By I drove to Huntsville Saturday to see CJ and Shanice in their home for the first time since the wedding. I had been before, briefly, but this was the first visit where I stayed for dinner and saw how they live together, which is different from seeing how they visit and perform being fine. Real life shows in the refrigerator and the way the bathroom is organized and what they talk about when there is nothing specific to talk about.
Their apartment smells like Shanice's cooking and CJ's coffee and something floral from the candles she buys. The refrigerator had leftovers organized in labeled containers, which is a detail I noticed because it is something I do and something Marcus never did and something Bernice always did. Shanice learned this from someone who learned it from someone. Labeled containers are the fingerprint of a woman who was taught that food is a serious responsibility.
She made her grandmother's smothered oxtails for dinner, as promised. She walked me through the whole thing — the browning, the aromatics, the red wine in the braise, the slow long hour in the oven until the meat releases. I stood beside her in that kitchen and we cooked together the way women cook together when they both know what they're doing and trust each other, which is one of the best ways there is to spend a Saturday afternoon.
CJ sat at the kitchen table and offered commentary that neither of us requested. He has his father's habit of narrating cooking he is not doing himself. It made me laugh out loud at one point and he looked pleased with himself, the way he does when he makes me laugh when I've been carrying something. He knows I am approaching the anniversary. He didn't mention it. He just cooked badly alongside me and made jokes and let me fill up on something good before the hard weeks come.
Shanice made her grandmother’s smothered oxtails that night, and I am still thinking about them — but it’s the act of standing side by side in that kitchen, both of us knowing what we were doing, that I keep coming back to. If you don’t have the time for a long braise this week but you need that same feeling — something savory, something that fills the house with warmth while the world outside asks a lot of you — a good skillet ham steak will carry you there. It is humble, fast, and deeply satisfying, the kind of thing you can make on a weeknight when you need something solid underneath you before the hard days come.
Ham Steak
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in ham steak (about 1 lb, 3/4 inch thick)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Fresh thyme or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat and season. Pat the ham steak dry with paper towels. Season lightly on both sides with black pepper and garlic powder. Because ham is already salted, no additional salt is needed.
- Heat the skillet. Place a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and let the butter melt and begin to foam, about 1 minute.
- Sear the ham. Lay the ham steak flat in the skillet. Sear without moving it for 3–4 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip and sear the other side for another 3 minutes.
- Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Glaze and finish. Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour the glaze over the ham steak and use a spoon to baste the meat as it cooks for 2–3 more minutes, until the glaze thickens and coats the ham evenly and the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Rest and serve. Transfer the ham steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 2 minutes before slicing or serving whole. Spoon any remaining pan glaze over the top. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 1420mg