Instant Pot Ham
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Perfectly cooked and coated in the most delicious pineapple honey glaze, you can make this juicy Instant Pot Ham in under an hour! Ideal for your next Sunday family dinner or holiday gathering this super quick and easy 6-ingredient recipe is sure to impress your friends and family!
Best Instant Pot Ham Recipe
Did you know that the days of having to turn your oven on to make ham are over!?! Don’t get me wrong I will always love and still make my Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham, but it does require more cooking time and effort. And some days you just don’t have the extra time! Not to mention, the extra oven space when it comes to making a holiday feast!
And sure there are slow cooker ham recipes out there like my Crockpot Honey Mustard Ham, which is totally tasty and doesn’t require an oven. Yet, it does require time. But with this Instant Pot Ham recipe, there is no oven required and the ham literally cooks in 20 minutes together with just 5 other ingredients. When it’s done the ham comes out perfectly juicy coated in a delicious homemade pineapple honey glaze and ready to serve!
So if you can imagine an easy peasy 6 ingredient ham recipe that you can make in a snap, this is it! Making ham for holiday dinners like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be hard work!
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Ham
- Quick and Easy! The power of the Instant Pot can easily transform a ham into the most delicious meal with just a few ingredients and 20 minutes of cooking time.
- Pineapple Honey Ham! Coated in a delicious pineapple honey glaze with notes of ground cloves, this pressure cooked ham is incredibly tasty and perfectly juicy with each bite.
- Crowd Pleaser! Ham is a traditional family dinner and holiday favorite. And this foolproof IP recipe takes all the effort and hours of cooking out of the equation.
- Water – You’ll need some cold water to pressure cook the ham and make the glaze.
- Pineapple Juice – Any type of pineapple juice will work.
- Brown Sugar – Creates a delicious glaze together with the honey and pineapple juice. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Coconut sugar is another option as well.
- Honey – Adds just the right amount of sweetness to the glaze with the brown sugar. If you don’t have any honey on hand you can also use agave or maple syrup.
- Ground Cloves – This warm spice with intense flavor is almost always used in ham recipes, but it can be omitted if you don’t like cloves.
- Ham – You’ll need a 4 to 5 pound spiral cut ham.
This Instant Pot recipe is the fastest way to make a classic ham that tastes like it took hours to make! Not to mention you only need 6 ingredients!
Before you even begin handling the ham you need to make sure that your Instant Pot is ready to go! First, pour the cold water into the pot and then place the trivet inside. The water must be cold for this step.
The next step is to make the glaze. To do this, just whisk the pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, and ground cloves together in a medium bowl. Make sure that any lumps of sugar have been dissolved.
Now, let’s get this ham seasoned! To begin, place the ham on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Then fold the sides of the foil up around the ham to form a bowl. Now, transfer the ham to the Instant Pot and place it on top of the trivet. Then pour the glaze over the ham inside of the foil making sure to cover the entire surface. Finally, wrap the foil around the top so that the ham is fully wrapped in foil.
To cook the ham, close the lid and set the valve to the sealed position. Next, set the Instant Pot to the Manual/High Pressure setting. Then set the timer for 2 minutes for every pound of ham plus an additional 10 minutes. For example, for a 5 pound ham the timer would be set for 20 minutes in total.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, let it natural release pressure for 15 minutes. Then quick release the remaining pressure until the pin drops. Now, very carefully remove the lid and let the ham cool for a minute.
After the ham is done, transfer it from the Instant Pot to your serving platter. Then pour all the remaining glaze that is in the foil over the ham and serve it with your favorite side dishes like my Baked Mac and Cheese and Creamed Spinach.
Serve This Ham With
Ham can be served with a variety of side dishes, depending on personal preference and the occasion. Here are some popular side dishes to serve with ham:
What Is A Spiral Cut Ham?
It’s basically a precooked bone-in ham that has been pre-sliced into perfectly cut thin ham slices with a special machine. However, although it’s been cut, the ham still maintains its original shape.
What To Consider When Buying A Ham
- Type of ham: There are several types of ham, including fully cooked, partially cooked, and fresh. Fully cooked hams are the most common and can be eaten cold or heated. Partially cooked hams need to be fully cooked before eating, while fresh hams need to be fully cooked and have a shorter shelf life. The ham used in this recipe is fully cooked.
- Bone-in or boneless: A bone-in ham is typically more flavorful and juicier, but can be more difficult to carve. A boneless ham is easier to carve but may be less flavorful.
- Size: Consider how many people you are serving and choose a ham accordingly. A general rule of thumb is to allow ½ to ¾ pounds of ham per person. Also make sure the ham you choose will fit in your Instant Pot.
- Quality: Look for a ham with a good amount of marbling, which will ensure a juicy and flavorful ham. Choose a ham with a firm texture and avoid any that are slimy or have an off smell.
- Brand: Consider the brand and reputation of the ham producer. Some popular brands of ham include HoneyBaked, Smithfield, and Cook’s.
How Do I Prepare The Ham Before Cooking It?
Remove the ham from its packaging and discard any plastic or netting.
How Long To Cook Ham In The Instant Pot?
When cooking a spiral ham in an Instant Pot you should cook it for 2 minutes per every pound of ham plus an additional 5 to 10 minutes. In this recipe, I added 10 minutes to account for the foil wrapped around the ham.
How Do I Know When The Ham Is Fully Cooked?
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the ham. The temperature should reach at least 145°F (63°C).
Expert Tips
- Use a trivet: Place a trivet at the bottom of the Instant Pot before adding the ham. This will prevent the ham from touching the bottom of the pot, which can cause it to stick or burn.
- Keep the ham moist: To keep the ham moist during cooking, cover it with aluminum foil or a lid before cooking. This will help the ham retain its moisture and flavor.
- Let it rest. To keep the ham tender and juicy let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into it to serve. If you don’t, you run the risk of all the juices running out and making the ham dry.
Storage
Leftover Instant Pot ham will keep in the refrigerator for about 6 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container or sealed bag. To reheat, just put the leftovers covered in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or in the oven. However, if the leftover ham has been frozen, it’s best to let it thaw out in the fridge overnight prior to reheating.
Other Delicious Ham Recipes To Try
- Crockpot Brown Sugar Cola Glazed Ham
- Crockpot Honey Mustard Glazed Ham
- Leftover Ham and Bean Soup
- Ham And Cheese Sliders
- Bourbon Glazed Baked Ham
- Christmas Ham
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Instant Pot Ham
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cold water
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4-5 pound spiral ham
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Pour the cold water into the Instant Pot, then place the trivet inside.
- In a medium size bowl whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey and ground cloves.
- Place the ham on a large sheet of aluminium foil and fold up the sides to form a bowl around the ham. Place the ham with the aluminum foil inside the Instant Pot on top of the trivet. Pour the prepared glaze over the ham and inside the foil, then wrap the foil around the ham.
- Close the Instant Pot lid. Set the valve to sealing and set the Instant Pot to Manual/High Pressure for 2 minutes per pound of ham plus 10 minutes to account for the foil. My ham was 5 pounds, so I set mine to 20 minutes on high pressure.
- When the time is up, let the Instant Pot release naturally for 15 minutes then quick release remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the ham from the Instant Pot and place on a serving platter. Pour remaining glaze in the aluminum foil over the ham and serve.
Notes
- Use a trivet: Place a trivet at the bottom of the Instant Pot before adding the ham. This will prevent the ham from touching the bottom of the pot, which can cause it to stick or burn.
- Keep the ham moist: To keep the ham moist during cooking, cover it with aluminum foil or a lid before cooking. This will help the ham retain its moisture and flavor.
- Let it rest. To keep the ham tender and juicy let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing into it to serve. If you don’t, you run the risk of all the juices running out and making the ham dry.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
