To me, Christmas is nothing but stress: finding gifts for impossible-to-buy-for people, cooking a ton of food and then feeling guilty about eating it, traveling hours and hours to the arctic tundra of Indiana to visit family, untangling dozens of strands of lights only to have them quit working as soon as I hang them up, and pulling half-digested tinsel out of the cat's butt (yes, I really have had to do that, on multiple occasions!) One of these years, I'm going to ignore societal expectations and spend Christmas all by myself on a sunny beach. But, alas, not this year.
Despite the eater's remorse I always feel, the best part about Christmas is definitely the food. The cut-out cookies I make every year with my mom, the peanut butter buckeyes I make "for my dad," the yule log that's basically a gigantic Swiss cake roll. Okay, clearly I favor the desserts of the season, but how about that glazed ham?
You know, the one covered in pineapple rings and studded with cherries? Now that's a great combination. Did you ever notice how it never tastes quite as wonderful as it looks, though? That's because the ham to glaze ratio is off! You take this huge hunk of meat and put fruit and glaze only on the outside, so each slice gets only a microscopic amount of the good stuff! In a perfect world, every bite would be slathered in that fruity sauce. Well, this recipe gives you just that, without the stress of the holiday season. Whether or not you share it with those relatives you'd rather avoid is totally up to you!
Cherry Pineapple Glazed Ham Steak
Serves 4
1.5 lb ham steak (I use thick cut, fully cooked)
2 Tbs butter
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks (or tidbits, drained)
4 oz maraschino cherries (in juice)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Melt butter in a large skillet and add pineapple. Sauté till nicely browned. Add cherries, sugar, and spices and stir till sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes at medium heat.
Remove fruit from pan, leaving glaze, and add ham steak. If using one very large ham steak, I like to cut it into single serving sizes before cooking. Sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Serve topped with fruit and drizzled with glaze.
463 calories per serving. Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!
