Instant Pot Honey-Orange Glazed Ham – A spiral-cut ham heated in the Instant Pot in 10 minutes and finished with a sweet, citrusy honey-orange glaze spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Preparing a holiday ham has never been easier. This recipe uses a spiral-cut ham and a simple honey-orange glaze of honey, orange juice, brown sugar and warming spices. The Instant Pot quickly heats the ham through in about 10 minutes of pressure cooking (about 15 minutes to come to pressure). Finish by glazing the slices for a glossy, flavorful presentation.
The result is a ham that is sweet, citrusy and gently spiced. Using the Instant Pot is a fast way to reheat and infuse glazed spiral-cut ham while freeing up the oven for sides and desserts. This honey-orange glazed ham makes an attractive, crowd-pleasing centerpiece for holiday meals.
Instructions:
- Combine honey, brown sugar, orange juice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves and ground nutmeg in a glass measuring cup. Stir until the sugar dissolves as much as possible. Place the spiral-cut ham on a cutting board and spoon 1–2 teaspoons of the mixture between several slices, leaving about half of the glaze mixture for finishing after cooking.
- Insert the stainless steel pot into the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water. Set the trivet in place and position the ham on the trivet. Close the lid and set the valve to “sealing.” Select the Manual (or Pressure Cook) setting on high and set the timer for 10 minutes. The cooker will beep and begin to come to pressure; this can take roughly 15 minutes.
- While the ham cooks, heat the reserved honey-orange mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil, or warm it in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; it will thicken into a glaze.
- When the cooking time ends, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for about 5 minutes, then carefully switch the valve to “venting” to release any remaining pressure.
- Transfer the ham to a serving platter and brush or pour the warmed honey-orange glaze over the slices. Serve warm.
The glaze:
The glaze is a simple mix of honey, brown sugar, orange juice and warming spices. Combine ¼ cup honey, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ¼ cup orange juice, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Use about half of this mixture to spoon between the spiral slices before cooking, then heat the remaining half until bubbling and slightly thickened. Let it cool briefly—it will become glossy and cling to the ham when poured over the slices.
Spiral-cut ham vs. whole ham:
Spiral-cut ham makes it easy to season each slice by slipping small amounts of glaze between the cuts. Because spiral-cut hams are pre-sliced, they tend to lose some of the natural juices during cooking, so the texture is closer to a baked ham—still flavorful and convenient.
If you prefer a juicier result, use an uncut ham for this method. For an uncut ham around 4 lb, follow the same steps and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes; the intact roast will retain more juices when pressure cooked.
Ingredients
- 4 lb spiral-cut ham
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup water (for the Instant Pot)
Recipe notes
- Prep time: about 5 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes at high pressure, plus about 15 minutes to come to pressure. Allow a brief natural release and finishing time—plan roughly 30–35 minutes total from start to serving.
- Adjust glaze quantities if your ham is larger or if you prefer extra sauce for serving. Heat the glaze just until bubbling; overcooking can make it too thick.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for several days and are great in sandwiches or added to casseroles.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 568 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30 g | Protein: 57 g | Fat: 23 g | Saturated Fat: 5 g | Cholesterol: 220 mg | Sodium: 3498 mg | Potassium: 902 mg | Sugar: 30 g | Vitamin C: 75.7 mg
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