The Best Techniques and Recipes for Steak Ham

ham steak
by Yoshiaki Takei @ Flicker

Long-established since roman times, ham has been a gastronomic product appreciated by pork aficionados and the charcuterie amateurs.
This cut can become prosciutto, Smithfield ham, or the great Jamón ibérico when processed from the back end of the hog. However, when bought fresh or uncured, ham can make the best delicacies to the more daring cooks.  
This article presents [number] techniques to cure steak hams and recipes that 

All About the Steak Ham

Ham steak is a thick slice of ham cut from an uncured ham roast, bought bonelessly or with the bone-in. Generally, the ham steak’s bone-in cut is cheaper because bones are lighter and less dense than the meat. There’s also less work in processing the meat, which decreases the charges. 
This cut can be bought pre-cooked or uncooked. Pre-cooked steak ham is usually smoked, cured, or baked, whereas uncooked one needs reheating and cooking before consuming. 
Each hog has two ham cuts from which the steaks are taken. Each includes 23 pounds of ham. 

The Technique to Cutting Steak Hams 

If cutting your pig is one of your aspirations, follow the detailed guidelines. If not, your local butcher will do the work for you. 
To get beautiful ham steaks, start by removing the pig’s rear leg. That’s where the portions of the steaks will be taken from. 
For a bone-in ham steak, make a cut in front of the pelvic bone and between the fifth and sixth lumbar vertebrae with your knife.
For storage space issues, you might want to consider trimming out the large bone.
If you want to trim out the bone, start by slicing and following the bone from the pelvic end down to where the ham attaches to the point above the hock. Proceed by cutting around the bone until the meat is free.
Divide the meat into small bone-in ham steaks by cutting across the piece with your knife.
These ham steaks will be easier to wrap and package than the whole ham piece. 
Depending on the size you want, cut the steaks into either 
1 to 2 -inch slices
3 to 4 -inch slices
You can choose to trim most of the fat and skin off the ham before freezing, smoking, or cooking.
We recommend leaving a bit of outer fat to keep the slices from drying out too fast.

The Technique to Thawing Steak hams 

Knowing how to thaw correctly is an essential step in enjoying any piece of meat and especially pork meat. As the temperatures change when this process is stimulated, the bacteria on the meat’s exterior will multiply, even if the meat’s center is still frozen.
This is why it is vital to give this significant step its due. 
First of all, you should thaw your ham steaks in a sealed bag to prevent water from getting to the meat. 
Second, pour warm water into a bowl and place your bag in the bath.
This simple trick will give you your defrosted steak in under an hour. 
You’ll be able to cook it immediately as though you’ve just bought it from the butcher. 

The Technique to Cooking Steak Hams 

Brining

To get the best out of your ham steaks, brining should be on the top of your list. This technique ensures the ham cuts retain as much moisture as possible for a plumper end product.
Using a brine weakens the connective tissues and helps you get a more even texture across the meat by opening up the muscle fibers to the brine solution and preventing them from reconnecting when the cooking is done.
This process is also ideal for creating an environment hostile to bacteria by applying salt to the solution. 
To brine:
Combine 1 tbsp of salt per 1 cup of cold water.
Submerge the steaks in the solution for 1 hour or so at room temperature. 
Experiment with honey, molasses, or brown sugar to combat the salt.
Don’t forget to rinse off the brine before you cook the meat to avoid unnecessary saltiness. 

Cooking

Generally, tougher cuts of pork are slow-cooked to break down the collagen proteins.
However, ham steaks are considered to be on the fattier side of the spectrum. 
This tender cut cooks best at high-temperature since your goal should be to preserve the fibers’ tenderness to minimize moisture loss. 
Aim for a browned exterior without thoroughly cooking the meat, and then move to moderate heat to finish the cooking process.
For this particular cut, sautéing over high-heat with almost no oil is the best method to get the best results. Because of its high-fat composition, the cut will fry in its released juices. 
This cut is also suitable for grilled pork chops recipes.  
Direct heat, howbeit, will cause fat to drip all over the place, creating massive flare-ups. 
The trick is to cook just off to the side of your grill to avoid excessive heat. 
For a Ham steak of 1 to 2 inches thick, the optimal internal temperature should not exceed 145°F (63°C) for an average cooking time of 6 minutes. 
Turn the steak once, halfway through the cooking time. 
When the inside of your steak hams are not achieving the desired degree of doneness, but their exterior color is browned, finish the cooking in a warm oven. 
The results will give you juicy, succulent meat instead of a dry, chewy texture.

Best Ham Steak Recipe

Some enjoy fresh ham steaks without smoke or sweet glaze, whereas others prefer them marinated and smoked.
There’s no right way to cooking and eating this versatile piece of meat.
This article gives you the best of both worlds. 
Marinated, roasted, pan-seared, and smoked cooking techniques all have one essential ingredient: ham steaks. 
Since fresh ham steaks are sometimes tricky to come by, you can look for the whole rump or back thigh, cut it, store it, and use it following the techniques mentioned above.  

Marinated Ham Steak Recipe 

A marinade is a liquid that you soak the meat in before you cook it and does as much good for its texture as it does for its flavor.
There is a wide range of possibilities with marinades for this succulent piece of meat. 
This easy Ham steak marinade will get you one of the best results. 

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless cooked ham steaks 
• ½ cup of ginger ale
• ½ cup of orange juice
• ¼ cup of packed brown sugar 
• 1 tbp of canola oil 
• 1 tsp and ½ of white vinegar
• 1 tsp of ground mustard 
• ¼ tsp of ground ginger 
• 1/8 tsp of ground cloves 

Step 1: 
Combine all the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag.
Add the steaks and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Step 2: 
Preheat the grill. 
Discard marinade from the meat. 
Let the ham rest at room temperature. 
Step 3: 
Grill the steaks over indirect heat at medium temperature for 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Tropical Ham Steak Recipe 

The ham and pineapple combination make up the best summer skewers for a barbecue afternoon.
The sweetness of this tropical fruit and the salty flavor of the glazed ham steaks give the most delicious blend of tastes.
Serve with an apple-based salad for extra fruitiness.

Ingredients:

• 12oz of ham steak
• 4 cups of 1-inch pieces of pineapple
• ½ cup of fresh orange or tangerine juice
• ¼ cup of packed brown sugar
• 2 tbp of spicy brown mustard

Step 1:
Cut the ham steaks into 1-inch cubes.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
Thread the meat and pineapple pieces onto skewers.
Step 2:
Blend the orange juice and the brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl.
Brush the skewers’ ingredients with the liquid mixture.
Step 3:
Put the skewers on the grill.
Cook for 10 minutes.
While cooking, rotate the skewers and brush the remaining glaze every 2 to 3 minutes.

Roasted Ham Steak Recipe 

Thaw your ham steaks, brine them in a marinade or saline solution and use them in this flavor-rich roast recipe. 
Because of their rich marbling, ham steaks will release their juices, making the best of gravies to pour on your roasted vegetables. 

Ingredients:

• 8 pounds of Ham steaks
• 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of Kosher salt
• 3 tbp of minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tbp of minced fresh thyme
• 2 tbp of maple syrup
• 2 tbp of molasses
• 1 tbp of soy sauce
• 1 tbp of Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp of pepper

Step 1:
Combine sugar, salt, rosemary, and thyme into a bowl.
Rub the sugar mixture on the meat. 
Place the meat in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. 
Step 2:
Preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
Spray a large roasting pan with vegetable oil.
Unwrap ham and place the steaks in the oiled roasting pan.
Roast until the steaks are tender. 
Step 3: 
Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest. 
Mix the maple syrup, molasses, soy sauce, mustard, and pepper together.
Brush the meat with the sweet mixture. 
Roast for 5 minutes or until a brown sear forms on top of the ham steaks. 
Let ham rest for 10 minutes before digging in. 

Yucatán Ham Steak Recipe  

This traditional dish is a classic Yucatán specialty. The classic version of the marinade is made with sour oranges. If they are hard to come by, use normal ones, or if you like sour, use lemon. 
Drink a fresh lime margarita for the total vacay experience.

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 bone-in fresh ham steaks, about 1-inch thick
• 1 tsp of kosher salt
• ¼ cup of freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1/3 cup of freshly-squeezed lemon
• ½ cup of freshly-squeezed oranges or tangerines

Step 1:
Lay the ham steaks in an oven dish and rub with the salt.
Add the lime juice, lemon juice, and orange juice to the dish.
Turn the meat a few times to coat.
Let the meat marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
Step 2:
Heat a grill on medium and place a clean grate.
Preheat the oven to 200°F(95°C).
Place the meat on the grate and observe to avoid flare-ups, turning every 4 minutes.
When nice brown color forms on the ham steaks, place in a dish and finish it in the oven for 5 minutes.