A couple of weeks ago we developed the Asian pineapple glazed ham recipe for this year’s Christmas. Afterwards, we ended up with tons of leftovers and started to develop recipes using the leftover ham. So far, we’ve made ham banh mi sandwiches, ham ramen, and ham pineapple fried rice. I have to admit, I’m enjoying the leftover ham dishes even more than I enjoyed the ham!! Today I want to share this super quick and easy ham fried rice, along with all the secrets to making the best fried rice with the easiest setup. Here we go!
How to make the best ham fried rice
Ingredients you need
The good news is, you only need a few ingredients to make ham fried rice and you probably already have most of them in your pantry. I placed the ingredients in separate bowls for this picture to make the ingredients clear. But when you’re prepping for the cooking, you can group certain ingredients together. Not only does it make clean-up easier, but it also simplifies the cooking process, too. For example, in this recipe you can combine the pineapple juice and soy sauce in the same bowl. And place the ham and pineapple on the same plate. Because you’ll add them at the same time.
Less is more
When it comes to fried rice, less is more. You want just enough meat and veggies to spice up your fried rice. You don’t want too much veggies in the fried rice, because they release moisture and can make your rice soggy. Also, refrain from adding too much meat. You want a well-balanced fried rice with crispy bits of ham, not a stir-fried ham dish.
How to cut ingredients for fried rice
It’s important to cut the ingredients into small, even bites, so everything blends with the rice to create a good mouthfeel. To further simplify the recipe, you can use 1/2 cup of frozen veggies (a mix of peas, carrots, and corn) to replace the peppers.
Why overnight rice
It’s important to use day-old (or a couple of days old) rice because that rice contains less moisture and the texture is less starchy after storing it in the fridge. It will lead to crispy and chewy fried rice, not a soggy and mushy one.
Do not stir too much
One of the biggest mistakes of fried rice is stirring too much. It’s funny that even though the process is called “stir-fry”, you should actually not do much stirring. After adding the ingredients, you want them to cook in the pan for a while without moving anything. So the ham will be properly browned and the veggies properly seared. It’s even more important for the rice. By toasting the rice longer in the hot pan, it helps to evaporate the moisture from the rice and form crispy bits on the bottom.
You don’t need a wok
Chinese restaurants use a super powerful gas stove and wok to make fried rice, which requires constant stirring. But when you cook in a home kitchen, you use a way less powerful stove (sometimes an electrical stove). That’s why I prefer to use a large skillet instead of a wok, to make the pan contact the stove and retain heat better. I also prefer to use a nonstick pan for fried rice. Because rice is quite starchy and can easily stick to the pan. If you use a cast iron or carbon steel pan, you’ll need to use more oil to prevent the rice from sticking.
More oil is the key
If you pay attention, you’ll find that restaurant fried rice is quite greasy. Every single grain of rice is coated with oil. That’s why it tastes great. When you cook fried rice, it’s important to use a bit more oil to crisp up the rice without it tasting dry.
How to cook ham fried rice
(1) Caramelize the ham and pineapple in a hot pan. (2) Cook it with bell peppers for a few seconds and remove everything from the pan. It’s important to clear the pan, so the rice gets properly crisped and the veggies are not overcooked. (3) Fry some garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Your pan will be hot and it will take like 2 seconds to do this. (4) Toast the rice. PRO TIP: To toast the rice properly, you should break it up with a spatula then mix it with the oil (sometimes I add some more oil to it). Then you need to leave the rice in the pan to sear, and stir only very occasionally. Depending on your rice, the cooking time can vary a lot. For example, if using very stale and tough rice (the grains separate easily when fluffed with a spatula or by hand), you’ll need less cooking time. But if the rice still feels sticky, you’ll need more cooking time to cook the moisture out of the rice. (5) Scramble the eggs. PRO TIP: I let the eggs cook on one side of the pan until half-cooked, then scramble everything together. So you get bigger egg bites and some of the rice is coated with egg. (6) Add the soy sauce and pineapple juice. PRO TIP: I make a well in the center of the pan and add the mixture. The hot pan will cause the liquid to evaporate a bit before mixing and prevent the rice from turning soggy. (7) Mix everything. (8) Add back the cooked ham and veggies and mix well.
Afterthoughts
I can’t believe I wrote such a long post for a simple fried rice recipe. But hey, I hope you can make some great ham fried rice and enjoy it as much I do! Happy cooking and don’t forget to leave me a comment to let me know how your fried rice turns out!
More quick & easy recipes
5-Ingredient Savory Oatmeal (Chinese-Style) Korean Fire Chicken (Cheese Buldak) Chicken and Broccoli (Chinese Takeout Style) Char Siu Chow Mein Chicken Udon Soup
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Lilja Walter is a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.
