We love ham for Christmas, Easter, and even when it’s not a holiday. What I don’t love is having to buy a whole spiral sliced ham if you’re not having tons of company. We eat leftovers for months! Thankfully, you can make air fryer ham steak in less than 15 minutes and it’s perfectly sized for a smaller crowd.
Starting with pre-cooked ham steaks gives you a hearty meal that’s perfect for small holiday gatherings, but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Since these thick slices are a lot less food than a traditional sliced ham, you’ll have far less to find other uses for. That’s not to say you can’t make some extra and save it for some tasty sandwiches throughout the week though!
I also love that you can swap up flavorings to suit your tastes or mood. Coat with barbecue sauce or mustard for a savory take. Add pineapple and even a maraschino cherry for Virginia style. Make it sweet with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup (or any combination thereof)!
What You’ll Need
Ham steak (Smithfield recommends 3 oz per person, but adjust to your tastes)
2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional, see notes)
1 Tsp hot sauce (optional)
4 Pineapple rings (also optional, see notes)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Any kind of ham steaks work. You can use bone in as well as boneless. Typical flavor offerings include smoked, honey cured, and brown sugar (so choose according to tastes and desired seasonings)
My ham is about 12 ounces, so you can adjust accordingly if yours is larger or smaller
Brown sugar may be swapped for equal amounts of honey or maple syrup, or omitted entirely if preferred
For a savory variation, use Dijon mustard, honey mustard, or barbecue sauce instead of the sugar
If you don’t want any spice (but to be clear this is not a spicy recipe as-is), you can skip the hot sauce. Alternatively, sub ½ tsp black pepper or sriracha instead
The pineapple is completely optional, so feel free to leave it off if you’re not a fan. If you use canned, make sure to get it packed in juice instead of syrup, and drain well
You can use your air fryer to just heat up plain ham steak as well – don’t feel compelled to add anything else if you don’t want to!
How to Cook Ham Steak in Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (or 375°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and hot sauce to make a paste
Pat the ham dry. Then, spread half of the paste on one side of the steak
Place ham steak in preheated air fryer basket in a single layer (cut to fit if needed)
Cook for 5 minutes on air fryer setting at 380°F
Remove basket from air fryer. Flip ham steak over. Apply the other half of the sugar paste (I recommend a basting brush or spoon since it will be hot). Place the pineapple slices on top of the sugar
Return basket to air fryer and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes at 380°F, or until ham steaks are browned and the internal temperature reaches 145°F
Serve with your favorite sides for a complete meal!
Ham steaks should be cooked at a temperature of 380°F if they are glazed. For plain ham steaks, cook at an air fryer temperature of 400°F.
For non air-fryer cooking methods, the USDA recommends heating ham at a temperature no lower than 325°F.
Is Ham Steak Already Cooked?
Yes, most commercially sold ham steak is already cooked. It should say ready to eat, fully cooked, smoked, or cured on the label.
As such, you’re really just reheating your ham steak.
How Do You Tell if Ham Steak is Fully Cooked?
Your ham steak is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
If you were cooking from a raw state, make sure to rest it for a few minutes before slicing in.
How Long to Cook Sliced Ham in the Air Fryer
On average, you cook sliced ham for between 8 and 12 minutes in the air fryer, flipping halfway through. Total time will depend on the thickness of your ham slices, and the power level of your air fryer.
Start with the lower end of the range, and then add additional time in shorter increments, checking in to prevent overcooking.
Recipe Pro Tips
If you’re not using anything sweet, you can cook your ham steaks at 400°F instead, which cuts total cooking time down to around 8 minutes. The higher temp will burn sugars, though
Feel free to cut your ham steaks to fit in your air fryer basket. Halves or quarters work great, and even give you extra edges to caramelize!
Ham steaks have a lot of salt already in them, so you shouldn’t need to add any more. However, always give things a taste and adjust if needed!
My Smithfield ham steaks were perfectly browned after 12 minutes in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer. However, other air fryers and brands of ham steaks may vary slightly
It’s so easy to make air fryer ham steak that you won’t just want to save it for the holidays. Add it to the weekly dinner rotation, because this fast main dish is ready in less than 15 minutes!
You can also make ham steaks for breakfast, alongside some scrambled eggs and toast for a hearty meal to start the day.
Feel free to save the leftovers to enjoy in a sandwich, or one of our other great air fryer ham recipes!
Air Fryer Ham Steak with Pineapple and Brown Sugar
This easy air fryer ham steak requires just 4 ingredients and is ready in less than 15 minutes. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, or paired with sides for a full dinner!
Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (or 375°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and hot sauce to make a paste
2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tsp hot sauce
Pat the ham dry. Then, spread half of the paste on one side of the steak
12 Ounce ham steak
Place ham steak in preheated air fryer basket in a single layer (cut to fit if needed)
Cook for 5 minutes on air fryer setting at 380°F
Remove basket from air fryer. Flip ham steak over. Apply the other half of the sugar paste (I recommend a basting brush or spoon since it will be hot). Place the pineapple slices on top of the sugar
4 Slices pineapple rings
Return basket to air fryer and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes at 380°F, or until ham steaks are desired level of brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F
Serve with your favorite sides for a complete meal!
Notes
Any kind of ham steaks work. You can use bone in as well as boneless. Typical flavor offerings include smoked, honey cured, and brown sugar (so choose according to tastes and desired seasonings). Smithfield recommends 3 oz per person, but adjust to your tastes
Brown sugar may be swapped for equal amounts of honey or maple syrup, or omitted entirely if preferred
For a savory variation, use Dijon mustard, honey mustard, or barbecue sauce instead of the sugar
If you don’t want any spice (but to be clear this is not a spicy recipe as-is), you can skip the hot sauce. Alternatively, sub ½ tsp black pepper or sriracha instead
The pineapple is completely optional, so feel free to leave it off if you’re not a fan. If you use canned, make sure to get it packed in juice instead of syrup
You can use your air fryer to just heat up plain ham steak as well – don’t feel compelled to add anything else if you don’t want to!
If you’re not using anything sweet, you can cook your ham steaks at 400°F instead, which cuts total cooking time down to around 8 minutes. The higher temp will burn sugars, though, which is why the recipe is lower
Feel free to cut your ham steaks to fit in your air fryer basket. Halves or quarters work great, and even give you extra edges to caramelize!
Ham steaks have a lot of salt already in them, so you shouldn’t need to add any more. However, always give things a taste and adjust if needed!
My Smithfield ham steaks were perfectly browned after 12 minutes in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer. However, other air fryers and brands of ham steaks may vary slightly
Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients, sauces and substitutions, and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
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I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
My cooking philosophy is that great tasting food doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming to make. I'm a home cook with over 20 years of experience feeding myself and others. I've learned from a variety of different people, things I've learned online, and some trial and error as well.
I enjoy cooking a variety of foods, from convenience to comfort foods, as well as international cuisine. You can rest assured that all of my recipes have been actually made, thoroughly tested, and most importantly: tasted! I want you to enjoy my food as much as I do!
