Best Instant Pot Ham
Instant Pot Honey Brown Sugar Ham is probably one of the best recipes I have made in my pressure cooker. There is no need to wait long hours anymore, worrying that dinner will not be ready when guests arrive. Now, with only 10 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking time, you get juicy, tender, perfectly cooked ham that will impress everyone.
This will quickly become one of your favorite recipes for the holiday table. It is the ideal main dish for Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. It saves oven space and ensures you serve a juicy and flavorful crowd-pleasing course. I really like this method because I can bake other side dishes in the oven. I assemble my sweet potato casserole the night before, and it goes in the oven with my cheesy pumpkin gratin before dinner.
Table of contents
Thanks to the Instant Pot, this show-stopping main dish is effortless and incredibly flavorful. The ham is covered in a sweet and savory glaze with honey, brown sugar, and crushed pineapple. I chose to broil the ham for a few minutes, and I highly recommend that. The flavors meld together, creating the most irresistible caramelized crust.
I am so hooked on cooking meals in my Instant Pot and saving so much time and energy that I invested in a second one. It makes cooking for a large party a breeze. Usually, when I host Thanksgiving or Christmas, I have this simple yet phenomenal ham in an Instant Pot. At the same time, I make my foolproof Pumpkin Cheesecake in another, saving the oven and slow cooker for side dishes. Now, this is what I call effortless cooking and meal planning.
Why you will love this recipe
- The fastest ham ever: This recipe makes a perfectly cooked ham in under 20 minutes! How amazing is that? No more worries that your ham won’t be ready for dinner. No more peaking and checking—just perfectly cooked ham!
- Room in the oven: I have a lot of family over on holidays, so I need room in my oven to make other meats, such as cranberry orange turkey breast or roast beef, and desserts.
- It is easy to make: Just dump the ingredients and go. There is no need to baste or do any other extra work. I just put it in the pot and let it cook.
- Budget-friendly: I save a ton of money by making it myself instead of catering, and mine tastes much better.
What you will need
- The main attraction: I use a four-to-five-pound boneless spiral ham.
- Brown sugar glaze: To make my ham taste sweet and tangy, I use dark brown sugar, honey, crushed pineapple, orange zest, and orange juice.
How to make
- Prep the pot: First, I add one cup of water to the instant pot and place a trivet at the bottom.
- Prep the ham: I make a small boat out of aluminum foil and place the ham inside.
- Make the glaze: Next, I mix all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and brush the ham with about 2/3 of it on top and in between the slices.
- Cook the ham: I place the ham on the trivet in the instant pot and pour the rest of the glaze on top. I close the lid and cook it on high pressure for five minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release.
Expert tip
How long to pressure cook precooked ham in the instant pot
My recipe calls for a 4.5-pound spiral-cut boneless precooked ham. Pressure cooking makes it juicy and tender in just 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
- 3 pounds: 4 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 4.5 pounds: 5 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 6 pounds: 6-7 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 7 pounds: 8-10 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 8 pounds: 10-12 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
For bone-in ham, add another three minutes to each. It may also take a little longer if it is unsliced. Cooking raw ham is a whole other story. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes per pound, depending on whether it is boneless or not. It has to reach 145 degrees F before serving.
More tips to consider
- Spread more honey and brown sugar on the ham and broil it for a few minutes afterward for a crispy coating.
- Spiral-cut hams cook faster, but they may dry out. To avoid this problem, be sure to have enough liquid in the pot. You can even loosely cover the top with foil.
- Use a trivet to place the ham on so it does not get soggy.
- Use an eight-ounce instant pot if the ham is larger than six pounds.
- Make sure not to overcook or undercook the ham. Follow the instructions in my Expert Tip above.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- A few spices: Sometimes, I add cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg to make this ham taste more like the holidays.
- More flavors: Since I am a fan of garlic and onion, I often sprinkle in some garlic and onion powder as well.
- Different fruits: For this recipe, I used oranges, peaches, pears, and apricots instead of pineapple. They all tasted incredible.
- Spicy ham: Change things a notch and cover this instant pot ham in this authentic Szechuan sauce!
- Maple syrup: I often use pure maple syrup instead of honey for a different sweet flavor. It also thickens the glaze even more and makes it stickier, which is good.
- Dijon mustard: I also love to add Dijon mustard to the glaze sometimes for a tangier flavor.
Serving suggestions:
I love serving this as an Easter entrée with my rich and cheesy Instant Pot scalloped potatoes and this adorable carrot cake poke cake for dessert. If I am serving a larger group and want a different kind of meat to go with this one, there is plenty of room in the oven to make this tender and juicy classic roasted turkey or this lamb pot roast.
I like serving these delicious ham slices with potato dinner rolls slathered with Dijon mustard and mayo. I always serve pickled eggs for an appetizer, plus deviled egg potato salad and sweet and tangy homemade coleslaw on the side. That is an Easter meal to remember! I also have some homemade peanut butter eggs for the kids because they are so popular this time of year.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: First, let the ham leftovers fully cool to room temperature. Afterward, wrap them in plastic or place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezing: To save leftovers even longer, I wrap them in plastic and place them in freezer bags. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
- Thaw: When ready to serve, plan in advance and thaw the leftovers in the fridge overnight. Reheat well before serving to kill any bacteria.
- Reheating: To reheat a large portion, place it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. For just a few slices, cover them with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
What to do with leftover ham
If you end up with leftovers, many delicious options exist. I like to utilize the leftover ham for breakfast by making a ham and cheese quiche or adding extra flavor and protein to scalloped potatoes.
Another tasty option is to make ham and potato or ham and bean soup. Add it to this Zuppa Toscana or make a cheesy ham casserole. One of my favorite ways to use it is by making this easy, inexpensive, and delicious Slow Cooker Ham and Cabbage meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
If it is tough to chew, it is likely overcooked. The fibers become dry and chewy if the meat gets overheated because all the juices are squeezed out. Be sure to cook it for the shortest time period listed in this recipe. Remember, this is for a precooked ham, so it must not be cooked for a long time. If the ham is just a few pounds, it likely only needs to be cooked for a few minutes.
If the ham is mushy after cooking it in the Instant Pot, it must have been cooked in too much liquid for too long. Leaving ham in liquid in an Instant Pot and cooking it under pressure for an excessive amount of time will cause the meat to break down and become mushy. This can also happen from using processed meat tenderizers that break down the proteins, affecting the quality of the meat.
I have had ham that turned out dry before. It is nothing to panic about. It can be fixed by reheating it in the oven with added liquid. I place mine in a casserole dish with some of the glaze from the instant pot, broth, butter, and honey, and cover it with aluminum foil. Then, it goes in an oven preheated to 300 degrees F for five minutes. Another way is to place it over hot steam for a few minutes.
It could be from the curing process when the ham is processed. This is how ham is made. To prevent your ham from tasting too salty, get high-quality ham from a reputable company. Some cheaper hams use excessive salt and do not care as much about the taste. Another way is to soak the ham in water overnight.
More festive main courses you should try:
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Instant Pot Ham
Ingredients
- 4.5-5 lbs spiral ham boneless
- 1 1/2 cups water
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup crushed pineapple with juices
- zest of 1 orange
- juice of 1 orange
For Broiling (optional):
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar packed
Instructions
- Add water to the Instant Pot.
- Place a trivet with handles inside the pot.
- Create a small boat out of foil, and place the ham in it.
- In a small bowl, mix all the glaze ingredients. Use about 2/3 to brush and add between the ham slices.
- Transfer the ham to the Instant Pot and pour the remaining glaze on top.
- Close and lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes (see blog post for cooking time based on weight of the ham), followed by 10 minutes Natural Pressure Release
For Broiling (optional):
- Transfer the ham to a baking pan, still inside the foil boat.
- Top with the remaining honey and brown sugar glaze and broil for about 5 minutes, just until crispy.
- Remove from oven and serve hot.
Notes
How long to pressure cook precooked ham in the instant pot
My recipe calls for a 4.5-pound spiral-cut boneless precooked ham. Pressure cooking makes it juicy and tender in just 5 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release.- 3 pounds: 4 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 4.5 pounds: 5 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 6 pounds: 6-7 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 7 pounds: 8-10 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
- 8 pounds: 10-12 minutes of pressure cooking on High and 10 minutes NPR
More tips to consider
- Spread more honey and brown sugar on the ham and broil it for a few minutes afterward for a crispy coating.
- Spiral-cut hams cook faster, but they may dry out. To avoid this problem, be sure to have enough liquid in the pot. You can even loosely cover the top with foil.
- Use a trivet to place the ham on so it does not get soggy.
- Use an eight-ounce instant pot if the ham is larger than six pounds.
- Make sure not to overcook or undercook the ham. Follow the instructions in my Expert Tip above.