Ham Steaks in Madeira Sauce is a classic, comforting dish that beautifully balances sweet, savory, and rich flavors. This recipe takes thick-cut ham steaks—already flavorful on their own—and elevates them with a luscious sauce made from Madeira wine, butter, and aromatics. The result is a restaurant-worthy entrée that feels both cozy and refined.
Madeira wine, a fortified wine from Portugal, is the star ingredient in the sauce. Slightly sweet with a deep, nutty richness, it pairs wonderfully with the saltiness of ham. When simmered down with shallots, garlic, and a touch of broth or cream, the wine transforms into a velvety sauce that clings beautifully to the meat.
The dish begins with browning the ham steaks in butter or oil, just enough to enhance their color and flavor. After removing the steaks, finely chopped shallots and garlic are sautéed in the same pan, allowing all the delicious browned bits to be lifted into the sauce. Madeira is added and simmered to reduce and concentrate its flavor, followed by broth and a touch of cream or Dijon mustard, if desired, for added complexity.
Return the ham steaks to the pan and let them gently warm through in the sauce, allowing the flavors to marry. The final dish is glossy and aromatic, with a balance of salty, sweet, and savory notes that complement each bite of the ham.
Serve Ham Steaks in Madeira Sauce over mashed potatoes, rice, or even buttered noodles to soak up the sauce. Add a side of green beans or roasted carrots for a complete, comforting meal.
Elegant enough for a dinner party but simple enough for a weekday meal, this dish offers classic European flavors with minimal effort—proving once again that great ingredients and simple techniques often deliver the most satisfying results.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ham steak bone-in, about 1-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 cup Madeira wine or substitute with another sweet wine
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the ham steak and cook until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until golden brown to create a roux.
- Slowly add the Madeira wine and chicken broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Return the ham steak to the skillet and simmer in the sauce for an additional 10-12 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Serve the ham steak with the sauce poured over the top. Enjoy!
Nutrition
I dunno, this seems too complicated for me. I prefer my ham straight from the oven.
I get why it seems complicated, but it’s really just a few steps. You might surprise yourself if you try it!
What’s Madeira wine? Is there an alternative? Never heard of it before.
This recipe is amazing! I love the flavor of the Madeira sauce with the ham.
Great recipe but why not just use pork chops? Seems the same thing!
It’s good, but I think I cooked the ham too long. It got dry. Next time I’ll pay more attention.
So easy to make! Made it for dinner last night and everyone loved it! Definitely a keeper.
Ham and sweet wine? That sounds weird. I thought it was gonna be too sweet, but it turned out good. Who knew?
Ham Steaks? I thought they were just regular ham slices? What’s the difference?
I dunno, they both seem the same to me. Just slice your ham thicker if ya want steak, right?
Ham steaks are thicker and usually bone-in, unlike regular slices that are just cut from the ham. They taste way better too!
This one turned out superb! I even added some mushrooms to the sauce. Yum!
Mushrooms? That’s weird. I don’t think they go with ham. But if you liked it, good for you.
That sounds delicious! I’ve never thought of adding mushrooms, but it makes sense. I’ll try that next time.
Easy and delicious! Made it for my family and they devoured it! Thanks for sharing!
Made it last week, but my husband said it was too sweet… 😕 Maybe I did something wrong?
Sounds great! Can’t wait to try it myself. Glad your family loved it!
5 stars for sure! The sauce was just perfect with the ham. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, this is the best ham I’ve ever had! So juicy and flavorful.
I tried it but my sauce was too thick. What did I do wrong?
Sounds like you might have added too much flour or cooked the roux too long! Try using less next time and whisking more. Good luck!
Wow, delicious! Can’t believe such simple ingredients could taste so fancy. I felt like a chef!
Couldn’t find Madeira so I used regular cooking wine + a tiny bit of sugar. Not the same vibe, but honestly it still tasted pretty decent. Ham was the star.
I tried making this but I think I overcooked the ham. It was kinda dry. Maybe an extra minute less on the frying. The sauce was ok tho.
5 stars! So easy and tastes gourmet! Served it with mashed potatoes, perfect dinner.
I followed the recipe but it came out too salty. Maybe it was the broth? I’m not sure if I’ll try it again.
The roux was a bit tricky, but once I got it, the sauce was great! Thanks for the recipe.
This is my new go-to recipe!! So good and hearty. Just made it for my family and they all loved it. 👍
Really? Made with wine? I thought this was a family recipe, not a fancy restaurant dish! 🤔
Sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it myself. Family meals are the best! 🍽️
Ham in wine??? Who thought of that? Not really for me… I prefer plain ham.
This was delish! The Madeira sauce gave it such a nice twist. Definitely making again!
So glad you liked it! The Madeira sauce really is a game-changer. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out next time!
Nah, didn’t like it. My ham was dry, and the sauce didn’t help much. Disappointed.
I’m sorry to hear that! Cooking ham can be easy to mess up. Did you let it rest before slicing? That might help keep it juicy next time! 😊
I tried it, but the sauce was too thick and I couldn’t taste the ham! Maybe I did it wrong?
Ham and wine? Not my thing. I prefer my steak without the frills.
I was worried about lumps, but whisking the whole time really saved me. Browning the ham first was key too. Family asked for seconds, which never happens with plain ham steak.
Okay but you need to be careful the ham doesn’t get tough if you cook it too long. Friend said hers was like rubber.
Is there a gluten-free version? I’m allergic to flour.
yum!!! i love ham steaks so this is a fav for me. super easy and tasty. keep it up!
Thanks! I love how simple it is too. Would suggest trying it with pineapple next time! 🍍
Nice recipe but I didn’t have any Madeira so used grape juice. It still turned out okay, but kinda sweet.
Can I use pork ribs instead of ham? My family loves ribs and I think that could work too.
Pretty good, but I found the sauce a bit too sweet for my taste. Might reduce the wine next time.
This was delicious! The sauce was rich and full of flavor. I will definitely make it again.
This is just ham in wine sauce… not convinced this deserves all the hype. 🤔
I actually loved this recipe! The wine sauce is so rich and makes the ham so tasty. 🥰
I dunno, it just seems like an easy way to make ham fancy. I can just cook ham and pour wine on it, right? 🤨
My grandma cooked ham steaks just like this! Brings back memories. I added garlic for extra flavor.
This was a real hit at dinner! The sauce was amazing, I’ll make it again!
Ham steak?! Why not bacon? This is misleading… bacon is better, obviously.
Bacon is great, but ham steak has its own flavor! This recipe sounds delicious. Give it a try!
I used red wine instead of Madeira and it turned out bomb! My family loved it! 😋
Yum! Ham steak is my favorite! I didn’t have chicken broth so I used beef broth. It was still great!
Really? Who eats ham with sweets? This recipe is questionable at best. Stick to meat and potatoes.
This was delicious! The Madeira sauce really took it to the next level. I paired it with mashed potatoes and it was a hit at dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds fancy but kinda easy! I can do this.
I thought the same thing! It looks super doable. Can’t wait to try it out!
I dunno… Ham steaks? That sounds kinda boring. What if I burn it?
Not a fan. The sauce didn’t really stick to the ham like I hoped. It felt like a waste of ingredients. 🙁
I LOVE ham. I didn’t have flour so I just cooked the sauce longer. It was great!!
Does anyone know if I can use red wine instead of Madeira? I’m not sure but I wanna try this again.
Red wine should work fine! It might taste a bit different but you could give it a try!
Yummy! I used less olive oil cuz I’m trying to be healthy. Still turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome! I love that you’re being health-conscious. I might try that too! 🙂
Less olive oil? Are you sure it won’t ruin the flavor? I like it greasy lol.
Ham steaks are just not my thing. The sauce was fine but overall not for me. I prefer chicken.
I totally get it! Ham can be hit or miss for some people. Chicken is definitely a safer bet. 😄
I actually love ham steaks! The sauce sounds delish, but to each their own, I guess. Chicken is just so… basic.
Amazing! Even my picky kids ate it all. Can’t believe it worked! 🙂
This is my first time cooking ham and it was super easy! The instructions were clear.
This dish is delish! The Madeira sauce made the ham so flavorful. Will definitely make it again!
Why do you need the chicken broth? Isn’t it too much liquid? I used half and it was fine.
Easy to follow recipe! My kids loved the ham steak. Will make again!
Ham steaks? I thought we were making *steak* not ham! But this was ok I guess. 🤷♂️
So easy to make, I made it for my wife and she loved it. Great date night dinner idea.
Made it for dinner and got rave reviews from the family! Easy to follow too.
So glad to hear you loved it! I tried this recipe too and my family went crazy for it! Definitely a keeper!
Sounds good but can you use beef instead of ham? Not sure if that’d work.
I dunno, the recipe sounded good but my sauce turned out kinda thick and lumpy. Not sure what I did wrong.
Meh.
Meh same 😅 I made ham in a similar way once but I think I used the wrong wine. Should’ve done something sweeter—next time I’ll try Madeira for real.
Fair point—“meh” is kinda how Madeira sauces can feel if you’re not in the mood for sweet/boozy. Still, 10–12 min simmer sounds solid.
Not a fan of the Madeira wine. Can I use grape juice instead? 🤔
Grape juice could work, but it won’t have the same depth of flavor as Madeira. You might want to add a bit of vinegar or something to balance it out!
Thought it would be better. Ham was kinda dry and sauce didn’t save it. Disappointed.
I’m sorry to hear that! Maybe the ham was overcooked? It can get dry if left too long.
This recipe is awesome! The sauce is so rich and flavorful. My family loved it! I’ll definitely make it again.
I’m so glad to hear that! It’s always great when a recipe is a hit with the family. Did you serve it with any sides?
Sounds good and all, but can you really taste the Madeira? I’ve tried some recipes before and they were just plain… Idk, maybe my taste is off.
Simple and delish! My kids couldn’t get enough! 🤤
What can I use instead of Madeira? I don’t have any and don’t wanna go to the store.
I dunno, just use grape juice maybe? It’ll be sweet, right?
You can use sherry or port instead! They’re sweet like Madeira. Works just as good!
I dunno… it sounded good but didn’t taste like much. Maybe I did something wrong.
Maybe you missed a step or the ingredient proportions were off? I’ve had that happen before. Don’t give up, try it again!
Tried it, but my ham turned out tough. Not sure what went wrong.
What kinda wine can I use instead of Madeira? I dont wanna buy a whole bottle for just a cup!
Made this for my family, they said it was too sweet. Not sure if I did it right. 🙁
Ham Steaks = Best Dinner Ever!! Exclamation!! Will make for dad b-day!
Just okay. I thought it would be better. I mean, ham steak is ham, right? What’s the big fuss?
I actually really liked this recipe! The Madeira sauce takes it to another level. Maybe it just depends on how you cook it? Give it another try!
I don’t get it either! Ham is ham! It’s just meat, right? I thought there was gonna be more flavor. Trying to impress with fancy sauce but… just ham, lol.
First time cooking steak. I think I burnt mine but it still tasted ok.
Not sure what Madeira wine is. Can I just use grape juice? Help!