Prepare perfect ham in your Instant Pot with this simple recipe. Roast ham is perfect for any occasion, and making it in your pressure cooker is easier than you might think.
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If you're looking for a quick baked ham recipe, then this pressure cooked ham is perfect for you. It tastes just as good as oven baked ham, but is much easier to make.
Prepare a fantastic Instant Pot ham dinner with this easy recipe, and you'll have your oven free to make any of your favorite side dishes. I like to cook a big ham, and use the leftovers for other meals like breakfast sandwiches, or ham casseroles.
Why you'll love it
- Really easy way to prepare glazed ham.
- Pressure cooked ham is perfect for any occasion, but especially for your Christmas or Easter dinner.
- Customize the recipe by using your favorite spices or glaze.
- By preparing your ham in the Instant Pot, you'll have your oven free to cook side dishes.
🥘 More INSTANT POT RECIPES From Hint of Healthy
Ingredients
Ham: I use a halved ham without bone. You can use any type of ham here, but make sure that it's cooked or prepared and not just a raw joint of meat. The ham must fit in your Instant Pot, so keep this in mind when you're selecting which size joint you want to use. You can also use a gammon or spiral cut ham if you prefer.
Brown sugar: The sugar caramelizes when cooked, and gives the ham a fantastic flavor.
Maple syrup: Maple syrup glazed ham is one of my favorites. This tastes amazing and pairs well with the other marinade ingredients. You can substitute with honey if you prefer.
Orange juice: Ham pairs well with fruit, and the orange juice compliments the dish so well. You can use storebought juice or freshly squeezed oranges.
Orange: In addition to the orange juice, I like to add some orange zest to really bring out the citrus flavor. I recommend using unwaxed oranges, as waxed peel can taste a little bitter.
Mustard: Adding some yellow mustard or Dijon mustard is completely optional, but I love it on my ham. It compliments the other flavors well and makes the glaze more savory.
Seasoning: Pepper and ground cloves give the ham a fantastic festive flavor. These are optional and can be substituted with other spices or herbs if you want.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Combine orange juice, orange zest, seasoning, maple syrup, brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk or stir to combine to form the glaze.
Two: If you want, you can now thinly slice the ham about ¾ through. Don't cut it through completely, or the ham roast won't keep its shape. Pour a cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Wrap the ham with aluminum foil, and place this on top of a trivet in the pressure cooker. Brush the brown sugar glaze on top of the ham, and make sure that the glaze drips down onto each slice.
Three: Wrap the aluminum foil around the top of the ham, and make sure to completely seal the meat. Then cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, plus an additional 2 minutes per pound. Do a natural pressure release, or manually release the pressure if you prefer.
Four: You can now serve your pressure-cooked ham. As an optional last step, you can transfer the ham to a casserole dish or baking dish. Pour the glaze that's left at the bottom of the aluminum foil packet over the ham, and bake at 200 C / 400 C for about 10-15 minutes, or until the ham is golden on top. This will allow the glaze to caramelize a little, and give the ham a nice texture.
Top tips
- Measure your ham to make sure it fits comfortably in your Instant Pot before you start preparing the dish.
- I like to use a large sheet of aluminum foil that can be wrapped all around the ham. You don't want the foil to tear, or the glaze will leak out into the Instant Pot.
- The exact cooking time can vary depending on the size of your ham. If you're not happy with the result after cooking it, you can bake the cooked ham in the oven for a few minutes, or pressure cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Make this dish ahead by placing the marinated ham in the Instant Po, wrapped in aluminum foil. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a day, and simply take it out to pressure cook when you're ready to prepare your meal.
Serving suggestions
Instant Pot ham is really versatile. I like to serve this as an entree for lunch or dinner. It's very commonly enjoyed for Christmas or Easter, or other special occasions. Serve it with your favorite side dishes like Steamed Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Carrots and Potatoes, Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce, Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, or Air Fryer Mushrooms.
Looking for other dishes to pair roast ham with? Check out our collections of side dishes and sauces!
Alternatively, you can slice the ham and use it in sandwiches. You can also dice any leftover ham and make Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup, Ham and Cheese Frittata, Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes, or Kale Soup with Ham.
Variations
Pineapple ham: Replace the orange juice and orange zest with tinned pineapple chunks or pineapple juice. Ham and pineapple is a delicious flavor combination, and this variation is especially perfect for summer and spring.
Replace the glaze: You can substitute the glaze in the recipe with your own favorite glaze. Use a recipe you like or your favorite storebought sauce. You can also substitute some of the ingredients in the marinade, by adding spices like garlic powder, dried herbs, or honey.
Equipment
You will need an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to make this dish. Keep in mind that your ham must fit inside the appliance, so if you want to cook a large ham, you'll need a large Instant Pot.
Additionally, you will need a trivet or a metal strainer, or something similar to lift the ham off the bottom of the Instant Pot. You will also need some aluminum foil to wrap the ham in.
Storage
Store any leftover cooked ham in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. You can serve the leftover ham cold for breakfast or lunch, or reheat it in a skillet or microwave if you prefer to serve it warm.
I like to carve the ham by slicing it thinly, but you can also dice or cube leftover ham if that makes it easier to store. Frozen diced ham is really versatile, and can be used in a variety of dishes like soups and casseroles.
Frequently asked questions
Hams are usually precooked and actually only require warming up, so cooking them is really quick. Cook the ham wrapped in aluminum foil on high pressure for 10 minutes, plus an additional 2 minutes per pound.
While baked ham is a popular dish in the US, British people might be more familiar with gammon. Gammon is essentially like ham, only it's cured and not boiled. This means that gammon must be cooked before serving, and it usually tastes quite salty.
You might also like these recipes
- Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup
- Air Fryer Roast Beef
- Instant Pot Shredded Beef
- Slow Cooker Pulled Gammon
- Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast
- Honey Glazed Roast Chicken
If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!
Recipe
Instant Pot Ham
Equipment
- Aluminum Foil
- Trivet
Ingredients
- 6 pound ham (you can adjust the recipe to any size)
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 orange (zest only)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tabespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Combine orange juice, orange zest, seasoning, maple syrup, brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk or stir to combine to form the glaze.
- If you want, you can now thinly slice the ham about ¾ through. Don't cut it through completely, or the ham roast won't keep its shape.
- Pour a cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Wrap the ham with aluminum foil, and place this on top of a trivet in the pressure cooker.
- Brush the brown sugar glaze on top of the ham, and make sure that the glaze drips down onto each slice.
- Wrap the aluminum foil around the top of the ham, and make sure to completely seal the meat.
- Then cover the Instant Pot with the lid, and pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, plus an additional 2 minutes per pound.
- Do a natural pressure release which takes about 15 minutes, or manually release the pressure if you prefer.
- As an optional last step, you can transfer the ham to a casserole dish or baking dish. Pour the glaze that's left at the bottom of the aluminum foil packet over the ham, and bake at 200 C / 400 C for about 10-15 minutes, or until the ham is golden on top.
Video
Notes
- Cook the ham for 10 minutes, plus an additional 2 minutes per pound. Use this easy guide for the exact timings:
- 3 pound ham: 16 minutes
- 4 pound ham: 18 minutes
- 5 pound ham: 20 minutes
- 6 pound ham: 22 minutes
- 7 pound ham: 24 minutes
- Feel free to substitute the glaze ingredients with other spices or herbs, or use a different glaze recipe that you like.
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
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