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Top view of cooked instant Pot Ham on a cast-iron pan

Instant Pot Ham

This Instant Pot Ham is juicy, flavorful and so easy to make with a spiral-sliced ham and sweet maple glaze that warms up in the pressure cooker. Comes together in less than 30 minutes and is the perfect for your Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter table! Gluten-free, low carb, keto with paleo and dairy-free options.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked ham, christmas ham, easter dinner, easter ham, holiday ham, instant pot ham, keto ham, low carb ham, paleo ham
Prep Time 8 minutes
Coming to pressure 15 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 428 kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds spiral-sliced ham , 4lbs fits perfectly in a 6 quart Instant Pot. We like the Spiral Sliced Uncured Ham from Trader Joe's.
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter , you can sub with ghee (for paleo and Whole30) or use vegan butter for dairy-free
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons granulated brown sweetener of choice , coconut sugar, brown sugar or a low sugar option such as golden monk fruit sweetener or Swerve. Honey or maple syrup work too. Omit for Whole30 and add 1-2 tablespoons of orange juice or homemade date paste.
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced

Instructions

  1. Prepare the glaze: Heat the butter and sweetener in a small pot over medium low heat until the butter has melted. Whisk in the mustard and garlic until combined. Remove from heat.

    Top view of ingredients for the glaze for instant Pot Ham in a saute pan
  2. Insert a trivet inside the inner pot of pressure cooker. Pour in 1 cup water.

    Place the ham on the trivet and brush the mustard glaze over the ham on the outside and inside the spirals of the ham.

    Top view of uncooked instant Pot Ham in a pressure cooker
  3. Close the lid and press the "manual" or "pressure cook" button and set timer to 9 minutes. The pressure cooker may take 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once cook time has elapsed, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release all the pressure (around 10 minutes).

    Carefully open the lid and transfer the ham to a cutting board. Serve with any leftover glaze.

    Top view of Instant Pot spiral baked ham in a pressure cooker with a brush
  4. For an extra-caramelized coating - set the oven to broil. Remove the ham from the pressure cooker and place on a foil-lined baking sheet and brush with leftover glaze.

    Place the ham under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the glaze is bubbly and caramelized.

    Close up view of cooked instant Pot Ham on a foil-lined baking sheet
  5. Slice ham and serve warm with preferred side dishes.

    Close up view of cooked instant Pot Ham on a white plate with a fork

Oven Instructions:

  1. If you don't have an Instant Pot or prefer to use your oven, you can still enjoy delicious glazed ham with this easy adaptation. Here's how to make it:

     Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and place a rack in a roasting pan.Prepare the Glaze: Prepare glaze by melting butter, then stirring in sweetener, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic.

    Glaze the Ham: Brush glaze over ham and place it on the rack in the roasting pan.

    Cover and Bake: Cover ham loosely with foil and bake for 10-12 minutes per pound. Baste ham with pan juices and additional glaze every 20-30 minutes.

    Optional Caramelization: For caramelized crust, remove foil during last 20-30 minutes and increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C).

    Check for Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to ensure ham reaches 140°F (60°C).

    Slice and Serve: Let ham rest before slicing and serving warm. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

How to store leftovers

  • Start by wrapping your leftover ham tightly with plastic wrap and then again with another layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to four days. Cooked ham should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. 
  • You can store uncooked ham in the fridge for up to three days.

How to reheat

  • Oven: Remove your leftover cooked ham from the fridge and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Place and wrap a large aluminum foil loosely over the top of the ham. This helps to keep moisture in. Bake at 275 degrees F at 10 minutes per pound–or until a meat thermometer reads 135 – 140 degrees.
  • Skillet: Place individual ham slices on a skillet or a frying pan. Heat on medium heat until warm through.
  • Microwave: Not the best method since microwaves tend to remove a lot of moisture so it's easy to dry out your ham but you can reheat a few slices in the microwave if needed. Place a few slices on a microwave safe plate and heat on medium high for a few minutes until warmed through. 

How to freeze

  1. Make sure your leftover cooked ham is cooled and dry. This helps to prevent ice crystals from forming.
  2. Start by wrapping your leftover ham tightly with plastic wrap or a freezer bag and then again with another layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. 
  3. Place the wrapped ham in another freezer bag or a large storage container. This will help prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 428 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Protein 39g78%
* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.