One Pot Ham Steak & Soft Green Beans

**By Chadwick Boyd**
PHOTO BY GUY AMBROSINO FOR KITCHEN

My Go-To One Pot Meal During Winter to Soothe the Soul & Belly

This is comfort food from my childhood. It’s a blend of my Southern and Pennsylvania Dutch roots. I wrote about this initially for The Kitchn.

My Mommom Boyd used to make ham steak glazed with the juice from canned peaches for supper. She would cook the beans down in the juice, which made them tender, sweet and slightly caramelized, and bake the peach halves in the oven for a simple side dish. A simply sprinkling of ground cloves added depth to the dish and balanced out the sweetness of the peach flavor and the saltiness of the ham.

I do this recipe now in a Dutch oven and sans canned peaches. It still has the comforting sweet flavor along with the salt of the thick ham steak. Most often, I use a ham steak, which can be found where the boneless hams are sold in the grocery store. Sometimes, though, I go to the butcher and ask for an extra thick pork steak, which makes this simple dish extra special and worthy of a winter dinner party.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Chadwick’s Checklist

What you need to know before you cook.

Bring the ham steak to room temperature first; let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so.
Snip the ends of the green beans before cooking

Serves: 4-6 Prep Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 (1-pound) bone-in ham steak
1-1½ teaspoons ground cloves, divided
1 medium sweet or yellow onion, diced
2 pounds green beans, stem ends removed
2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
2½ teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more as needed
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 minute to soften. Add the ham and sprinkle with half of the ground cloves. Cook until the edges of the ham begin to brown and curl, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the ham over, sprinkle with the remaining cloves, and brown for 3 to 4 minutes more.
Move the ham to the side of the pot. Add the onion and cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Place the green beans on top in an even layer. Pour in the broth; the beans and the ham will be mostly covered. Add the salt and sugar and stir gently to incorporate.
Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even cooking. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated and the beans are soft, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Stir in the pepper and serve.