Easy Honey Glazed Ham Steak with Pineapple: A Quick & Flavorful Dinner for Two

Imagine a succulent, savory ham, beautifully glazed with sweet honey and bright pineapple, all ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes! This Honey Glazed Ham Steak recipe is your secret weapon for an impressive yet effortlessly easy meal. Whether you’re planning an intimate holiday dinner for two or simply craving a delicious and quick ham meal any night of the week, this stovetop-fried or oven-baked ham steak is the perfect solution. Say goodbye to daunting whole hams and hello to a perfectly portioned, flavorful feast!

Holiday dinners often conjure images of lavish spreads: enormous roasted hams, a multitude of side dishes, and bustling tables filled with large families. While these grand traditions are wonderful, they’re not always practical for every household. Many of us find ourselves cooking for a smaller gathering, perhaps just two people, and the thought of preparing an entire ham can feel overwhelming. All that food, so many leftovers, and the extensive time commitment can deter even the most enthusiastic home cooks.

But what if you could enjoy all the delightful flavors of a classic holiday ham without the fuss, the excessive leftovers, or the hours spent in the kitchen? That’s where the humble yet mighty ham steak comes in! This incredible ingredient allows you to scale down your meal without sacrificing tradition or taste. Instead of buying a whole ham, you simply select a perfectly sized slice from a ham roast – ideal for smaller appetites or a cozy dinner for two.

Inspired by the enduring popularity of honey-baked ham, we’ve crafted this irresistible **Honey Glazed Ham Steak recipe** featuring the delightful tang of pineapple in a rich, caramelized glaze. This method ensures you get all the beloved flavors of a traditional honey glazed ham, but in a fraction of the time and with far less food waste. It’s a game-changer for celebrating special occasions, especially Christmas Dinner for Two and Easter Dinner for Two. And for those who enjoy a savory twist on their fall celebrations, this ham steak also makes a fantastic addition to your Thanksgiving Dinner for Two menu.

The true beauty of preparing a ham steak dinner lies in its incredible speed. You can have this entire dish, from start to finish, on your table in as little as 15-20 minutes. Plus, by opting to pan-fry your ham slice on the stovetop, you keep your oven completely free. This invaluable perk allows you to bake your favorite side dishes, like roasted vegetables or gratin potatoes, simultaneously without juggling oven space. It’s convenience and deliciousness, all in one package!

What Exactly Is a Ham Steak?

A ham steak, sometimes referred to as a ham slice, is simply a cross-section cut from a larger ham roast. You can find them in various thicknesses and either boneless or bone-in, typically in the refrigerated meat section of most grocery stores. The convenience of ham steaks makes them an excellent choice for quick meals, especially when you’re not feeding a crowd.

Most ham steaks available today are pre-cooked, clearly labeled as “fully cooked” on the packaging. This is a huge time-saver, as it means you only need to heat it through and add flavor, rather than cook it from raw. While adding a delicious ham steak glaze, like our honey-pineapple blend, significantly enhances the flavor, be mindful not to overcook it, as fully cooked ham can dry out easily. If, however, you happen to purchase a raw ham slice, ensure you cook it until its internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for food safety.

When choosing, you’ll likely encounter both boneless and bone-in options. While we used a boneless ham steak for this particular recipe, the cooking method remains the same for bone-in varieties. A bone-in ham steak can even impart a little extra flavor! And a pro tip: if you do opt for bone-in, don’t discard that ham bone after your meal. It’s fantastic for making rich, flavorful soup stock later!

Serving both ham and lamb for Christmas or Easter? Complement this dish with our equally easy lamb chop dinner for two, ensuring a diverse and delicious holiday spread.

How Many Servings Does a Ham Steak Make?

For our ham steak recipe, a single ham slice typically ranges from 0.80 to 1 pound (approximately 12.8 to 16 ounces), making it perfectly suited for a dinner for two with generous portions. While portion sizes are always subjective and depend on individual appetites and the number of side dishes served, a 16-ounce ham slice generally yields about 4 pieces, providing two substantial pieces per person.

In some instances, you might only find smaller 8-ounce ham steaks available. If this is the case, you have a couple of options: you can either halve the glaze recipe to match the smaller amount of ham or purchase two 8-ounce steaks to ensure ample servings and a full recipe of our delicious glaze. An 8-ounce ham steak typically provides about 2 pieces, perfect for a single generous serving or two smaller ones.

If you’re serving this delicious honey-glazed ham steak with a variety of hearty Easter or Christmas side dishes, you can easily stretch the meal further, especially if your guests have smaller appetites. The richness of the ham and glaze, combined with complementary sides, makes for a satisfying meal that can even feed more than two if managed wisely.

Given that a 16-ounce ham steak can be quite large, we recommend using a large 12-inch skillet (affiliate link) to ensure even cooking and enough space for the glaze. However, if your ham steak is larger than your available skillet, don’t worry! Simply cut the ham in half and fry each portion separately. While this will add a few extra minutes to the cooking time as you cook in batches, it’s a perfectly viable solution and means you won’t need to invest in a giant skillet if you have limited kitchen space.

Essential Ingredients for Your Ham Steak Dinner

Crafting this flavorful ham steak dinner requires a handful of simple ingredients that come together to create a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and tangy notes. Here’s what you’ll need to gather to make your honey-glazed ham steak:

• Oil: A tablespoon of vegetable or olive oil is essential for frying your ham steak on the stovetop, ensuring a beautiful sear and preventing sticking. You can omit this if you choose to bake.
• Ham Steak: Look for one 16-ounce slice or two 8-ounce slices. Opt for fully cooked, boneless or bone-in ham steak. Patting it dry before cooking helps achieve a better sear.
• Honey: The star of our glaze, honey provides a rich, natural sweetness that beautifully complements the savory ham. It also contributes to the glaze’s luscious texture and golden color.
• Pineapple Juice and Tidbits: Canned pineapple tidbits are perfect for this recipe, offering both the sweet-tart juice for the glaze and tender pieces to serve alongside. If tidbits aren’t available, crushed pineapple works just as well. The acidity balances the richness of the ham.
• Brown Sugar: This adds another layer of deep sweetness and, crucially, aids in the caramelization process, giving the glaze a beautiful, slightly sticky finish and rich flavor.
• Dijon Mustard: Don’t skip the Dijon! Its tangy, slightly spicy profile is key to cutting through the sweetness of the honey and brown sugar, providing a much-needed acidic counterpoint that brightens the entire dish.
• Paprika: A touch of paprika adds a subtle warmth and a beautiful reddish hue to the glaze. It helps to round out the flavors, ensuring the glaze isn’t one-dimensionally sweet but has a hint of savory depth.

Mastering Your Ham Steak Dinner: Cooking Methods

One of the fantastic aspects of this honey glazed ham steak recipe is its flexibility. You have two excellent methods for cooking, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your time, equipment, and other meal components:

1. Fried on the Stovetop: This is our preferred method for speed and a beautifully caramelized crust.
2. Baked in the Oven: A great hands-off option, perfect for when your stovetop is occupied.

Both approaches yield a delicious result, so you truly can’t go wrong. Your choice simply depends on what other dishes you’re preparing for your meal. If you’re baking side dishes, such as our creamy Au Gratin Potatoes For Two, then cooking your ham steak on the stovetop frees up valuable oven space. Conversely, if your stove burners are full with other components like our rich Stove Top Scalloped Potatoes, then baking the ham steak is a convenient alternative.

How To Fry Ham Steak for a Perfect Glaze

Pan-frying is arguably the best way to cook your honey glazed ham steak. It’s not only incredibly quick, taking just minutes, but it also means you don’t have to preheat your oven, saving energy and time. Plus, frying on the stovetop creates a wonderfully golden-brown and slightly crispy exterior on the ham, enhancing its texture and flavor profile.

Here’s how to achieve a perfectly fried and glazed ham steak:

1. Sear the Ham: In your large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham steak and cook until beautifully browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared ham to a plate and keep it warm.
2. Prepare the Glaze: While the pan is still warm, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, pineapple juice, and paprika in a small bowl.
3. Simmer the Glaze: Turn the heat down to low on the skillet. Pour the honey mixture into the pan and let it simmer gently until it starts bubbling, about 1 minute. Tilt the pan to ensure the glaze coats the entire surface.
4. Glaze the Ham: Return the seared ham steak to the pan. Dip one side into the bubbling glaze, letting it cook for about a minute to absorb the flavors. Flip the ham steak and coat the other side, cooking for another minute. The glaze will thicken slightly and adhere beautifully to the ham.
5. Add Pineapple & Serve: Finally, stir in the pineapple pieces directly into the glaze in the skillet. You might need to move the ham around slightly to incorporate them fully. Remove the ham from the pan, spoon the extra pineapple and glaze on top, and serve immediately.

You might be tempted to add a pinch of salt to the glaze, but resist! Ham, especially fully cooked varieties, is inherently salty. This natural saltiness perfectly balances the sweetness of the glaze, creating a well-rounded flavor without needing extra seasoning. However, if you were adapting this glorious glaze for a different, unsalted protein like chicken or pork chops, a small pinch of kosher or sea salt would indeed amplify the flavors beautifully.

How To Bake Ham Steak In The Oven (Hands-Off Method)

Baking your honey glazed ham steak is just as straightforward as frying, offering a more hands-off approach that’s perfect for when you’re multitasking in the kitchen or prefer less direct involvement. This method ensures the ham is heated through evenly and infused with the delicious glaze.

Here’s how to bake your ham steak dinner:

1. Prepare the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together all your ham steak glaze ingredients: honey, pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and paprika until well combined.
2. Arrange & Glaze the Ham: Line a baking pan (large enough to hold your ham steak) with foil for super easy cleanup and lightly grease the foil. Place your ham steak in the prepared pan. Pour the whisked glaze evenly over the top, making sure the entire steak is thoroughly covered. Scatter the pineapple tidbits on top of the ham and glaze.
3. Bake to Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the ham steak, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is heated through completely and the glaze begins to bubble and lightly brown around the edges.

While your ham steak is happily baking in the oven, you can dedicate your time to preparing other components of your meal, like setting the table or finishing up your favorite side dishes. This method allows for efficient holiday meal prep or a relaxed weeknight dinner.

Why Do We Pair Pineapple with Ham? The Perfect Harmony

It simply wouldn’t be a true honey glazed ham steak dinner without the classic addition of pineapple! This timeless pairing is a culinary match made in heaven, and for good reason. Pineapple plays a crucial role in balancing the rich, often salty flavor of ham because of its unique composition: it’s both wonderfully acidic and naturally sweet.

The acidity of pineapple cuts through the fattiness and savory depth of the ham, preventing the dish from tasting too heavy. Simultaneously, its natural sweetness complements the ham’s inherent flavor, especially when combined with the honey and brown sugar in our glaze, creating a delightful sweet-and-savory profile. In this recipe, we’ve incorporated both the pineapple juice into the glaze for a foundational tang and stirred in tender pineapple tidbits, which burst with juicy flavor in every bite.

While some recipes might suggest using maraschino cherries for a splash of color, we found that their intense, artificial sweetness could overpower the delicate balance we’re aiming for. Pineapple offers a more nuanced sweetness and a fresher, brighter acidity that truly elevates the ham, making each mouthful a perfect symphony of flavors.

What To Serve With Your Honey Glazed Ham Steak

A delicious ham steak deserves equally delicious accompaniments. These thoughtfully selected side dishes will beautifully complement the sweet and savory flavors of your honey glazed ham, creating a truly memorable meal:

• Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes For Two: The ultimate comfort food, these rich and garlicky mashed potatoes provide a smooth, creamy contrast to the ham.
• Homemade Gravy Without Drippings: A flavorful gravy adds an extra layer of moisture and richness, even without traditional meat drippings.
• Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup: A fresh take on a classic, this casserole offers tender green beans in a savory sauce, perfect for a holiday feel.
• Easy Carrot Saute from NeighborFood: Sweet, tender carrots provide a vibrant color and natural sweetness that pairs wonderfully with ham and pineapple.
• Small Pecan Pie: Finish your meal with a decadent and perfectly portioned pecan pie, a delightful Southern-inspired dessert.

Originally published on March 25, 2019