Ham steak is one of the easiest dinners in my repertoire. It's simple, flavorful, and ready in 15 minutes.
This ham steak recipe is as easy as can be because we're using fully cooked ham and merely heating it up in a skillet while adding butter and seasonings. And despite being such an easy recipe, it's delicious! I season the ham with garlic powder, thyme, and cayenne pepper, then cook it in butter with a little maple syrup for that irresistible sweet-salty-spicy combination.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Ham: You'll need two fully cooked steaks. Each of them should weigh about 8 ounces.
- Butter: For pan-frying the ham. You can substitute olive oil or ghee for the butter.
- To season: Garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Since ham is very salty, there's no need to add salt.
- Maple syrup: Just 2 teaspoons. This small amount is all that's needed to create that lovely sweet-and-salty combination while preventing the dish from being too sweet.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Cut the ham pieces in half. Each half will be one serving. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter starts foaming, add the ham steaks and sprinkle them with the spices.
Cook until browned on the bottom, for about 3 minutes. Add the maple syrup, flip the ham pieces, and cook them until browned on the second side, about 2 more minutes.
Transfer the ham to plates. Drizzle or brush it with the pan juices and serve.
My wife and I don’t like overly spicy foods, so the first time we tried the recipe, we only used ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, not ¼. For us, this was perfect! We also liked that the recipe did not create a sticky, gooey, over-sugared glaze. For us, a delightful recipe. We will use it again and again. Thank you!
Paul Bergeron
Read more comments
My wife and I don’t like overly spicy foods, so the first time we tried the recipe, we only used ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, not ¼. For us, this was perfect! We also liked that the recipe did not create a sticky, gooey, over-sugared glaze. For us, a delightful recipe. We will use it again and again. Thank you!Recipe Tips
- Fully cooked ham steak can be eaten straight out of the package. However, pan-frying in butter with maple syrup and spices greatly enhances its flavor.
- Since the ham is fully cooked, you should cook it briefly, just to heat it up. Overcooking will make it dry. Cook it just until it's browned, and remove it from the pan immediately.
- While you could theoretically add the maple syrup at the start of the cooking process, right after the butter has melted, it's better to add it right before you flip the ham. If you add it at the start, it will caramelize too much by the time the ham is ready, and could even start to slightly burn. So it's best to add it midway through cooking.
- Storage: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also enjoy the leftovers cold straight out of the fridge, but they're better when reheated.
Serving Suggestions
I usually make this recipe for a quick dinner when pressed for time. As you can see in the photos, I like to serve the ham with simply boiled green beans for a quick and easy meal.
Other easy side dishes to round out this meal include mashed cauliflower, roasted cauliflower, roasted carrots, roasted green beans, and roasted cherry tomatoes.
You can also opt for a salad, as I often do. Good options include tomato salad, arugula salad, or cucumber salad.
Occasionally, I serve these steaks for brunch, and then I like to serve them with fried eggs, scrambled eggs, or poached eggs. In the photo below, you can see them served with crispy fried eggs (that's how my husband likes eggs!), a broiled tomato, and steamed asparagus.
Recipe Card
Pan-Fried Ham Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ham steaks - 8 ounces each, fully cooked
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Cut each piece of ham in half. Each half will be a serving.
- Heat a large, 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Once the butter melts, swirl it to coat the bottom of the skillet.
- When the butter starts foaming, add the ham in a single layer. Sprinkle the ham with garlic powder, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper.
- Cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.
- Add the maple syrup to the skillet and swirl to combine with the pan juices. Turn the ham to the other side and cook until browned on that side, about 2 more minutes.
- Transfer the ham to plates. Drizzle or brush it with the pan juices. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Since ham is very salty, there's no need to add salt.
- The sodium content will depend on the brand of ham you use.
- While you could theoretically add the maple syrup at the start of the cooking process, right after the butter has melted, it's better to add it right before you flip the ham. If you add it at the start, it will caramelize too much by the time the ham is ready and could even start to slightly burn. So it's best to add it midway through cooking.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Elana Tyson says
It was pretty good - I don't think it needed cayenne pepper. The concept of using maple syrup was great!
Shari says
So, do we only add the spices to one side of the ham?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Shari,
Yes, that's correct.
Melanie says
Delicious
Darrel Friesen says
Delicious. Added a teaspoon of dijon mustard when I added the syrup just because. Served with scalloped potatoes and home made Harvard beets. Yum.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Darrel! Dijon is a great addition, and your dinner sounds AMAZING.
Tom says
Added pineapple chunks while cooking the ham
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yum! Thanks for the comment, Tom.
Alicia H says
Very simple and fast and flavorful. Such an easy family meal.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Alicia!
Danielle says
amazing recipe! thank you so much.
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Danielle!
Patty says
So delicious! I ended up adding onion powder and I unfortunately didn't have any cayenne pepper, but it still came out amazing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Patty! Thank you for sharing your tweaks.
Debbie Ann says
I’m rediscovering cooking but haven’t cooked with maple syrup. Should I use pure maple syrup or maple syrup used for pancakes?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Debbie,
You should use pure maple syrup.
Paul Bergeron says
My wife and I don’t like overly spicy foods, so the first time we tried the recipe, we only used 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, not 1/4. For us, this was perfect! We also liked that the recipe did not create a sticky, gooey, over-sugared glaze. For us, a delightful recipe. We will use it again and again. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you and your wife enjoyed this recipe, Paul! I 100% agree on the not-to-sweet glaze. That's my preference too.