This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This glazed ham steak recipe pan-fries a single ham steak on the stove in 15 minutes and finishes it with a maple-Dijon glaze.
Featured Comment
“I made this ham steak again tonight and it was just so good. Everything came together quickly. Thanks for another great recipe.”
– Ryan
A Ham Steak Dinner Ready In 15 Minutes
A ham steak is already fully cooked, so the skillet work is just about building color and flavor. I love how fast it comes together in one pan. Four minutes on one side and three on the other gives you a crisp, seared exterior with a tender, juicy center.
The glaze is what makes it. I recently updated this recipe with a maple-Dijon version that I think is better than the original. Brown sugar, maple syrup, and a spoonful of Dijon mustard, made in the same pan you cooked the ham in.
The acid in the mustard cuts through the saltiness of the ham and keeps the glaze from tasting too sweet. The brown sugar caramelizes in about 30 seconds and pulls all the flavor left in the pan from searing into the sauce.
If you’d rather cook your ham steak in the oven, try my baked ham steak sheet pan meal for an easy one-pan dinner.
Watch How To Make Glazed Ham Steak
Ingredient Notes
If you have any ingredients leftover from this glazed ham steak recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Ham steak is a thick slice cut from a whole ham. Look for one labeled “fully cooked,” “cured,” or “hickory smoked” in the meat section, usually near the bacon. An 8-ounce steak is the right size for one serving. This recipe will not work with a raw or uncooked ham steak. If you’ve got an extra ham steak, use it in a single serving ham and bean soup or small batch ham and cheese scones.
Butter is used to sear the ham and start building flavor in the pan. Salted butter works best here.
Brown sugar caramelizes quickly in the hot pan and forms the base of the glaze. Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark brown sugar has a stronger molasses flavor if you want something a little richer.
Maple syrup adds a slightly smoky, woodsy sweetness that brown sugar alone doesn’t give you. It also helps the glaze stay loose enough to spoon over the ham. Use real maple syrup if you can. Pancake syrup works in a pinch but the flavor won’t be as good.
Dijon mustard cuts through the sweetness of the brown sugar and maple syrup. It adds a mild tang without tasting strongly of mustard. If you don’t have Dijon, whole grain mustard is a good substitute.
Recipe note: The recipe video shows the original brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon glaze. The current recipe uses a maple-Dijon glaze. Both versions are listed in the recipe variations section below.
Recipe Variations
Try one of these glaze variations:
Spicy glaze: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a small dash of hot sauce to the glaze.
Pineapple glaze: Replace the maple syrup with pineapple juice for a sweeter, fruitier glaze.
Brown sugar and cinnamon glaze: If you’ve made this recipe before and prefer the original version from the video, use 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon in place of the maple-Dijon glaze.
No mustard: Leave the Dijon out for a simpler, sweeter glaze.
How To Cook A Ham Steak On A Stove
These steps and photos walk you through the process. For ingredient amounts and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the ham steak and cook for 4 minutes without moving it.
- Flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
- Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard to the same skillet. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds.
- Spoon the glaze over the ham and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Use a fully cooked ham steak. Look for “fully cooked,” “cured,” or “hickory smoked” on the label.
Let the ham rest at room temperature first. Cold meat hitting a hot pan drops the temperature and affects the sear. Ten minutes out of the refrigerator takes the chill off the surface so the pan stays hot when the ham goes in and you get a better browning.
Don’t skip the sear. Cooking the ham without moving it for the first 4 minutes gives you a beautiful browned crust. This is the Maillard reaction, the chemical process where heat transforms proteins and sugars on the surface of food into hundreds of new flavor compounds. It’s the difference between a flavorful crust and meat that just tastes cooked.
Watch the glaze closely. Brown sugar burns fast. Keep stirring and pull the pan off the heat as soon as the sugar dissolves.
Freeze ham steaks for later. They keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Stock up when they’re on sale.
What To Serve With Ham Steak
Pair this pan-fried ham steak with a single serving side dish to make it a complete meal:
- Mashed potatoes for one
- Single serving green beans almondine
- Small batch cornbread
- Small batch sweet potato wedges
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for one labeled “fully cooked,” “cured,” or “hickory smoked.” These are usually near the bacon in the meat section. Avoid raw or uncooked ham steaks for this recipe.
Since the ham is already fully cooked, you’re just heating it through and building color. Four minutes on the first side and 3 on the second gives you a browned exterior and a hot center.
Yes. The ham tastes good on its own with just the butter sear. The glaze adds flavor but it’s optional.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat for a few minutes on each side, or in the microwave in short 30-second intervals to avoid drying it out.
Yes. A bone-in ham steak works fine in this recipe. The cooking time stays the same. Just be aware that the bone takes up some of the weight, so you may want a slightly larger steak.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this glazed ham steak or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Glazed Ham Steak Recipe
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
- 1 (8-ounce) boneless, fully cooked ham steak
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Let the ham steak sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking.
- Melt butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the ham steak and cook for 4 minutes without moving it.
- Flip the ham and cook for 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- With the skillet still over medium heat, add the brown sugar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves, about 30 seconds.
- Spoon the glaze over the ham and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I’ve been frying ham steaks for more years than I can count. For some reason I decided to check out the recipe and the sauce was just too easy not to try. It is absolutely great!
I love that you decided to give the sauce a try after all those years! I’m so glad you did and that you enjoyed it. Sometimes a simple addition makes all the difference.
I made this ham steak again tonight, and it was just so good. Everything came together quickly. Thanks for another great recipe.
The updated recipe for Ham Steak is a keeper and delicious. The maple syrup is a great ingredient. I like to serve it with sweet potato hash made with bacon, cumin and a tad of minced pickled jalapeňo and the green beans almondine.
Ham steak is one of my favorite easy dinners. It’s our go-to when you have that one cool day in the summer and you need some comfort food but you don’t want to go heavy. Our favorite combo is parsley butter baby potatoes and carrots. I save some of the glaze from the ham to put on the carrots. Some time I cut them smaller and just toss them in with the ham. During corn season we replace the potatoes with corn on the cob. As for your glaze, what I do is very similar. I also add sweet smoked paprika. Really makes a difference. I really love the idea in another comment of adding some pineapple juice. Off to buy one because now I want it so bad!
That sounds delicious — I love your idea of adding smoked paprika to the glaze. It adds such great depth of flavor!
I buy Farmer John’s ham steak for one at the grocery store. It can be found where the bacon and sausage are in most grocery stores. For dinner, I cook the entire little steak in an 8″ skillet and serve with 1 roasted red potato that I have quartered and dotted with butter and diced garlic; and green beans with a blend of garlic, salt and pepper. I use a small cast iron baking pan in my air fryer to cook the potato and green beans. Takes about 10 minutes, turning them once.