Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham with its Caramelized Sweetly Spiced Glaze is a must have for Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving holidays.
Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
This is the most simple way to make your Holiday Ham.
No need to spend tons of money at that ham store.
With the use of your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker, you will have the most delicious and juicy Ham ever.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
You are going to want to make extra because I have some wonderful recipes specially for leftover Easter and Christmas ham.
So make sure to buy more than you need so you can make my Holiday Party Southern Baked Ham Buns. They are ridiculously incredible.
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Ingredients for Instant Pot Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
- Ham – can be spiral cut
- Liquid – Soda like Cola, Sprite, Dr. Pepper or White Wine
- Whole Cloves
- Light Brown Sugar
- Maple Syrup
- Spicy Brown Mustard or Dijon Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
If using a fresh ham, the cook time would be much longer. For cooked hams, basically, we are just heating up the ham and infusing wonderful flavor.
Whisk up the Ham Glaze
To make Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham it is just a matter of whisking up the ingredients.
What exactly is Cured Ham?
- By all accounts, ham is not raw and is ready to heat and eat.
- Ham is generally made from the hind leg of a Pig/Swine.
- It has been processed/preserved by smoking, salting or wet curing.
- Unprocessed meat is called fresh ham and is ready for cooking or preserving/processing. However, most ham goes through one of the processes and is then labeled “cured ham.”
My Instant Pot Maple Glazed Holiday Ham recipe is really just a guideline.
I will tell you how I make it, but if you want to swap honey for maple syrup or Dijon mustard for spicy brown mustard, go for it.
Stud the Ham with Cloves
Growing up in Miami was great. Tons of little coffee shops and restaurants with counters.
In the Cuban restaurants, if you sat at the counter and the owner liked you, he/she would bring out a napkin with a piece of the Crackling.
Another delicious recipe you will enjoy is my Pressure Cooker Lechón Asado {Cuban Pork with Mojo}.
Pour in Soda Pop
The flavor of Instant Pot Ham can vary so much. There are many different liquids which can be used and which will change the flavor of the ham.
What Types of Liquid Can Be Used for Instant Pot Ham?
- A cola works well.
- Sprite is delicious too.
- Dr. Pepper is also yummy.
- White Wine gives the Maple Glazed Ham a totally different taste. It’s really good.
All these types of liquids work very well and it will be fun to play around with new flavors each time.
Place a Trivet over the Cola
If your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker came with a Trivet with handles, that is perfect for this recipe.
Otherwise, you can buy a Stainless Steel Tall/Short Trivet & Egg Cooker Set and use that instead.
Paint on the Maple Glaze
Use a Silicone BBQ Basting Brush to paint on some of the Maple Glaze.
The Liquid will steam into the Ham and the Maple Glaze will begin to seep into the Skin.
Another delicious glaze you might want to use instead of the maple glaze is my Homemade White Wine Brandy Mustard Sauce
Place Ham on Trivet
Since Ham is already cured and ready to eat, it does not need a long time under pressure. Just enough to warm the Ham through to the center. An oven tends to dry out the ham.
There are a couple of ways to crisp up the skin and caramelize the maple glaze.
How to Crisp Skin and Caramelize Maple Glaze on Ham
- One is to remove the ham from the cooking pot and use the oven. A nice cast iron skillet is great to use in the oven to crisp the skin and caramelize the maple glaze. Just add a little liquid to your pan (so the ham won’t dry out) and then add the ham. Baste the ham and then keep an eye out as it may burn if you don’t watch.
- But, I have a much easier way for you! Buy an Instant Pot Crisping Lid and caramelize the ham right in the pot!
Use CrispLid to Brown the Topping
You are kind of turning your pressure cooker into an air fryer! Leave in the liquid and your ham will stay nice and moist while crisping and caramelizing in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
If your ham is bone in, don’t forget to save it and make Pressure Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup or a nice bone broth!
Perfect Easter Ham
Serve next to a heaping pile of my famous Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker) and Instant Pot Fresh Green Bean Casserole.
My Instant Pot Holiday Baked Beans goes really well with the meal too.
If you are wondering what to do with leftover ham? Think no further as I’ve got you covered.
What To Do with Leftover Ham
- Pasta de Bocaditos {Cuban Deviled Ham Sandwiches}
- Instant Pot Jalapeño Macaroni Ham and Cheese
- Instant Pot Best Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Instant Pot Eggs Benedict (w/IP Hollandaise Sauce) – slice thin for a special, but easy breakfast.
Instant Pot Egg Bites (Feta Cheese & Red Pepper) is another recipe for using up ham. Dice a little and add to the egg bite tray and oh yum!
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
For dessert, check out my Pressure Cooker Peppermint Milkshake Cheesecake and my Pressure Cooker Cherry Cordial Cheesecake Bites.
More Thanksgiving Recipes to Make:
- Pressure Cooker Southern Style Green Beans
- Instant Pot Colcannon Irish Mashed Potatoes & Kale + Video
- Instant Pot Skirlie (Scottish Stuffing)
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (Pressure Cooker)
Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! Happy Easter! Enjoy.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Stainless Steel Tall/Short Trivet & Egg Cooker Set
- Silicone BBQ Basting Brush
- Lodge 10.25″ Cast Iron Skillet or
- Instant Pot Crisping Lid
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
- 2-8 pound Ham (any size you like)
- 6 ounces Soda Cola, Dr. Pepper, Sprite or White Wine
- 1/4 cup Whole Cloves
Glaze
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 3 Tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard (or Dijon)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Recommended Products
Instructions
- With a sharp knife, cut slits (do not go deep) into ham to make a diamond shape.
- Add Soda to Instant Pot cooking pot.
- Whisk together Glaze ingredients and set aside.
- Place ham on top of the trivet (w/handles if you have).
- Stud the ham with the cloves.
- Use a basting brush and paint some of the glaze all over the ham, making sure to get the glaze into the cuts in the ham.
- Place ham with trivet into cooking pot above the soda/liquid.
- Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at low pressure (most machines default to high pressure) for 15 minutes. Wait 15 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- Remove the lid and turn off the pressure cooker.
- Use the basting brush and add a heavy coat of glaze all over ham.
- Place Crisplid on top and set temperature to 350 degrees. Set the timer for 5 minutes.
- Keep an eye on the ham and when caramelized enough for your tastes, remove it from the pressure cooker. Use the Crisplid as long as you need to get the desired color on your ham.
- Serve ham with the rest of the glaze on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham!
Pressure Cooker Maple Glazed Holiday Ham
