Air Fryer Ham is delicious, easy, and makes the perfect holiday meal. I used a small boneless ham, butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar for this recipe. The butter and brown sugar glaze was so tasty. Check this out if you want to make a great holiday dish in your air fryer!
Because I have an air fryer now, I love to use it for everything, even my favorite holiday ham. Check out Air Fryer Stuffing, Air Fryer Turkey Breast, and Air Fryer Sweet Potato Casserole if you want more holiday recipes to go with this air-fried ham.
Cooking a bone-in ham in an air fryer is a great way to prepare this classic holiday dish with ease An air fryer allows you to cook the ham in less time than a traditional oven, and results in ham that is juicy, tender and full of flavor
Benefits of Cooking Ham in an Air Fryer
There are several benefits to using an air fryer instead of the oven when cooking a bone-in ham
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Shorter cooking time – The circulating hot air cooks food faster than a traditional oven. A bone-in ham can be fully cooked in an air fryer in under an hour.
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Juicy and tender results – The hot air circulates around the ham from all sides, sealing in moisture and resulting in a tender, juicy interior.
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Adds flavor – The hot air gives the ham a light crunchy exterior while keeping the inside deliciously moist.
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Easy clean up – Air fryers have minimal splatter compared to oven roasting, meaning very little clean up required.
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Convenient size – Smaller bone-in hams fit easily in most air fryer baskets, making it perfect for smaller holiday gatherings.
Tips for Cooking Bone-In Ham in an Air Fryer
Follow these tips to ensure perfect results when making bone-in ham in your air fryer
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Choose the right size ham – For most air fryer baskets, a bone-in half ham or smaller works best. Larger hams likely won’t fit.
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Trim excess fat – Trimming off some of the thick fat cap helps the ham cook more evenly. Leave about 1/4 inch.
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Use foil – Wrap the ham fully in foil to prevent over browning. Use foil sling for easy removal.
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Brush with glaze – Glazing adds sweetness and flavor. Apply glaze during last 15 minutes of cooking.
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Use meat thermometer – Cook until internal temp reaches 140°F for pre-cooked hams or 160°F for fresh hams.
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Let rest before slicing – Allow the ham to rest 15 minutes before removing foil and slicing. This allows juices to redistribute.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow this simple step-by-step guide for cooking a bone-in ham in an air fryer.
Ingredients:
- 1 bone-in half ham (approx. 3-4 lbs)
- 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or molasses
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
Directions:
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Trim excess fat: Use a sharp knife to trim thick areas of fat, leaving about 1⁄4 inch. This allows ham to cook evenly.
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Score the ham: Use a sharp knife to cut slashes in a diamond pattern on surface. This helps fat render and glaze absorb.
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Make glaze: Mix brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and cloves in a small bowl. Set aside.
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Prep air fryer: Preheat air fryer to 320°F. Cut 2 large foil sheets to fit basket.
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Wrap ham: Place ham in center of foil. Bring sides up and seal tightly in foil packet.
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Air fry: Place foil wrapped ham in preheated air fryer. Cook 20 minutes.
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Brush with glaze: Remove ham from air fryer, carefully open foil. Brush ham generously with glaze. Reseal foil.
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Cook & glaze: Return ham to air fryer. Cook 15 minutes more. Repeat glazing and cooking 2-3 more times until done.
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Finish cooking: For last 10-15 minutes of cooking, remove foil and increase heat to 400°F to brown glaze.
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Check temp: Ham is done when it reaches 140°F for pre-cooked or 160°F for fresh.
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Rest and slice: Allow ham to rest 15 minutes before removing foil and slicing to serve.
Tips for Leftover Ham
Leftover bone-in ham will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Here are some delicious ways to use up leftovers:
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Dice and add to scrambled eggs, omelets or hash.
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Chop or shred ham to make sandwiches, wraps or tacos.
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Dice ham and add to soups, stews, beans or greens.
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Make ham salad or add to potato salad.
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Fry diced ham with vegetables like peppers, onions or brussels sprouts.
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Make ham and cheese sliders on dinner rolls.
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Use bone and scraps to flavor beans, greens, soups or stews.
Common Questions
What size bone-in ham works best in an air fryer?
For most air fryer baskets, a 3-4 pound half bone-in ham or smaller works best. Very large hams likely won’t fit.
How long does it take to cook a 3 lb ham in an air fryer?
A 3 pound bone-in ham takes only 40-50 minutes at 320°F in an air fryer. Larger hams may need up to an hour.
Should I cook ham in air fryer with fat side up or down?
Cook bone-in ham fat side up in an air fryer. This allows fat to render and add flavor. Foil prevents overbrowning.
Is it better to cook ham at a high or low temperature?
It’s best to cook bone-in ham at a lower temp (300-325°F) to allow inside to cook through before outside dries out.
Can I air fry a spiral cut ham?
Yes, spiral cut hams work great in an air fryer! The slits allow glaze and moisture to absorb into the meat. Follow same method as regular ham.
The Takeaway
Cooking a bone-in ham in an air fryer is a simple process that results in a tender and flavorful holiday centerpiece. With just a few tips on size, glazing and temperature, you can enjoy juicy ham with crispy edges in under an hour. Give this easy method a try! Your family will be asking for ham all year round.
Why I Love This
Cooking ham in the air fryer is one of my favorite ways to use the air fryer. Its a great way to speed up the process of cooking without drying out the ham.
This brown sugar glaze is also very tasty and will make you want more, so save some for later!
Because I am making this recipe in my 5. 8-quart Cosori Air Fryer, I had to make sure I had a small ham that would fit in the basket. I chose to use a 3 pound spiral ham for this recipe.
You can find this recipe and over 35 others on the BEST list of Air Fryer Christmas and Thanksgiving recipes.
This is actually a relatively easy recipe with just a few steps involved. Before you know it, youll have the finishing touch on a perfect holiday dinner or weeknight dinner.
This list has everything you need to know to find the perfect gift for your friends and family this holiday season.
- 3 pound ham
- butter
- brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- A basting brush and foil are two other things you will need for this recipe.
- Before cooking, make sure the ham is at room temperature for a few minutes.
How to Cook Ham in the Air Fryer
Step 1: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until they start to bubble. Set aside.
Step 2 Place the two large sheets of foil in the basket of the air fryer. Add the ham to the center of the basket.
Step 3: Spread the brown sugar and butter glaze on top of the ham and around the sides.
Step 4: Take the ham out of the air fryer and cover it with foil. Set the air fryer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook it for 20 minutes.
Step 5 After 20 minutes, carefully remove the ham from the air fryer and add additional glaze. Put the foil on top of the ham and seal it up. Cook at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for another 20 minutes.
Step 6: Carefully pull the foil down at least halfway on the ham and brush it with the glaze one more time.
Step 7: Put the basket back in the air fryer and raise the temperature to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the ham for another 3 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 8 Carefully remove the ham from the air fryer basket and slice and serve.
NOTE: Your air fryer may cook differently than my Cosori 5 depending on the model. 8 quart air fryer. Since air fryers cook at different wattages, you may need to change the cooking time to fit your air fryer. Also, note that hams come in different shapes and sizes. When you take off the foil for the last three minutes of cooking, bigger hams will be closer to the heat source and the top may brown.
- Storage. Put extra ham in a container that won’t let air in and put it in the fridge for three to four days before throwing it away.
- Reheating. It can be hard to heat up leftover ham because you don’t want it to dry out. In the air fryer basket, add a tablespoon of water. Heat the ham at 250 degrees F for three to five minutes, or until it’s fully heated through.
I love to serve ham during holiday dinners with these favorite sides.
At 140 degrees Fahrenheit, ham is fully cooked. Cooking it to a higher temperature may dry it out.
Although I don’t leave my ham out for more than 20 minutes before cooking it, it’s still a good idea to let the whole thing sit at room temperature so that it cooks evenly once you start cooking it.
It is recommended that ham does not sit out longer than a couple of hours.
I hope you enjoy this air fryer ham recipe as much as my family does. Its a great recipe with simple ingredients made in a perfect way with this easy air fryer method.
You might also like these other air fryer recipes to make with leftover ham if you liked this one for an easy way to make ham in the air fryer.