Instant Pot Tender Moist Ham | Tested by Amy + Jacky (2024)

Honey Glazed Ham

Honey glazed ham makes a beautiful centerpiece that feeds a crowd for special occasions. It’s especially popular to serve holiday ham for Easter, Thanksgiving, New Year, and Christmas dinners.

We designed this ham Instant Pot recipe with traditional holiday flavors in mind. Flavoring the ham with our fruity honey glaze gives it an irresistibly sweet-tangy taste to complement the juicy ham’s deep smoky-savory flavors. Adding complexity to the flavor profile but not overly sweet.

Instant Pot Ham

The beauty of cooking ham is it’s already fully cooked. With this Instant Pot ham recipe, we’re gently reheating precooked ham in Instant Pot while making the tasty ham glaze.

Ham: so juicy moist, tender with toothsome texture, and full of deep smoky savory flavors; not stringy, tough, or dried out.

Glaze: the pineapple honey glaze is not overly sweet with just the right balance, so the flavors won’t overpower the ham. You can also adjust the sweetness and flavor profile according to your preference.

How to Cook Instant Pot Ham

Prepare ingredients for cooking ham in Instant Pot.

Ham

For this Ham Instant Pot recipe, try to use whole, bone-in, uncut ham because it’ll retain more moisture. You’ll end up with a more juicy, moist, and flavorful ham.

As a reference, our bone-in, uncut ham was gigantic! It weighs 8.6 lbs and 7″ thick.

Whole Uncut Ham vs. Spiral Ham: Spiral-sliced hams may be easier to cut and serve. But since the ham is pre-sliced, it’s easier to dry out during the reheating process (especially for thinly-sliced spiral ham). If you’re using spiral ham, make sure to use a shorter reheating time.

Bone-in Ham vs. Boneless Ham: The ham bone helps prevent the meat from drying out. Plus, you can use the leftover hambone to make soup! If you’re substituting with boneless ham, you may need to reduce the pressure cooking time for a few minutes.

Pineapples

Substitute with Fresh Pineapples: Canned pineapples are usually sweeter than fresh pineapples. So if you’re substituting it with fresh pineapples, make sure to taste and add a bit more sugar to balance the flavors.

Tools for Ham Instant Pot Recipe

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
• Instant Pot Trivet or Stainless Steel Steamer Rack
• Food Thermometer

Note: You can also make this ham in Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker.

Step 1

Pressure Cook Ham

Add 1 14oz (398ml) can of pineapple and 2 tablespoons (30ml) dijon mustard in Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.

Layer a steamer rack in Instant Pot, then place the bone-in ham on top of the rack.

Drizzle ¼ cup (63g) honey all over the top of the ham in Instant Pot.

Close lid and turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.

Pressure Cooking Method:

• For 8 – 9 lbs Bone-in Uncut Ham: High Pressure for 20 minutes, then Natural Release for 30 minutes
• For 6 – 7 lbs Bone-in Uncut Ham: High Pressure for 15 minutes, then Natural Release for 30 minutes
• For Spiral Ham (Cut Ham): High Pressure for 3 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes will be warm enough

Check pressure cooker ham’s internal temperature at its’ thickest part with an accurate food thermometer.

Step 2

Make Pineapple Honey Sauce

Rest Instant Pot ham on a large chopping board or serving bowl. The ham’s internal temperature will continue to rise.

Bring the sauce back to a simmer by pressing the “Cancel” button, then “Saute” button.

Taste and gradually add brown sugar into the sauce until your desired sweetness.

Mix 2.5 tbsp (22.5g) cornstarch with 3 tbsp (45ml) cold water in a small mixing bowl.

Add the cornstarch mixture into the honey sauce one third at a time to thicken the sauce until desired thickness.

Step 3

Serve Ham with Pineapple Honey Sauce

Optional Step – Crisp the Skin & Caramelize the Glaze: Brush the pineapple honey sauce on the ham, then place the ham under the broiler. It’ll only take a few minutes. Be careful not to dry out the ham.

Cut the juicy Instant Pot ham with a sharp knife and a fork. Serve it with the Golden Pineapple Honey Ham Sauce.

Scoop up the remaining golden ham sauce, then serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.

What to Serve with Ham

Honey Glazed Ham is a tasty yet budget-friendly crowd favorite at dinner parties and holiday celebrations. Even though ham is often served as a centerpiece for holiday dinners, this pressure cooker ham is easy enough to make for family dinners.

If you’re serving this Instant Pot ham for a traditional Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner, you can serve it with these tasty recipes:

Main Dishes

• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Instant Pot Roast Beef
• Instant Pot Lamb Shank
• Instant Pot Short Ribs

Side Dishes

• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
• Instant Pot Green Beans
• Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
• Instant Pot Stuffing
• Instant Pot Roasted Potatoes
• Instant Pot Corn on the Cob

Enjoy your Juicy Tender Instant Pot Ham!

Instant Pot Leftover Ham Recipes

• Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
• Ham and Bean Soup
• Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
• Instant Pot Egg Bites

Some Useful Tips & Resources

50+ Instant Pot Recipes

All Our Pressure Cooker Recipes

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