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    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Southern Cola Ham Steak

    20 mins | Yield 4 | September 20, 2021 | Updated: December 29, 2021 by Kita | This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Southern Cola Ham Steak on a plate with sides - image for pinterest with title

    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.

    Southern Cola Ham Steak | Kita Roberts GirlCarnivore.com

    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.

    Southern Cola Ham Steak Recipe | GIrlCarnviore.com

    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!

    Ingredients for southern cola ham steak

    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.
    Southern Cola Ham Steak | Kita Roberts GirlCarnivore.com

    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.

    Recipe FAQs

    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.

    Southern Cola Ham Steak | Kita Roberts GirlCarnivore.com

    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.

    More easy pork recipes

    • Maple Glazed Ham Steaks with Red-Eye Gravy
    • Party Time Ham and Cheese Sliders
    • Quick Thick-Cut Pan Seared Pork Chops
    • Cornmeal-coated Pork Chops
    • Leftover Ham and Gnocchi Skillet 

    If you’ve tried my Southern Cola Ham Steak recipe, or any other recipe on GirlCarnivore.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below. I get inspired by your feedback and comments! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @girlcarnivore as well as on  Twitter and Facebook.

    Southern Cola Ham Steak | Kita Roberts GirlCarnivore.com
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    4.4 from 23 votes

    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.
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Author: Kita Roberts
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 203kcal

    Equipment

    • 10-12″ Cast Iron Skillet or other oven safe skillet

    Ingredients

    Ham Steaks

    • 2 tbs butter divided
    • 2 ham steaks

    Cola Pan Sauce

    • ½ cup cola
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar

    Instructions

    Heat the Ham Steaks

    • Heat 1 tbs butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
      2 tbs butter divided
    • Add the ham steaks and brown on both sides, 5 – 7 minutes.
      2 ham steaks

    Make the Sweet Cola Pan Sauce

    • Stir the cola, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar together in a bowl and pour over the ham steaks. 
      ½ cup cola, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 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. 
      2 tbs butter divided

    Serve

    • Serve the sauce over the ham steaks and other fixings as gravy.

    Notes

    Pair this recipe with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans or broccoli. It also works great with cayenne roasted Brussels sprouts & squash. 
    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. Nutrition information provided is an estimate. For specific health concerns, please put the recipe into your Dr recommended nutrition calculator.
    Made My Recipe?Mention @girlcarnivore and tag #girlcarnivore!
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    About Kita

    Hey, I'm Kita, the Meat Maven, outdoor junkie, campfire connoisseur, adventure-seeking and world traveled recipe developer and photographer behind GirlCarnivore.com. My mission is to break down savory eats and inspire you to get a little grit under your nails while having fun with your food. READ MORE

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. RavieNomNoms says

      April 13, 2015 at 8:55 am

      Would you believe my family and I were just talking about this over the weekend?! Cola meat was a big thing in the Midwest!

      Reply
    2. Aaron Paolino says

      March 29, 2019 at 7:35 am

      5 stars
      This is the first cola meat recipe I have tried, a little skeptical at first, but wow! Great recipe.

      Reply
    3. natalie says

      November 16, 2019 at 1:20 pm

      The butter amount is confusing. Ingredients shows 6 tbsp of butter but directions only say to use 2. ????

      Reply
      • Kita says

        November 19, 2019 at 5:10 pm

        Ah! Thanks for the catch! I am so sorry about that. yes, you will use all of the butter in the dish. Editing the recipe now.

        Reply
      • Pauletta C, Sanders says

        July 23, 2020 at 9:49 am

        It says to add the remaining butter to the cola sauce in the skillet.

        Reply
    4. Lance Kline says

      February 27, 2020 at 6:30 pm

      Today was my second time following this delicious recipe. The only thing u added was a tablespoon of honey. The ham steak turned out amazing! Thanks for the Great recipe

      Reply
      • Kita says

        March 14, 2020 at 7:32 pm

        ooooh. I gotta try the honey!

        Reply
    5. Max Lorenz says

      March 07, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I rarely post comments but this was too good.
      Simple, quick, and tasty weeknight dish that everyone raved over. Served alongside Sous Vide carrots, green beans, and mashed potatoes. Perfectly balanced sweetness and flavor profile prepared exactly as written. No changes needed. This has been saved to Paprika so I can find, prepare, and share.
      Thanks for this one!

      Reply
    6. Bill says

      September 21, 2021 at 8:51 am

      Carbs look great but I am confused about the serving size. 1 g?

      Reply
      • Kita says

        September 22, 2021 at 6:27 am

        Hey Bill, thanks for the catch. The nutrition is calculated by the recipe app so I am guessing there’s a hitch in this one >< I'll see what. I can do to update it.

        Reply
    7. Erin says

      September 21, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      I’ve done a root beer glazed ham before so you know I’d be on board with this too!

      Reply
      • Kita says

        September 22, 2021 at 6:28 am

        I saw a root beer the other day and wondered if you had that brand and bottle yet. ;D

        Reply
    8. Erin says

      September 24, 2021 at 8:00 am

      Aw just text me!!

      Reply
    9. Anne Marie Gorbey says

      October 11, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      I’m still confused about the serving size. I need to know the actual serving size for the calories because I am on a 1200 calorie diet. The serving size can’t be 1 g as indicated. Also, can you tell me how much butter should be used in this recipe. Thanks

      Reply
      • Kita says

        October 11, 2021 at 8:27 pm

        Hi Anne, I’m not sure what’s up with that 1G either, the nutrition facts are automatically calculated by the recipe plug-in. However, when I do ham steaks, I get 2 servings per steak and have this recipe as 4 servings if that helps. I believe that is where most of the information on nutrition is being pulled from.
        Hope this helps!

        Reply
    10. Shelia says

      March 17, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      I know you said that this recipe is for pre-cooked ham steaks. I’m wondering how it can be adjusted to uncooked ham steaks without totally drying them out? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

      Reply
      • Kita says

        March 17, 2022 at 4:35 pm

        This is a great question, Shelia. Thanks for asking. One, I always check to make sure the package doesn’t say ‘smoked’ ‘cured’ or ‘cooked’ if cooking from raw. Then to keep it from drying out (and OMG this happens SO often!) I pull a trick from my mama. I double the sauce recipe and bake the ham steak in the oven preheated to 350F in a baking dish covered with foil until its cooked to 140 degrees internal. I try to get thin ham steaks so that it doesn’t take too long. Check after 20-25 minutes depending on the thickness.
        Hope this helps!

        Reply

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