The slightly smoky flavor of ham is cooked with a sweet glaze in this Instant Pot Ham Recipe. It is a simple ham with a sweet and tantalizing glaze that is perfect for any holiday meal, or family gathering.
The ham is first cooked in the Instant Pot until it is juicy and tender, then quickly broiled in the oven to caramelize the glaze. It’s so easy to make and the flavors are absolutely irresistible. It’s no wonder this brown sugar ham is a family favorite. 
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Best Brown Sugar Ham
- Ham is such a mild-flavored cut of meat. Pairing it with a sugar glaze that has a slightly spicy kick to it from the Dijon mustard makes for a wow dish that will impress guests and family.
- Cooking ham in the Instant Pot makes the meat so tender, and juicy. Add a brown sugar glaze and the meat will just melt in the mouth. There is no denying that this recipe is the best way to cook a ham. It combines the best cooking qualities of the oven and the Instant Pot.
- And what’s even better is that this Instant Pot ham recipe is such a quick and easy way to cook a ham. Cook like a pro with this simple recipe.
- Serve it with a side dish of Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, Oven Roasted Asparagus, and Baby Potatoes or even Instant Pot Macaroni And Cheese!
Ingredients & Variations
THE HAM – Choose precooked ham, pre-sliced or unsliced, for this recipe. A spiral ham would also be an excellent choice. Remember to purchase a ham that is 5 pounds or under because one that is bigger may not fit in the pot. Even a frozen ham will cook in the instant pot!
THE GLAZE – There are three different ingredients used as sweeteners in this glaze; maple syrup, juice, and brown sugar. Be sure to purchase real maple syrup for this recipe (it shouldn’t have any added sugar in the ingredients). Maple syrup can be replaced with honey, in which case use ¼ cup honey and add a little extra pineapple or orange juice.
How to Make Instant Pot Ham
A simple ham with a sweet and tantalizing glaze!
- Make the glaze as per recipe below.
- Cook the ham in the Instant Pot (with a bit of glaze).
- Place cooked ham on a pan, drizzle with remaining glaze and broil in the oven.
- Slice and serve.
In the Crockpot: Place the ham in the Crockpot with ½ the glaze. Cook it slow and easy for 3-4 hours on low heat. Remove from the Crockpot, place in oven and broil as directed below.
Instant Pot Pro Tips
Use the rack (or trivet) that came with the Instant Pot for cooking this ham. The purpose of this rack is to keep the food in the pot raised above the liquid on the bottom.
Be sure to add the broth to the bottom of the pan, and try not to allow too much glaze to drip into the broth. The sugary glaze could burn and cause the instant pot to shut down due to the “BURN” warning.
Leftovers?
Any leftover ham can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It also freezes well and will last for 1-2 months in an airtight container or zippered bag. To reheat, place ham on a rack in a pan with water. Cover entirely with aluminum foil and reheat in a preheated 325˚F oven until heated through. Leftovers could also be made into a tasty Ham and Cheese Quiche, or a delicious Ham And Pea Pasta Bake.
Other Easy Recipes!
- Baked Honey Glazed Ham – delicious oven-baked recipe.
- Instant Pot Pasta With Sausage – quick weeknight meal.
- Oven Baked Ham With Pineapple – so flavorful.
- Instant Pot Ribs – perfect pork ribs recipe.
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin – easy and delicious.
Instant Pot Ham Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup or ¼ cup honey (may need a bit extra juice)
- ¼ cup orange juice or pineapple
- 3 Tablespoons dijon mustard or 3 teaspoons dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 5 pound ham pre-cooked, pre-sliced or unsliced
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- In a large measuring cup (or medium bowl), whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, dijon mustard, and cinnamon to create glaze.
- Place metal trivet (or rack) into Instant Pot and add broth.
- Set ham on top of rack. Drizzle ham with about half of the glaze.
- Seal the lid and select manual pressure high. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Manually release Instant Pot pressure.
To Brown in the Oven*
- Meanwhile, mix melted butter into remaining glaze.
- Remove cooked ham from Instant Pot and place on a foil lined baking tray.
- Drizzle and brush with remaining glaze and broil for about 3 minutes to lightly caramelize the glaze.
- Slice (if not a pre-sliced ham), garnish with parsley if desired, and serve.
Notes
- Set ham aside on a platter, and carefully drain Instant Pot pot. Place pot back in the Instant Pot.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and add butter. When butter is melted and starts to lightly bubble, add ham. Brown on one side (about 2-3 minutes), then flip to brown on the other side (2-3 minutes).
- Remove ham to platter.
- Add glaze to the butter in the Instant Pot. Mix together and heat until warm. Serve drizzled over the ham and garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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