Air Fryer Ham Steaks

Air Fryer Ham Steaks have completely changed what weeknight dinner looks like in my house. The ham comes out beautifully caramelized and juicy with a maple glaze made with garlic, thyme, and paprika that clings to every inch and gets slightly charred at the edges in the most incredible way. Sweet, savory, and honestly so good.

A cooked swordfish steak with sauce is served on a plate alongside steamed asparagus, offering a fresh alternative to classic dishes like Air Fryer Ham Steaks.
Air Fryer Ham Steaks. Photo Credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

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I love making these for family dinners, weekend breakfasts, and holiday meals like Easter and Christmas because they’re fast, impressive, and pair beautifully with almost anything on the table. The air fryer gets them done quickly without any mess or fuss, making them perfect for busy holidays. Store leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat in the air fryer for best results.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

A plate of Air Fryer Ham Steaks, surrounded by bowls of butter, maple syrup, garlic powder, paprika, dried thyme, and fresh asparagus on a white surface.
Air Fryer Ham Steaks Ingredients. Photo Credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

How to Make Air Fryer Ham Steaks with Step-By-Step Instructions

Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.

This simple air fryer ham steak recipe is honestly one of the easiest things you can do in an air fryer, and here’s how:

Cut and Prep the Ham

Start by cutting each fully cooked, boneless ham steak in half with a carving knife, so you have four equal thick slices, one per serving. Since these are pre-cooked ham, all you’re really doing here is heating them through and building flavor with the glaze.

Mix the Maple Butter Glaze

In a small bowl, stir together the maple syrup, garlic powder, dried thyme, paprika, and melted butter until everything is well combined.

The butter helps the glaze cling to the ham, while the maple syrup adds a sweet, slightly sticky finish that caramelizes beautifully in the air fryer. Using a silicone basting brush, brush the maple butter mixture generously onto each ham slice.

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Air Fry Until Golden

After glazing, place ham steaks in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure they’re not overlapping so the hot air can circulate evenly around each piece and give you that nice browned exterior, or air-fry one piece at a time if needed.

Air fry at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through using a pair of tongs with silicone tips, until the ham is evenly browned and heated through.

A seasoned, cooked chicken breast sits on aluminum foil inside an air fryer basket, next to a small bowl of dried herbs—perfect inspiration for cooking Air Fryer Ham Steaks with your favorite seasonings.
Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 4–6 minutes, flipping halfway, until browned and heated through.

Watch the cook time closely, keeping an eye on them toward the end, since air fryers can vary, and you want that glaze caramelized but not burnt.

Add Extra Glaze and Serve

For extra flavor, brush the air-fried ham steaks with any remaining glaze right before serving. That final layer adds a fresh hit of maple butter that makes every bite taste even better. Serve the finished steaks warm and enjoy!

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A cooked pork chop seasoned with spices sits on a plate atop a bed of asparagus spears, with a light sauce visible around the meat, reminiscent of the juicy flavor found in Air Fryer Ham Steaks.

Air Fryer Ham Steaks

Air Fryer Ham Steaks are my go-to when I want something bold, caramelized, and impressive without babysitting a hot skillet. The maple glaze with garlic, thyme, and paprika bakes into a glossy, sweet, and savory coating with lightly charred edges and a juicy, tender center. I make them for weeknight dinners, weekend breakfasts, and holiday spreads like Easter and Christmas when I need something hearty on the table fast. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 11 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Air Fryer Ham Steaks
Servings: 4
Calories: 199kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ham steaks 2 pieces, fully cooked
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions

  • Cut each ham steak in half — each half will be one serving.
    1 pound ham steaks
  • In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, and melted butter.
    ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons butter
  • Brush the ham steaks with the maple mixture and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
  • Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 4–6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the ham is browned and heated through.
  • For extra flavor, brush with additional glaze before serving.

Notes

Here are a few tips I’ve picked up from making these regularly.
Air-fry in a single layer: Avoid stacking or overlapping the ham steaks in the air fryer basket so the air can circulate properly and brown each piece evenly. Work on one slice at a time if needed.
Don’t skip the flip: Flipping the steaks halfway through the cook time at 400°F (200°C) helps both sides get that caramelized, browned finish instead of just one side.
Watch your air fryer: Cook times can vary between models, so start checking at 4 minutes and pull them when the ham is browned and heated through.
Double the glaze: Mix a little extra maple butter glaze to brush on right before serving for a fresher, more intense flavor in every bite.
Store properly: Refrigerate fully cooled ham steaks in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or if you’re freezing them, lay them flat on a baking sheet for an hour before transferring to a freezer bag and freezing for up to 2 months, so they don’t stick together.
Reheat with glaze: When reheating leftovers, brush the ham with a little extra maple syrup and butter before warming them in the air fryer at 350°F or in a skillet over medium heat so they come out just as good as fresh.

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1485mg | Potassium: 384mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

DO MORE WITH YOUR

AIR FRYER

This eBook is a collection of 86 recipes I make again and again in my own kitchen. If you love good food and easy instructions, this book was made for you.

Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.

Stylized yellow chef hat above a pocket with a fork symbol on the right side, outlined in black and white.
The cover of
Four baked stuffed red bell peppers filled with a cheesy mixture and garnished with chopped herbs, placed on a parchment-lined baking tray.

∙  Cheesy Egg Bites

∙  Broccoli Cheddar Soup

∙  Asparagus Casserole

∙  Crack Chicken Casserole

∙  Coffee Cake

...and much more!

Includes ad-free recipes like:

How to Store Leftovers

Let leftover ham steaks cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they’ll keep well for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, or warm them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.

For longer storage, flash-freeze slices in a single layer on a freezer-safe sheet pan for about 1 hour, so they don’t stick together, and you can grab just what you need. Once frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag or freezer container to freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw frozen ham steaks in the fridge overnight before reheating. Brush with a little fresh glaze when warming them up to bring back their caramelized flavor. You can store the glaze separately in the refrigerator in a sealed mason jar.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Ham Steaks

They pair really well with classic comfort sides. I love ham steaks with scrambled eggs and crispy hash browns for a hearty breakfast-style plate, or with mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, and pineapple slices for a complete meal.

A side of biscuits or cornbread also works beautifully to soak up any extra glaze, and you can set it up with colorful sheet pan vegetables if you’re hosting a more festive spread.

For something a little lighter, a simple green salad or steamed broccoli balances out the richness of the maple butter glaze nicely. You can also tuck a slice into a sandwich with mustard and pickles for a quick dinner or lunch the next day.

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