You will never make ham another way after making this Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham! Spiral sliced ham is steamed to perfection with a sweet honey sauce, keeping this ham full of flavor and moisture.
Serve this Instant Pot Ham with Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, and an Instant Pot Cheesecake for a show-stopping meal.
If you have lived long, you have probably experienced dried out ham.
My sweet mother in law cooks her ham every year for 6-10 hours, and the delicious honey baked ham she pays a small fortune for, ends up dry, tough, and chewy. Not exactly the ham you want for a Holiday centerpiece.
If you want to avoid dried-out ham and instead have a Honey Baked Ham that is full of flavor and moisture, this Instant Pot Ham recipe is for you!
Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham
Because the Instant Pot cooks by trapping all the steam and moisture inside the pressure cooker, it creates a perfect steamy environment to just warm the ham through without drying out the meat.
And this Honey Baked Ham is ready in less than an hour!!
That means you don't have to wake up early to prepare your holiday meal or rush home from church to get the ham in the oven. It also keeps the heat out of the kitchen--which in the south, I can attest to that is never a bad thing!
Ingredients for Honey Baked Ham
- Spiral cut ham
- as small as you like or as large as your Instant Pot will hold
- 6 quart Instant Pot will hold approximately a 5 to 6-pound ham.
- 8 quart Instant Pot will hold approximately a 7-8 pound ham.
- Pineapple Juice
- Pineapple juice will work to not only flavor the ham but keep the ham extra juicy.
- Honey
- Honey is essential for a honey baked ham.
- Brown Sugar
- Just a tiny bit of brown sugar helps to add depth to the ham.
- Feel free to omit if staying away from refined sugar.
- Optional Spices
- Honey Baked Ham typically have cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, I personally leave these out as I feel the overpower the ham, but feel free to add in if desired.
How to Cook Ham in the Instant Pot
The process for cooking a Honey Baked Ham in the Pressure Cooker is INCREDIBLY easy and FAST!!!!
Step One: Prepare Instant Pot
- Place trivet inside the inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Pour in 1 cup of water. Or 1.5 cups for an 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Place foil sling on trivet--this will help you remove ham after it has finished cooking.
Step Two: Prepare Ham Glaze
- Whisk together pineapple juice, honey, and brown sugar.
Step Three: Prepare Ham
- Place ham on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Fold up sides of foil, to make a bowl-like shape around the ham.
- Gently separate slices of spiral ham, so glaze can penetrate the ham slices.
- Pour glaze over ham and securely wrap foil around ham.
Step Four: Pressure Cook Ham
- Place ham on the trivet.
- Secure foil sling around ham, if using.
- Pressure Cook on High for 2 minutes per pound. ADD 10 Minutes to the total time if the ham is wrapped in foil.
- Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes then do a quick release.
- Check internal temperature. You want your ham to be at 145 degrees for serving. Remember the ham has already been fully cooked, we are just warming!
Step Five: Reduce Glaze (optional)
I find that this ham is perfectly flavored and sweet enough to serve immediately. The ham is full of pineapple and honey flavor and is super delicious. If you would like that sticky glaze that Honey Baked Ham is known for, you can reduce the juices rendered from cooking right in the pressure cooker.
- After pressure is released, remove your ham from the Instant Pot and place it on a large platter or bowl, still sealed in the foil.
- Remove trivet from the inside pressure cooker and pour out the water used to cook the honey baked ham.
- Place the inner pot back inside the pressure cooker and turn the pressure cooker to Saute.
- Gently peel back the foil slightly from the cooked ham.
- Remove the Ham from the foil, leaving the liquid inside the foil packet.
- Pour the rendered cooking liquid into the pressure cooker.
- Mix together 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and whisk into cooking liquid.
- Whisk well, and cook until the glaze is reduced by half, about 3-4 minutes.
- Pour the thickened glaze over the ham.
How long do you cook a ham in the Instant Pot?
- Spiral Sliced ham is already precooked so you only need to warm the ham through.
- Cook your ham for 2 minutes per pound on high pressure plus 10 Minutes to the total time to account for foil. This will warm the ham through perfectly and keep the ham from drying out.
- Hit manual button and use +/- buttons to adjust the time. Be sure your pressure cooker is set to HIGH pressure.
- 3-pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 6 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 16 total minutes)
- 4-pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 8 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 18 minutes)
- 5-pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 10 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 20 minutes)
- 6-pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 12 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 22 minutes)
- 7-pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 14 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 24 minutes)
- 8-pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 16 minutes+ 10 minutes to account for foil (or 26 minutes )
A Few Important Tips for Pressure Cooker Ham
- This Honey Glaze recipe is for a 3-5 pound ham. If making a larger ham, just double the recipe--extra glaze is NEVER a bad thing!
- If you would like to add spices to your Honey Ham Glaze, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
- Feel free to omit brown sugar for refined sugar-free Honey Ham--and trust me, I have done this many times with great results in flavor.
- If you don't like Honey, use Maple Syrup--a Maple Glazed Ham is always delicious.
- It is important to seal the ham well in foil, parchment paper, or in a bowl to keep the ham flavored well and to prevent a burn warning.
- You can use bone-in or boneless spiral sliced ham for this recipe. I prefer boneless for easier serving, but either is fine!
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Pork and Sauerkraut
Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham
Ingredients
- 3-5 pound spiral sliced ham
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
Instructions
Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham
- Place trivet inside the inner pot of the pressure cooker. Pour in 1 and ½ cups cold water. Place foil sling on trivet–this will help you remove ham after it has finished cooking.
- Prepare glaze by whisking together pineapple juice, honey and brown sugar.
- Place ham on large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. Fold up sides of foil, to make a bowl like shape around the ham. Gently separate slices of spiral ham, so glaze can penetrate the ham slices. Pour glaze over ham and securely wrap foil around ham. Place ham on trivet inside pressure cooker. Secure foil sling around ham, if using.
- Pressure Cook on High for 2 minutes per pound plus 10 minutes to account for the foil. (Only add 5 minutes if using thin foil.) Once cook time has elapsed, let rest for at least 15 minutes before releasing pressure. Check the internal temperature to be sure the ham is warmed to 135-150 degrees. If not, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes on high pressure.
Honey Ham Glaze Reduction (optional)
- After pressure is released, remove your ham from the Instant Pot and place on a large platter or bowl, still sealed in the foil. Remove trivet from inside pressure cooker and pour out the water used to cook the honey baked ham. Place the inner pot back inside the pressure cooker and turn the pressure cooker to Saute.
- Gently peel back the foil slightly from the cooked Ham. Remove the Ham from the foil, leaving the liquid inside the foil packet. Pour the rendered cooking liquid into the pressure cooker.
- Mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water and whisk into cooking liquid. Whisk liquid constantly until thickened and reduced--about 3-5 minutes. Pour over sliced ham.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- This recipe has been updated to account for using heavy duty foil to cook the ham. To reach 145 degrees for serving, if your foil is not thin, you will need an additional 10 minutes added to the total cook time to account for the foil.
- If using thin foil, do not add the additional 10 minutes to the cook time, instead add 3-5 minutes.
- This Honey Glaze recipe is for a 4-5 pound ham. If making a larger ham, just double the recipe.
- If you would like to add spices to your Honey Ham Glaze, use ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves.
- Feel free to omit brown sugar for a refined sugar free Honey Ham or to use maple syrup in place of the honey.
- Sweet and Tangy Glaze Option: Instead of the honey glaze, mix together ⅓ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon prepared Horseradish, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon each of ground cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. Pour over ham before wrapping in foil.
- It is important to seal the ham well in foil to keep the ham flavored well and to prevent a burn warning.
- This recipe is for a pre-sliced, pre-cooked ham that you purchase at your grocery store.
- Cooking Directions:
- 3 pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 6 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 16 total minutes)
- 4 pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 8 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 18 minutes)
- 5 pound ham: use 1 recipe for glaze and cook for 10 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 20 minutes)
- 6 pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 12 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 22 minutes)
- 7 pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 14 minutes + 10 minutes to account for foil (or 24 minutes)
- 8 pound ham: double the recipe for the glaze and cook for 16 minutes+ 10 minutes to account for foil (or 26 minutes)
Nutrition
Kim
In this shelter at home time, I didn't have pineapple or juice on hand, so I subbed with our homemade apple cider and it was a hit!
Kristen Chidsey
What a fabulous idea Kim! I am so glad you enjoyed!
Esther Erickson
I have had the worst luck with cooking hams and sadly this didn’t help! I never cook them long enough to heat the middle and same this happened to me again. I had a 3 lb ham, wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked on high pressure for 16 minutes and left 15 more minutes to release the pressure. The middle was still 70-80 degrees when I finally checked it. ☹️ Thoughts?! I did double the foil because it wasn’t large enough to completely encase the ham but it wasn’t super thick so I didn’t think it would be a problem. And there was a chance the middle was still frozen but I really thought I thawed it completely.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Esther. I am sorry you had issues, but my hunch is that your ham was still a bit frozen AND wrapping in foil twice. You probably needed 5 to 10 extra minutes added to the cook time.
Kyle
Hello
I tried to follow the recipe as best I could but I am a newbie when it comes to the instant pot. I have a Instant Pot Max that I used to make my 7 lb spiral bone in Ham. I did not use any foil and also had to cut some of the meat off to fit inside (6 quart). I had the ham set for 8 min on the MAX setting with natural release. My Instant pot lot took almost 40 minutes to get to pressure. After that it cooked for 8 minutes and then I had it natural release for 15 minutes before hitting the quick release button. The Ham came out dry and overcooked. Still edible but not great. I was wondering if you could give me some tips on what I could have done wrong? Why would it take so long to pressurize and also as it is pressurizing its cooking the meat correct? I'm trying to understand this whole instant pot thing better. Thanks for your help!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kyle! Something was definitely off--it should not take 40 minutes for your instant pot to come to pressure for this recipe since there is minimal liquid added. My guess is that your seal was not properly sealed, causing the instant pot to struggle to come to pressure of you did not use enough liquid in bottom of the pot. The ham was certainly overcooked due to the 40 minutes it took to come to pressure, not the cook time. Here are some more details about the reasons an instant pot may not seal well.
Kim
When letting pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, do you keep it on “Keep Warm?” Or do you turn that off?
Kristen Chidsey
Leave it on keep warm.
Beth
2020 is a 1st for many whacky things, it seems..so, in keeping with the nee times, this will be the 1st time I have cooked anything other than hard boiled eggs in my instant pot LOL. So, here goes the easter ham...it's just my hubby & I. Thank you so much for the detailed video!! Yiu have made us happy with this new info!
Kristen Chidsey
I am glad you enjoyed this recipe and my tips! Happy unconventional Easter!
Hailey
I don’t have pineapple juice any other suggestions?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Hailey, I like using 1/8 cup orange juice + 1/8 cup lemon juice mixed together, or orange juice alone works well. Or use water with a tablespoon more of both honey and brown sugar. Enjoy!
Julie
Hi Mindful Mom! Thanks for this video! I'm new to InstaPot cooking, so this was very helpful. My only question is that we like gravy with our mashed potatoes. Should I withhold the glaze until after I make the gravy? Or are the juices with the glaze good for gravy. It sounded like I need to choose between glaze or gravy? I'm confused. I'm sure it's not this hard!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Julie! I am not sure I am following your question--if you would like gravy from the ham, the glaze may be a bit too sweet to make gravy from in my opinion. One option would be to make a pan gravy without ham drippings (just use chicken stock) and still glaze the ham in as directed. I hope that helps. If not, please clarify so I can help make it straightforward for you!
Julie
Yes, that's what I was thinking that gravy made from the juices that are glazed before the ham goes in the instant would not taste the same as regular ham gravy. I think my mom used to do it in a crock pot, make the gravy from the plain juices, and THEN glaze the ham. I'm wondering if there is a procedure like that I could follow with the instapot method.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Julie! I am sure this is possible, but without experimenting myself, I can not give you exact timings. I will say part of the beauty of this recipe is that the ham soaks in the "glaze" infusing it with flavor.
Kim
Would this work with cutting off the slices we'll eat and wrapping in foil? I bought an 11lb bone in ham and have a 6quart IP. I could cut off what will fit and weigh it.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim, because you are cutting into slices, I would not cook for 2 minutes per pound, as that may overcook the ham. I would wrap slices in foil and cook for 10 minutes on high pressure with a full natural pressure release.
Whoops!
Definitely agree! I'm reading this AFTER I cooked our Easter dinner. Haha. I cut the bone out without thinking and kept the same 25 minute time. Yuck! It's the very first thing I've ever cooked in my instant pot that was absolutely disgusting. It was mush. Heed the warning and don't over cook ham in an instant pot.
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I wish you would have seen this before cooking your ham! I guess it will be one lesson you will not forget.
Kim
I ended up making the glaze, using a little over 3 pounds of slices off the spiral cut bone that I wrapped up in foil and used high pressure for 16 minutes and naturally released, then thickened the glaze. My family LOVED the glaze and the ham! I am vegetarian and enjoyed all the sides and kept asking them if it was hot enough and they kept passing around the glaze, so I know they enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your prompt reply!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing how much your family enjoyed this--thank you for sharing.
Amanda
Question: the recipe says to let the ham rest after the cooking time is up. At this point would I let it natural release? Release the pressure right away but let it rest the 15 minutes? Wait 10-15 minutes and then press cancel and release pressure? I would appreciate the clarification. 😊
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amanda! You want to leave the instant pot alone (don't hit cancel, not do a pressure release) for 15 minutes AFTER cook time. After that time is up, you then hit cancel and release any remaining pressure, and then remove your ham from the Instant Pot. I hope you enjoy!
Christine Metcalf
I am making ham for Easter but couldn't find a honey ham. Will a brown sugar ham be o.k.?
Kristen Chidsey
It will be delicious Christine! Enjoy!
Heather Shupe
I cook frozen chicken all the time in my instant pot. Do you think frozen ham would be ok?
Kristen Chidsey
Yes,Heather I am sure it would be. I am not sure the best time to set it to, not knowing what type of ham, sliced or unsliced and weight though.
Karen
What flavor of spiral ham should be used for this recipe?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Karen! Because you are throwing away the flavoring pack and seasoning yourself, any flavor works.
Lindsay
I don’t know why, but every time I cook a ham in my instant pot, it takes forever to cook! It’s just a small ham (a little over 2 lbs). I let it defrost for 2 days so it was thoroughly defrosted. Cooked it for 6 minutes and was nowhere near 145 degrees. Cooked for another 4mins. Still not done. On round three now...
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lindsay--is it sliced or wrapped in foil? That will change the cook time. Let me know and I will happily troubleshoot for you so you can get it perfected!
eva
what if i dont have any pinapple juice and i want to use my own glaze can i use water my ham is to big for the trivet
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Eva! You certainly can cook your ham in your instant pot with water. As for using your own glaze, without knowing the ingredients, I can not advise if any changes would need to be made or if it could burn easily.
Werra Watson
Hi Mindfull Mom! I use your recipes a lot. HELP how would I do a Spiral Cut ham that has already been glazed. I bought the (ALDI) Appleton Farms. Traditional oven it wants you to cook it at 10-12 minutes per pound, then when you have 30 minutes left, add the extra glaze and cook 25-30 minutes uncovered. Would I cook it the same as in your recipe here in terms of time? Also using 8 qt IP still just 1/2 cup liquid? And then just finish it in an oven with the additional glaze? It is a 10 pound ham . Thanks in advance.
Mary
Will this work with a ham that isn’t spiral cut? I have a bone in ham portion. Would it be better to slice it before adding it to the instant pot? Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Mary! This will work. You may need to add 5 minutes cook time. Just be sure your ham reaches 140 degrees before serving.