Ham — not just for Easter! For my small family, a ham steak makes a perfectly sized dinner any time of the week. A good amount is leftover for another meal or two, and the bone is an added bonus saved for the next pot of soup. I usually look for a nice rim of fat that hasn’t been trimmed off; it adds flavor as well as some necessary moisture, especially when cooking with local farm raised meats. Notching along the fat helps to render it and give it a crackling edge, a technique that works equally well with pork chops.
The beauty of this standard recipe is that the ingredients can be locally sourced, and all you need to know is contained within the title. The instructions are just to get you through the first time of making this; once you’ve done it, all you’ll have to remember is the name.
Ham Steak Glazed with Maple, Mustard and Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 center cut ham steak (1/2″ thick)
- Turn on the broiler.
- In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, mustard and cider vinegar until well blended.
- Notch the fat end of the ham steak by placing it on a cutting board, and making a series of cuts about 1 inch deep and at 1/2 to 3/4 inch intervals; remove the rind if you have trouble cutting through it. Slip the ham steak into a shallow baking pan.
- Brush or spoon the glaze over one side of the ham. Broil for 3 minutes.
- Flip the ham steak over, glaze the upturned side, and broil for another 2 minutes. Glaze again, then finish broiling for another 1 to 2 minutes, less or more depending on thickness of the steak and desired amount of caramelization.
- Pull it out of the oven, and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes. This will give it a chance to relax and reabsorb the juices.
- Makes 4 servings if you don’t mind sharing. Serve up with a Carrot and Parsnip Gratin and a toss of fresh spring greens.
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