Searching for a tasty air fryer meat recipe? Air fryer ham steak is such a simple one!
Glazed with a simple sweet mix of oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar, this air roasted ham is succulent and delightfully sweet for a classic holiday taste.
Ingredients
To make this ham steak in the air fryer, here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Ham steak – A cooked ham steak with a thickness of 1/2 inch. You can use thicker ham steak, but the cooking time might be longer.
- Oil – We use avocado oil, but you can also use another neutral-tasting oil such as canola oil, vegetable oil or sunflower oil. We would not recommend using extra virgin olive oil.
- Brown sugar – For sweetness to compliment the salty flavor of the ham steak. We use dark brown sugar, but you can use any brown sugar you have.
- Maple syrup – We use a dark maple syrup, but other maple syrup works as well. Just make sure that it is real maple syrup.
Recipe Tips
Before you make this ham steak recipe in the air fryer, read through these recipe tips for best results!
- It’s important to make sure that your ham steak fits in the air fryer prior to preheating it. You don’t want any overlap when you cook the ham steak so cut it up and cook in batches if yours is too large for the air fryer.
- We made a true ham steak which came prepackage and precooked. You can also use slices of ham cut from a smaller ham. If you cut the slices to the similar thickness (1/2 inch thick) as our ham steak, the cooking times and glaze amounts would be a good guideline.
- We opted for a sweet glaze with the maple syrup and brown sugar. You can also create a more savory ham steak with a bit of oil and spices like garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. Just keep in mind that ham steak can already taste quite salty.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how to make ham steak in the air fryer. You can follow along in this section with the recipe process photos so you see exactly how we make ours.
The recipe card with all the relevant details – but without visuals – is located at the bottom of this post!
First, as already mentioned, make sure the ham steak fits into your air fryer without overlap.
If it does not fit, cut the ham steak into smaller pieces and cook the ham in batches.
Then, preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the air fryer preheats, mix the avocado oil, brown sugar and maple syrup together in a small bowl.
When air fryer is hot, place the ham steak into the air fryer basket. Brush one side of the ham with half of the oil and sugar mixture.
Air fry the ham steak at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, then flip the ham steak over with tongs and brush the rest of the mixture onto this new, unglazed side.
Air fry the ham steak for another 4-5 minutes until fully heated and lightly browned (the total cooking time is around 9-10 minutes).
Your exact cooking time can vary slightly depending on your air fryer, the thickness of the ham and how browned you want the ham steak.
When it’s done, remove the ham steak from the air fryer place. Cut it into pieces and serve with sides. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
If you have ham steak that is leftover, store it in a container with a lid or in tin foil in the fridge. Properly stored, it will last for around 3-5 days but we would recommend eating it sooner rather than later.
You can reheat ham steak in the air fryer. Turn the air fryer to 280 degrees Fahrenheit – that’s our Reheat Setting on our Instant Vortex 6-Quart air fryer – and air fry it for 3-4 minutes until hot again.
Be sure to keep an eye on the ham because you don’t want it to reheat too long and get too dry and/or tough!
What to Serve Air Fryer Ham Steak With
Don’t serve this air fried ham steak alone! Here are some great ideas for side dishes that you can make with it!
- Some classic combination dishes like air fryer potatoes and Brussels sprouts or broccoli and cauliflower add some nice variety to the meal without much fuss.
- You also don’t have to cook a combo dish. Other side dishes that work well with ham steak are veggies like broccolini, asparagus, or even turnip fries for a root vegetable idea.
- If you want a carb – why not a potato dish like classic mashed potatoes, baked potato or roasted baby potatoes? These work well with ham!
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked question about cooking ham steaks and using the air fryer:
To cook ham steak in the air fryer, you should make sure the ham steak fits the air fryer. If it doesn’t, cut into smaller pieces. Then prepare the sugar-syrup glaze and preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the ham steak in the air fryer and brush half the glaze onto the ham. Cook for around 5 minutes, flip the ham and glaze the other side, then cook for an additional few minutes until golden brown. Remove and serve!
Ham steak in the air fryer should cook for about 5 minutes on one side then then another 4-5 minutes on the other side after flipping, until fully heated and lightly browned on both sides. Of course, the thickness of your ham steak and your exact air fryer might vary the cooking time.
Related Recipes
For more air fryer meat dishes, here are some other ones that might spark your fancy!
- Air Fryer Pork Chops (Unbreaded)
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fried Pork Tenderloin
- Turkey Breast in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Ham Steak
Ingredients
- 1 pound ham steak, cooked, 1/2 inch thick
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- First, roughly measure your ham steak to make sure that the ham steak fits into your air fryer flat and without overlap. If it does not fit, cut the ham steak into smaller pieces and cook the ham in batches.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the air fryer preheats, mix the avocado oil, brown sugar and maple syrup together in a small bowl.
- When air fryer is hot, add the ham steak to the air fryer basket. Brush one side of the ham with half of the oil and sugar glaze. Air fry the ham steak at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, then flip the ham steak over with tongs and brush the rest of the mixture onto this new, unglazed side. Air fry the ham steak for another 4-5 minutes until fully heated and lightly browned (the total cooking time is around 9-10 minutes). Your exact cooking time can vary slightly depending on your air fryer, the thickness of the ham and how browned you want the ham steak.
- When done, remove the ham steak from the air fryer and cut into pieces. Then serve with sides!
Notes
- If you are using a ham steak that is thicker than 1/2 inch, then the cooking time might be slightly longer.
- Don’t overcook the ham steak as this can dry it out.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
