweet, quick, and on the table in minutes!
This glazed ham steak recipe was inspired by something my mom used to make when I was a kid as a quick weeknight meal. A dinner that we used to come running to the table for and had us all begging for seconds.
This recipe takes 20 minutes to put together, requires just five ingredients, one pan, and results in tender and flavorful ham and a buttery brown sugar cola sweet glaze. I’ll be honest… After you try this, you might just be wishing you did have the entire ham.
What is a ham steak?
Ham steak is a single slice of ham usually cut from the center of a whole ham roast. It’s pre-cooked and sold in individual packages of single slices in the meat department (usually near the bacon).
Since ham steaks are thin and already cured, they are quick to cook and perfect for when you’re serving just a couple of people. You get the delicious flavor of roast ham without having to buy a whole ham!
This recipe was one of those easy dinners my mom used to make on busy weeknights that the whole family loved.
There are many ways to cook a ham steak, like grilled ham steaks, oven-baked, or just dicing them up and tossing them into eggs for a hearty breakfast like this diner-style ham and cheese ham and cheese omelet. But this brown sugar ham steak recipe will always be my favorite.
What you need to make this recipe
- Butter – make sure its unsalted
- Ham Steak – they can be found next to the whole roast hams at your local grocery store. Ensure that the package says “fully cooked”, “cured”, or “hickory smoked”.For this recipe, we skip the bone-in pound ham slice and go for the smaller cured slices just like you would slice off a spiral sliced ham.
- Cola, Worcestershire Sauce, and Brown Sugar – combined with the butter to make up a sweet and savory glaze for the ham.
How to cook brown sugar glazed ham steak
I’m convinced a great pan sear is the best way to best way to cook a ham steak! It results in edge-to-edge golden brown crisping while still keeping everything moist in just a few minutes of prep!
This great recipe forgoes a ham steak marinade, instead cooking the meat in a sweet brown sugar sauce that reduces to the glaze.
Since the meat is already cooked, all you need to do is apply some heat. Here’s how to prep these simple ham steaks:
Heat one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the pork.
Brown the steaks on both sides for 5-7 minutes.
In a bowl, stir together the cola, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
Pour the cola mixture over the ham, then simmer until slightly thickened (about 3-5 minutes.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add one more tablespoon of butter to the same skillet, stir until smooth, then serve the brown sugar glaze over the finished ham steaks.
Recipe FAQs
Is ham steak already cooked?
It depends. In this case, you do want to buy ham steak that is already cooked so that all you’re really doing is warming it. When you’re looking for one at the grocery store, look for packages that read “fully cooked”, “cured”, or “hickory smoked”.
Why is my ham steak tough?
If your steak is tough then it’s probably overcooked. You’ll brown on each side for 5-7 minutes but not much more than that. If it cooks too long you miss out on that perfect tender texture.
What goes with Glazed Ham Slices?
I love to make my brown sugar ham steak into a complete meal by serving it with my favorite sides; a pile of mashed potatoes, green beans, steamed broccoli, and buttery biscuits.
You can also chop up leftover ham steaks and use it in pretty much any ham recipe you want! That means breakfast casseroles, breakfast hash, mac and cheese, salads, stir-fries, frittatas, you name it.
How to store
Leftover cooked ham steak will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. To enjoy again, thaw first in the fridge if frozen, then warm on the stove until heated through.
More easy ham steak recipes
If you’ve tried my Southern Cola Ham Steak recipe, or any other recipe onGirlCarnivore.complease don’t forget torate the recipeand let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can alsoFOLLOW MEonInstagram@girlcarnivoreas well as onTwitterandFacebook.
Brown Sugar Glazed Ham Steak
4.45 from 25 votes
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Cook: 15 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Servings: 4
One of my favorite childhood dinners were sweet ham steaks over creamy mashed potatoes. The sweet brown sugar glaze was gravy over entire meal and the ham steaks were a luxury. No one would guess it was an easy 20 minute one pan recipe!
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Ham Steaks
- 2 tbs butter divided
- 2 ham steaks
Brown Sugar Glaze
- 1/2 cup cola
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
Heat the Ham Steaks
Heat 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2 tbs butter divided
Add the ham steaks and brown on both sides, 5 – 7 minutes.
2 ham steaks
Make the Sweet Brown Sugar Glaze
Stir the cola, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar together in a bowl and pour over the ham steaks.
1/2 cup cola, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar
Simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set the ham steaks aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon butter to the brown sugar glaze and stir until smooth.
2 tbs butter divided
Serve
Serve the sauce over the ham steaks and other fixings as gravy.
Video
Notes
Pair this recipe with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans or broccoli. It also works great with .
This dinner goes quick and rarely has leftovers, but if you have leftover ham steak, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat as needed or dice and toss into scrambled eggs or fried rice for another quick meal.
Dr. Pepper works just as well as regular cola for this recipe. We do not recommend diet sodas for this recipe.
Want things a little more sweet? Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1500mg | Potassium: 379mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Kita Roberts
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Categories: Dinner, Easy 30 Minute Meals, GC Original, Pan-Seared Recipes, Pork Leg, Pork Recipes
Well, Hey, Y’all.
Kita is a multi-talented individual, boasting numerous accomplishments such as being an award-winning recipe developer, world-traveled professional photographer, and journalist. As the lead creative force behind Girl Carnivore®, she is widely recognized as an authority on all things meat.
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