Instant Pot Ham
Instant Pot Bone-In Ham is an easy, moist, flavorful recipe. All that is needed is ham, brown sugar, pineapple juice and ground cloves.
INSTANT POT BONE-IN HAM
I know we all tend to make hams mostly during the holidays, but this recipe is really an anytime recipe. It is so good. Plus, you can make the ham and use leftovers for so many other amazing recipes like my Crock Pot Creamy Potato and Ham Soup or Ham Salad.
WHAT IS A SEMI-BONELESS HAM?
Normally a whole bone-in ham consists of a hip bone and a leg bone. In a semi-boneless ham, that hip joint (shank) has been removed, leaving only a smaller bit of leg bone. This just makes for easier carving. Shopping for a ham can be confusing because often farms and companies will call them different names. So, look for a ham that is not spiral sliced, will fit into your Instant Pot (about 6-7 pounds) and has a bone in it.
CAN I USE A SPIRAL-SLICED HAM?
I’ve learned after many years of cooking spiral-sliced hams that they tend to dry out easily unless you’re super vigilant. I think you get much better flavor by getting a whole ham and carving it yourself after cooking. Also, with a bone-in ham, you get a much deeper flavor. That bone adds flavor! But, If you absolutely cannot find a bone-in ham that fits in your Instant Pot, then you could certainly use a spiral-sliced ham or a small boneless ham.
TIPS FOR MAKING INSTANT POT HAM:
- Make sure your ham fits into your Instant Pot. Some pots are 6 quart, some are 6.5 quart, others are 8 or 9 quart. This recipe works with all size pressure cookers, just make sure you get a ham that fits your pot.
- It will take time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. When I tested this recipe, it took about 10 minutes to come up to full pressure. Another 15 minutes to cook then another 15 minutes to naturally release pressure.
- Apple juice can be used in place of pineapple juice.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- unsliced semi-boneless ham
- pineapple juice
- light brown sugar
- ground cloves
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BONE-IN HAM:
Place ham into the bottom of a 6-quart Instant Pot.
Pour pineapple juice over ham.
Combine the brown sugar with the ground cloves. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the ham.
Slide the lid into place on the Instant Pot. Set the pressure release valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release (about 20 minutes.) Remove ham from Instant Pot.
Cover with foil and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before carving.
CRAVING MORE?
Instant Pot Ham
Ingredients
- 6 pound bone-in ham (semi-boneless)
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Place ham into the bottom of a 6-quart (or larger) Instant Pot.
- Pour pineapple juice over ham.
- Combine the brown sugar with the cloves and sprinkle on top of the ham.
- Slide the lid into place on the Instant Pot. Set the pressure release valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release then carefully remove ham from Instant Pot.
- Cover with foil and let sit for about 5-10 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Thank you so much for the recipe, or I would be eating another ruined instant pot debacle. Thank you! mm mm good.
I am making this tonight, but I was wondering…the ham I got ended up being huge. Would leftovers freeze well?
Can I do this in a slow cooker. I don’t have a instant pot but would like to make a ham in my crock pot. If I can what would the times and settings be?
Nevermind I found your slow cooker recipe!
No worries – hope you love it!!
should I use the trivet? I get burn notices a lot on my instant pot. I don’t want to ruin the ham
I had my doubts but it turned out perfect! So good & moist!
Can you use a frozen ham with this recipe and get the same result?
I don’t recommend it
I made this for our Christmas dinner, and it is delicious. I was surprised at how quickly it cooked…I thought it might take a long time to get the pressure up, but it really didn’t. I had to search to find a ham that would fit, but I found one just under six lbs. and even it was a tight sqeeze. However, it was worth the search and I’ll definitely make it again!
Well, I broke the cardinal rule of trying a new recipe for Thanksgiving and I am SO glad I did!! this turned out so incredibly moist – wow!! I can’t wait to make ham sandwiches with the leftovers!!
Sorry about that Chris! That video no longer works – it got corrupted somehow and doesn’t play properly. All I have for you are the step by step videos above 🙂
Thanks. I’m going to try your recipe with a mix of apple and pineapple! What do you think? I’ll let you know how it turns out. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
I’ve never used apple for ham to be honest but I have used pineapple – just not with an instant pot recipe. I tend to only use juices in the instant pot so you get the flavor without the fruit turning to mush. Let me know how it goes for you!
It was easy and juicy. My first recipe in my instant pot. Thank you
Thanks so very much Linda!
May be a silly questions, but is this a pre-cooked ham?
I have the same question and would be interested in the answer.
Hey Jeff! Yep, it’s a precooked ham. Most all hams you find in your regular grocery store are all precooked (usually smoked) so all you’re essentially doing is heating it back up. It’s rare to find an actual raw ham in grocery stores (sometimes they are called a picnic ham) but it would say right on the label. 🙂
Not a silly question at all! Yes, it’s a precooked ham. All ham is precooked that you find in your normal store. It’s rare to find actual raw ham (sometimes called a picnic ham) Hope that helps!
In the north east yes picnic cams are usually smoked and cooked when you buy them but down here in Texas I so miss them. They are not cooked and if they are smoked they taste nothing like ours up north. so I have a premium pork picnic roast that’s raw and I’m wondering what to do with it. Of course I have to cook it now and nobody’s home to answer the question. I’ll keep looking for answers somewhere.❤️
Hi Grace, you will want to Google recipes that are for southern picnic roasts. That should pull up quite a few that will show you how to properly cook them. You may just want to pop it into a slow cooker like a pork butt roast. The same seasonings work as well with a little liquid smoke to get a bit of that smoky flavor 🙂
How do you cook it if it’s raw? I got a raw ham from a local farm and was wanting to cook it in the instant pot? Do I just do the same way but longer?
I haven’t tested a raw ham before – I am sorry. I am sure you can Google a recipe for raw ham in the instant pot so you get a more accurate times 🙂
We made this and really enjoyed it! Thanks so much!