Ham steak with brown sugar glaze is a thick slice of ham seared in butter until the edges brown, then coated in a quick, sticky, sweet and tangy glaze of brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger and black pepper. This ham steak glaze with brown sugar comes together in the same skillet, right after the ham is browned, with six pantry ingredients. Dinner is ready in 20 minutes. It is a fast weeknight main, and a small-scale answer to a holiday ham when you are only feeding four.
How to make ham steak with brown sugar glaze: Check that the ham steaks are fully cooked. Sear 4 ham steaks in 1 tablespoon of butter for 2 to 3 minutes per side and set aside. Whisk another tablespoon of butter, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger and pepper in the skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbling. Return the ham and cook 10 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes, until hot through.
Why You’ll Love It
- Twenty minutes. Start to finish, in one pan.
- Sweet and tangy. Brown sugar and cider vinegar balance each other.
- Pantry glaze. No jar or packet.
- Holiday flavor, weeknight size. No whole ham to carve.
- Good at any meal. Dinner with potatoes, or breakfast with eggs.
Ingredient Notes
Ham steaks. Four, about 4 ounces each. Buy ham steaks that are labeled fully cooked.
Butter. Two tablespoons, divided: one for searing and one for the glaze.
Apple cider vinegar. Two tablespoons. It cuts the sweetness and the salt.
Light brown sugar. Two tablespoons.
Garlic powder and ground ginger. A 1/2 teaspoon of each.
Ground black pepper. A 1/4 teaspoon.
Ingredients
- 4 ham steaks (4 ounces each), fully cooked
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
How to Make Ham Steak with Brown Sugar Glaze
1. Check the ham. Confirm that the ham steaks are labeled fully cooked. This quick skillet method is not meant for an uncooked ham steak.
2. Brown the ham. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter, then sear the ham steaks for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat to medium and sear the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the ham to a clean plate.
3. Make the glaze. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger and black pepper to the skillet. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze bubbles.
4. Coat and heat through. Return the ham steaks to the skillet. Move them through the glaze, flip to coat both sides and cook in the glaze for 10 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes. Check the center with a food thermometer. Fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant must reach 140°F when reheated. All other fully cooked ham must reach 165°F. Keep heating if needed.
5. Serve. Remove the ham steaks from the pan and serve with the glaze.
Is a Ham Steak Already Cooked?
Usually, but not always. Most ham steaks in the grocery store are fully cooked and only need to be heated. A few are sold uncooked. The package tells you which kind you have, so read the label before you start.
It matters because this recipe is a reheating recipe. Fifteen minutes in a skillet warms a cooked ham steak and glazes it. It is not designed to cook raw pork.
| What the label says | What to do | Temperature to reach |
|---|---|---|
| Fully cooked, packaged in a USDA-inspected plant | Follow this recipe | 140°F |
| Fully cooked, any other source | Follow this recipe and heat a little longer if needed | 165°F |
| Uncooked, fresh or smoked | Cook it fully. The quick timing here is not enough | 145°F, then a 3-minute rest |
How to tell it is hot enough
Browned edges and a bubbling glaze look ready, but they only tell you about the outside. Slide a food thermometer sideways into the center of the thickest steak. When it reads the number for your kind of ham, it is ready to serve.
Tips for Success
Should I pat the ham dry?
Yes. Ham steaks come out of the package wet, and a dry surface browns much better.
Why take the ham out to make the glaze?
The empty pan lets you whisk the sugar until it dissolves. Scrape up the browned bits from the ham as you whisk. They add a lot of flavor.
Why flip every 2 minutes?
Turning the steaks often builds up the glaze in thin layers on both sides and keeps the sugar from scorching.
My glaze is getting too thick. What do I do?
Lower the heat and add a spoonful of water. Sugar thickens quickly as it cooks down.
Should I add salt?
No. Ham is already salty.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in a shallow, covered container. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Diced leftover ham is very good in eggs, fried rice or bean soup.
What to Serve With It
Mashed or scalloped potatoes and green beans make a classic plate, and eggs and biscuits turn it into breakfast. For a hands-off way to cook the same cut, try the 5-ingredient slow cooker ham steaks. For more brown sugar dinners, there are the brown sugar chops, the slow cooker apple brown sugar pork chops and the slow cooker 3-ingredient brown sugar chicken. And for more ways to use ham, make crock pot ham and beans or the slow cooker cream of chicken ham pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a ham steak already cooked?
Most are fully cooked, but some are sold uncooked. Check the package.
How do I know when a glazed ham steak is hot enough to serve?
Use a thermometer in the center. Fully cooked ham from a USDA-inspected plant is reheated to 140°F, and other fully cooked ham to 165°F.
How do I make a glaze like a honey baked ham?
This glaze is a simpler skillet one, with brown sugar, cider vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper. It is sweet, tangy and sticky, but it is not a copy of any store ham.
What is a good seasoning for smoked ham?
Brown sugar, something sharp like vinegar, and warm spices such as ginger and black pepper suit the smoky, salty meat.
Final Notes
I measure the glaze ingredients into a small cup before the ham goes in the pan, because the cooking moves quickly. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Ham Steak with Brown Sugar Glaze
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Ingredients
- 4 ham steaks 4 ounces each; use fully cooked ham steaks and check the package label
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Confirm that the ham steaks are labeled fully cooked. This quick skillet method is not meant for an uncooked ham steak.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter, then sear the ham steaks for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, reduce the heat to medium and sear the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the ham to a clean plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger and black pepper to the skillet. Whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the glaze bubbles.
- Return the ham steaks to the skillet. Move them through the glaze, flip to coat both sides and cook in the glaze for 10 minutes, flipping every 2 minutes. Check the center with a food thermometer. Fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant must reach 140°F when reheated. All other fully cooked ham must reach 165°F. Keep heating if needed.
- Remove the ham steaks from the pan and serve with the glaze.
Notes
Nutrition
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