Ham steak is another very popular cut of meat that is ready to serve in a few minutes of cooking and preparing. Either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, learning how to cook ham steak is a great way to improve your cooking mastery.
It is tasty, usually sledged and convenient to work with, saves time, not a loss of quality. The smoky, savory taste complements all forms of sides, sauces and glazes making it a main staple for any occasion.
This content will explain in detail how to cook ham steak correctly on either stove top, on a grill, or in an oven.
Both methods allow them to reveal different tastes and consistencies, so every dish remains quite special. So with the help of these ingredients and methods, you and I could take home cooking to restaurant standard.
After reading this article, you will have no qualms of knowing how to cook ham steak in different flavors and styles.
What is Ham Steak?
Ham steak is a pre-sliced thick butt cut of meat everyone loves due to the ease in cooking and the rich flavor of the product.
Unlike whole ham that takes a very long time to cook and prepare, ham steak is much easier for those who would wish to taste the delicious ham.
The loin cut is offered in different presentations; precut partially cooked, raw, with bones, or deboned.
Ham steak is high in protein and can be a source of iron and zinc apart from being a very tasty food.
Its somewhat husky and salty fragility makes it suitable to be used in breakfast specialties such as eggs and potato cakes and dinner specialties such as baked vegetables and mashed potatoes.
What ham steak actually is and the main distinctive features of this product is the knowledge of which will allow to achieve optimal results.
If managed well this cut of meat is versatile and very convenient to work with in preparation and cooking, and as such can become one of the most preferred meals with great flavour.
Preparation of Ham Steak for Cooking
In order to have a good preparation of the ham steak it is important that they follow the following steps.
There are few important and straightforward actions to be performed properly before moving to the cooking of this slice of meat.
The first step in preparing a ham steak is to select the correct ham to use in your recipe or in steaks you favor.
Choose it as a cut with tender and milky white fat layers and avoid minced, dried or cured meat.
Pre-cooked ham steak is useful when you want to make a quick meal or eat a sandwich, as an uncooked ham steak will give you a certain freedom in seasoning and taste.
Next, if necessary, it is important to pay attention to decreasing salt concentrations.
Occasionally, ham steaks can be incredibly salty, including pre-cooked ones. What makes the steak taste less delicious is that the excess salt can be washed off and this is done by rinsing the steak with cold water for about 30 minutes.
If so, rinse it, follow it up with a wash using paper towels to soak the excessive water dirth.
Seasoning can also be another detailed step which is performed. In general, ham steak has a well-defined smoky, savory taste of its own, but you can improve it by sprinkling a little salt, black pepper or your preferred seasoning on it.
For added sweetness you can baste it in honey, maple syrup or brown sugar before grilling the steak.
Selecting a proper ham steak, avoiding extra salt and incorrectly placing spices – this is what will help you to achieve a great result with ease.
Learning how to cook ham steak and preparing your ham steak well will have it come out well fried, grilled or baked depending on your desire.
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Different Methods to Cook Ham Steak
There are various approaches to cooking ham steak. Ham steak is very suitable when it comes to preparation because the preparation style you choose will give off different results.
It is right to learn how to cook ham steak in a way that it will be juicy and rich in taste all along as well as tender.
Here are the three general methods of cooking ham steak:
Pan-Frying Ham Steak
Pan-frying is one of the quickest ways of preparing ham steak.
- Preheat the Skillet: Pick a non-stick or cast-iron pan, and then set the pan on the middle rack of your oven preheated to medium heat. A little splash of oil or butter to the pan will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking, as well as giving them extra flavor.
- Season the Steak: Just sprinkle pepper or your best seasonings on the ham steak or however you prefer it. Normally pre-cooked ham steak does not require additional seasoning such as salt.
- Cook on Each Side: Put the steak in the skillet and fry for 3-4 minutes each side up to a glorious color of brown. Make sure, though, that it is browned evenly to get a crisp outside skin while being soft inside.
This allows added smoky taste in the ham steak as well as forming a burnt surface. Have it with eggs if you are serving breakfast or have it with a good fresh salad for dinner.
Grilling Ham Steak
Grilling is a good method of making ham steak giving it the smoky, charring taste that is preferred by most people.
- Prepare the Grill: Keep your grill at medium-high and lubricate the surface of the grill to avoid sticking.
- Season or Marinate: Before grilling, preferably, use a plain coat like a glaze or a marinade like pineapple juice, honey, or barbeque sauce. This adds moisture and increases flavor when grilling.
- Grill to Perfection: Put the slice of ham steak right on to the grill and grill for 3-5 minutes on each side. Turn gently in order not to crease the document.
Using this method is appropriate for summer time barbecues and any kind of outdoor event. It can be best enjoyed with grilled vegetables or corn on the cob as a healthy meal.
Baking Ham Steak
Baking is suitable for ham steaks which need a glaze because the glaze will take time to caramelise.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat about 350⁰F and grease a baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment for easy cleaning.
- Prepare the Glaze: Use brown sugar, mustard and orange juice to make a perfect mixture to marinate the pork. Paint the glaze thickly on the meat part of the ham steak.
- Bake Until Tender: Put the ham steak in the dish, and then cover the dish completely with aluminum foil. Place under the broiler and bake for 15-20 minutes flipping midway and usually basting with the glaze. Take the foil off at the last minute so that the top browns.
Its leaves a ham steak tender with caramelized glaze on top. It is additionally a great way to accommodate guests for meals during those special occasions like a holiday feast.
All of these cooking methods focus on the natural flavors of the steak, but at the same time, there is an opportunity for imagination. Learning how to cook ham steak using these methods guarantee ragged meals, which is handy, versatile, and delicious.
Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Ham Steak
Even when using basic techniques of preparing ham steak, slight mistakes can ruin the taste of the ham steak.
These are the common mistakes you must avoid when cooking Ham Steaks.
1. Overcooking the Ham Steak
Ham steak takes little time to cook especially if you are using a pre-cooked ham steak type.
When they get overcooked they dry and become chewy to the mouth. Follow the cooking time and take the steak off heat as soon as done or spotty brown on the outside.
2. Ignoring Salt Levels
Ham steak is relatively salty on its own, even more so if you used a pre-cooked ham steak. They might also ruin the dish by using too much salt either when seasoning or glazing. Don’t season until the very last moment, and if it is too salty, try soaking it in water first.
3. Skipping the Resting Time
Finally, when the ham is done let it stand for a few minutes before slicing or portioning. This makes it possible that the juices redistribute and for that perfect bite to be juicy.
4. Culminating from the Wrong cooking Method
If you have never eaten ham steaks, you will find that they are not all the same. Depending on whether the steak is undercooked or overcooked, select the right cooking method.
Conclusion
Ham steak is one of the most delicious cuts and may be cooked using a number of methods such as pan-frying, grilling or baking.
Knowing how to cook ham steak properly will enable you to prepare a meal that fits different categories including casual and occasions meals.
You need to taste the variety of methods and spices to achieve the combination that seems the most appropriate.
