Ham steaks are slices of a cured ham, sold pre-sliced for easy cooking. According to Foodsafety.gov, cured ham, cook-before-eating; uncooked could last at the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or “use-by” date, but if stored in a freezer, it could last for 3 to 4 months.
Cured ham, cook-before-eating; after consumer cooks it, on the other hand, would last 3 to 5 days at the refrigerator, but if stored in a freezer it would last for about 1 to 2 months.
Please note that a whole, uncut country ham can be stored safely at room temperature for up to 1 year. The ham is safe after 1 year, but the quality may suffer. Learn more about the different shelf life of ham here.
While a whole ham costs less per-pound than a ham steak, we don't usually need a whole ham so buying the smaller steak cut ends up being more cost-effective for us. There's one thing you should be aware of, ham steaks are usually not pre-cooked. So if you're planning on using it in a cold preparation, be sure to cook it quickly before adding it in.
Ham steaks make a quick and easy dinner that satisfies. Check out some all-star, easy-to-follow Ham Steak recipes from Rachael Ray at Foodnetwork.com.