Hawaiian Ham Strata

March 2021. Spring in Memphis, and I am 62, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.

Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew. Trey at the smoker, learning, absorbing, his hands getting steadier each visit, the fire recognizing him the way fire recognizes those who are meant to tend it.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

After Trey and the grandchildren head home Sunday evening and the smoker finally goes quiet, I still wake up Monday morning with a house full of leftovers and a hunger that coffee alone won’t settle. That’s when this Hawaiian Ham Strata earns its place — layers of egg, cheese, sweet pineapple, and smoky ham baked until golden, the kind of dish that says the weekend isn’t quite over yet. It’s not BBQ, but it carries that same spirit: take something humble, give it time and heat, and let it become something the whole family talks about on the drive home.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 15 min (plus overnight rest) | Servings: 8

Ingredients

8 slices thick white sandwich bread, cubed
2 cups cooked ham, diced (smoked ham preferred)
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Butter or cooking spray, for greasing the baking dish

Instructions

Prepare the dish. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Spread the cubed bread evenly across the bottom of the dish.
Layer the fillings. Scatter the diced ham evenly over the bread, then distribute the drained crushed pineapple over the ham. Sprinkle both cheeses on top in an even layer.
Make the custard. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until fully combined and smooth.
Pour and press. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the layered bread, ham, pineapple, and cheese. Gently press the bread down with a spatula so every piece soaks up the egg mixture.
Rest overnight. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. This step is what makes the strata come together — don’t skip it.
Bake. Remove the strata from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover and bake for 50–55 minutes, until the top is puffed and golden brown and the center is set with no jiggle.
Rest and serve. Let the strata rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve warm, cut into squares.

Nutrition (per serving)

Hawaiian Ham Strata — When the Smoker Rests, the Oven Gets Its Turn