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.
How Long to Cook Ham in an Air Fryer A Complete Guide
Cooking ham in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a delicious meal. With an air fryer, you can achieve crispy, juicy ham in much less time than using a conventional oven. But how long should you cook ham in an air fryer to get perfect results? In this comprehensive guide, I will provide tips, time charts, and techniques to help you master cooking ham in the air fryer.
Choosing the Right Ham
The first step is selecting the right cut of ham for air frying. Leaner cuts like center-cut ham or boneless ham work best, as excess fat can cause flare-ups in the air fryer. A bone-in or spiral sliced ham is also a great choice, as the bone helps the meat retain moisture during cooking. Avoid very thick, whole ham roasts which may be difficult to cook evenly. For easy air frying, choose a ham steak or slices that are 1-2 inches thick.
Preparing the Ham
Allow refrigerated ham to come to room temperature before cooking, about 30 minutes. For added flavor, score the ham by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern, then rub it with your favorite spices, brown sugar, or glaze. Go lighter on sugary glazes to prevent burning.
Air Fryer Temperature for Ham
The ideal air fryer temperature for ham is 350°F. This allows the ham to heat through and develop a crispy, browned exterior. Some models only go up to 325°F, which will work but extend cook times. Avoid going above 375°F as sugars and glazes can burn.
Air Fryer Cook Times for Ham
- Ham steak or chops, 3/4 to 1 inch thick – 9-12 minutes
- Ham slices, 1/2 inch thick – 6-8 minutes
- Bone-in ham slices, 1 inch thick – 10-14 minutes
- Spiral cut bone-in ham, 1 inch thick slices – 12-15 minutes
- Whole bone-in ham, 2-3 pounds – 18-24 minutes per pound
For best results, flip the ham halfway through cooking. Thicker cuts and bone-in ham may take a little longer. Check for doneness early and extend cook time if needed until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
Tips for Cooking Ham in an Air Fryer
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Let it rest. Remove ham from the air fryer and let rest 5 minutes before serving for juicier meat.
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Add moisture. Brush with glaze, butter, or broth during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
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Prevent flames. Lean hams are less prone to flare-ups. Trim excess fat to be safe.
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Don’t overcrowd. Leave space between slices or pieces for air circulation. Cook in batches if needed.
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Use foil. Tent ham with foil if browning too quickly while still cooking through.
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Flip halfway. Rotate or flip ham during cooking for even browning.
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Check often. Set a timer and check frequently to avoid overcooking.
With the right cut of ham, temperature, and cook time, you can make juicy, delicious ham easily in your air fryer any night of the week. Follow these guidelines for perfect results. Enjoy your quick air fried ham on salads, sandwiches, or as the star of your dinner plate.
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.
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.
Air Fryer Ham Recipe (Glazed, Fast, & Easy)
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