Fried Ham Cubes — For the Sunday Table That Never Stays Quiet

La Cocina week three: stewed meats. Carne guisada with potatoes and carrots. Pollo guisado. Both stews from the same family — sofrito base, tomato sauce, broth, slow heat — but with different seasonings and different proteins and different finishes. I taught both side by side, two pots running at once. The class kept up. They are getting better. Week three you can tell who is going to leave week eight a cook and who is going to leave week eight a person who has taken a class. Both are fine outcomes.

I introduced the concept of recaíto — the sofrito with no tomato, used for white beans and lighter dishes. I had them write it down. Diana wrote in a separate notebook she had bought for the class. Mr. Patterson wrote on a paper napkin which he then folded carefully and put in his pocket. I gave him a small notebook at the end of the night. He looked at me. He said, "Mrs. Carmen." I said, "Mr. Patterson, you are a serious student." He held the notebook with both hands.

Wednesday Mami had a fall. Not a serious one. She had tried to stand up from her chair to go to the bathroom without calling Carmen the aide. She slid down. She was on the floor for ten minutes before Carmen came in. No bruises. No breaks. Carmen the aide called me. I drove over at 11 PM in pajamas under my coat. Mami was in bed. She said, "Carmen, I am stupid." I said, "Mami, no. You are eighty-eight and you wanted to go to the bathroom." She said, "Carmen, I will not do it again." I said, "Mami, I want you to tell me when you need help." She said, "Carmen, I have spent eighty-eight years not asking for help. I am not going to start now." I laughed. She laughed. She said, "Carmen, do not laugh at the dying woman." I said, "Mami, the dying woman is funny." We laughed together for thirty seconds. Carmen the aide stood in the doorway smiling.

Thursday I called the rehab equipment supplier. I ordered a bedside commode. I had it delivered Friday. I told Mami it was a piece of furniture. She knew it was a commode. She did not argue. The dignity is in the structure, not the protest.

Sunday dinner the family came. Twelve adults plus the seven grandchildren — Lucas was six, Camila almost four, Andrés one, Isabella four and a half, Mateo two, plus Carlos's nephew who was visiting and Jenny's friend's child who was at our house because they were having a fight at home. Twenty people. The table seats twelve. We had four extra folding chairs. We ate pernil and rice and beans and tostones, the menu that does not change. Wepa.

Sunday dinner for twenty people does not happen by accident — it happens because someone kept moving. After the pernil and the rice and the beans and the tostones were gone and the folding chairs were still warm, I thought about the week: Mr. Patterson and his napkin, Mami on the floor laughing at herself, the commode I called a piece of furniture. All of it held together by the same thing — structure, heat, and enough food on the table that nobody leaves hungry. These fried ham cubes are a version of that: nothing fancy, nothing hidden, just good pork in a hot pan doing exactly what it is supposed to do.

Fried Ham Cubes

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 17 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb fully cooked ham steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional, for caramelized edges)
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cube the ham. Cut the ham steak into uniform 3/4-inch cubes so they cook evenly. Pat dry with a paper towel — moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
2. Heat the pan. Place a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it get hot — about 1 to 2 minutes. You want the pan genuinely hot before the ham goes in.
3. Season the cubes. Toss the ham cubes in a bowl with the garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, and brown sugar if using. Mix to coat evenly.
4. Fry in a single layer. Add the ham cubes to the skillet in a single layer without crowding. Do not stir. Let them sit undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms on the bottom.
5. Turn and finish. Flip each cube and fry another 3 to 4 minutes on the second side. Work in batches if needed — crowding the pan steams instead of fries. The finished cubes should be crispy on the outside and heated through.
6. Rest and garnish. Transfer to a paper towel—lined plate for one minute. Scatter with chopped parsley or cilantro and serve immediately alongside rice, beans, or tostones.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 980mg