Southern This Southern Cola Ham Steak recipe is perfect when you want roast ham but don’t want a whole ham roast! An easy, 20-minute dinner made up of tender ham steak smothered in a sweet and savory brown sugar cola glaze.
This Southern cola ham steak recipe was inspired by something my mom used to make when I was a kid. Something that we used to come running to the table for. Now, I haven’t recreated my mother’s version perfectly yet, but in the meantime, this recipe is a pretty darn good alternative.
This recipe takes 20 minutes to put together, requires just 5 ingredients, and results in tender and flavorful ham and a buttery brown sugar cola glaze. I’ll be honest..after you try this you might just be wishing you did have the whole ham.
What is a ham steak?
Ham steak is a single slice of a whole ham usually cut from the center of a ham roast. It’s pre-cooked and sold as individually packaged slices.
Since ham steaks are thin and already cured, they are quick to cook and perfect for when you’re serving just a couple of people. You get the delicious flavor of roast ham without having to buy a whole ham!
What you need to make this recipe
- Butter
- Ham Steak – they can be found next to the whole roast hams at your local grocery store. Ensure that the package says “fully cooked”, “cured”, or “hickory smoked”.
- Cola, Worcestershire Sauce, and Brown Sugar – combined with the butter to make up a sweet and savory glaze for the ham.
How to cook Southern cola ham steak
Since the meat is already cooked, all you need to do is apply some heat. Here’s how to prep this Southern cola ham steak:
Heat one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the pork.
Brown the steaks on both sides for 5-7 minutes.
In a bowl, stir together the cola, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
Pour the cola mixture over the ham, then simmer until slightly thickened (about 3-5 minutes.) Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add one more tablespoon of butter to the cola sauce, stir until smooth, then serve over the finished ham steaks.
Is ham steak already cooked?
It depends. In this case, you do want to buy ham steak that is already cooked so that all you’re really doing is warming it. When you’re looking for one at the grocery store, look for packages that read “fully cooked”, “cured”, or “hickory smoked”.
Why is my ham steak tough?
If your steak is tough then it’s probably overcooked. You’ll brown on each side for 5-7 minutes but not much more than that. If it cooks too long you miss out on that perfect tender texture.
How to serve
I love to make my ham steak into a complete meal by serving it next to a pile of mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, and buttery biscuits.
You can also chop it up and use it in pretty much any recipe you want! That means breakfast casseroles, breakfast hash, mac and cheese, salads, stir-fries, frittatas, you name it. Check out my 10 recipes using leftover ham for even more ideas!
How to store
Leftover cooked ham steak will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. To enjoy again, thaw first in the fridge if frozen, then warm on the stove until heated through.
Southern Cola Ham Steak
One of my favorite childhood dinners were sweet ham steaks over creamy mashed potatoes. Mom would make this and we would devour it! The sweet cola pan sauce was gravy over entire meal and the ham steaks were a luxury. We never knew it was a 20 minute one pan meal.
Servings: 4
Calories: 203kcal
Instructions
Heat the Ham Steaks
- Heat 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ham steaks and brown on both sides, 5 – 7 minutes.
Make the Sweet Cola Pan Sauce
- Stir the cola, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar together in a bowl and pour over the ham steaks.
- Simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set the ham steaks aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon butter to the cola sauce and stir until smooth.
Notes
This dinner goes quick and rarely has leftovers, but if you have leftover ham steak, store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat as needed or dice and toss into scrambled eggs or fried rice for another quick meal.
Dr. Pepper works just as well as regular cola for this recipe. We do not recommend diet sodas for this recipe.
Want things a little more sweet? Add 1 tablespoon of honey to the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Southern Cola Ham Steak
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 203
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 66mg22%
Sodium 1500mg65%
Potassium 379mg11%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 37mg45%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.