Instant Pot Dijon Maple Glazed Ham

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Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham is going to be the superstar at your holiday table!  This method of cooking a ham is unique to any ham you've ever eaten and just might become the only ham recipe you ever make again!

We've talked about this before, but it's not often I get super excited about meat being the main course.

THIS HAM THOUGH!!!

The flavor is unique, surprising, and addicting.  Wanna know the last time I hovered over any meat and irresistibly picked at it again, and again, and again?  Never.  Never ever.

That is how good this ham is.

It's revolutionary.  Yep, a ham recipe, and it's gonna revolutionize the minds of every single guest in your home.

What makes it different?  It's cooked in a vinegar bath.  Yep, and it's awesome.  More on that in a sec.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT MAPLE GLAZED HAM

• Sweet, tangy, salty EXPLOSIVE flavors all in one juicy little bite.
• It's crazy easy, literally taking less than 5 minutes to cut it up, dump in the liquids, and start cooking.
• It's not just another “honey baked ham”.  I've had enough of those for a lifetime.
• Sweet, but not too sweet, maple + dijon mustard glaze brushed into every little nook and ham cranny.
• Tastes great the same day and is possibly even better as ham sandwiches the rest of the week.

Before I jump into how to make this recipe, let's discuss the “elephant in the room” question:  You cook it in a vinegar bath?

This ham is inspired by Mel's Kitchen Sweet Baked Ham, which my family has enjoyed many times over the past several years.

Well, apparently being pregnant with twins does things to a body, and since being pregnant with my little studs, the amount of sugar in Mel's recipe makes my head spin and my heart race.

I was sad to not join in on the enjoyment of it, so I decided to make a spin on it that even I could devour with abandon.

Now when Mel says to cook a ham in vinegar, you just do it.  The taste it adds to a salty ham is like nothing you've ever tasted.

For my spin on the recipe, I cooked it in a bath of one part water, vinegar, and apple cider which infused the ham with natural sweetness and balanced out the tang of the vinegar.

2 out of 3 kids were cheering (the third won't go near ham), my husband asked if he could take some leftovers to his dad (who is downright famous in the ham category), and my mom offered me her $30 ham so that I could make it again just for her to have on hand in the freezer for several months.

HAVE I CONVINCED YOU YET THAT YOU NEED THIS HAM IN YOUR LIFE!!!

Okay, on to the details.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HAM EVER IN THE INSTANT POT

1. Cut ham into 1 pound pieces, removing the skin if you're not a fan of it
2. Nestle the ham pieces into the bottom of the pot
3. Cover with 1:1:1 mixture of water, vinegar, and apple cider and cook
4. When done, shred/chunk the ham into large bite-size pieces
5. Pile in a 9×13 or larger pan and brush with glaze (sprinkle with turbinado sugar for crunchy, crystalized bites)
6. Broil until the glaze bubbles and the tips of the ham get a bit charred

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR MAKING INSTANT POT HAM

• Use the right ham.  I prefer the precooked, football-shaped, boneless ham, Black Forest if I can find it.  I can find 8-9 pound ones at Sams Club year-round and the smaller 4-5 pound hams at just about any grocery store in the cooler, holiday seasons.  Avoid pre-sliced ham (it will dry out) and uncooked ham.  A bone-in ham will likely work well, but I can't say I've experimented with that one.
• Not a fan of maple?  Honey also tastes amazing but my family's vote was for maple on this one.
• Use a natural release.  If you want the ham juicy and tender, resist quickly releasing the pressure.
• I prefer to tear/shred the ham into large bite-sized pieces.  This allows for a good soaking of the maple glaze into the meat and makes serving it quick and easy too.
• Make it ahead!  The ham can easily be prepared ahead of time, making holiday or weekday meals a cinch to pull together.
• Apple juice will work in a pinch, but good quality, sweet apple cider really makes a difference.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER HAM

This ham will store up to a week in a sealed container in the fridge.  To freeze, place in a freezer-safe ziplock or other container for 3 months.

WAYS TO USE LEFTOVER HAM

• Chopped up and stirred into Healthy Instant Pot Egg Bites.
• Swap the sausage for leftover ham in this amazing Instant Pot Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole.
• On a roll with mustard sauce – all day, every day.  Head to my other favorite Smoked Ham recipe for the mustard sauce recipe.
• Diced up on an Instant Pot Baked Potato with melted cheese over top.

Prepare for some serious applause and high fives all around you guys.  This Ham deserves all that and more.

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT HAM

• Instant Pot
• Turbinado Sugar (usually quite easy to find at any grocery store)

Instant Pot Dijon Maple Glazed Ham

Print Recipe

Instant Pot Maple Glazed Ham is unique, easy, and delicious and will have all your guests swooning with curiosity.

• Author: Marci
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Ham

• 4 – 5 pound ready to eat ham, AKA vacuum packed, boneless ham (Black Forest ham is my favorite) see notes
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 2 cups of apple cider (or apple juice if you can’t find apple cider)
• 2 cups water

For the Maple Dijon Glaze

• ½ cup maple syrup (or honey if preferred)
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• Turbinado sugar, if using

Instructions

Instructions

1. Cut ham into 1 pound pieces.  Trim off tough skin if desired.  
2. Nestle the ham into the bottom of the pot.
3. Pour vinegar, apple cider, and water over the ham.
4. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by whisking together the maple syrup and dijon mustard.  Set aside.
6. When pressure cooking is complete, use a natural release.  This will keep the ham moist and tender.
7. Place ham on a cutting board and shred into large bite size pieces.  Place inside a 9×13 baking dish. 
8. Preheat the oven broiler.
9. Brush the Maple Mustard glaze over the ham and sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar if using (turbinado will caramelize and add a crunchy, sweet bite to the top layer of ham).
10. Place under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes until the glaze bubbles a bit, the tips of the ham start to char and crisp, and the turbinado sugar caramelizes.
11. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

• The ham can be made ahead of time if needed.   Brush the cooked ham with the maple mustard glaze, cover with foil and store in the refrigerator for a day or two.  When you’re ready to serve it, place in a 350°F oven for 30-45 minutes until warmed through. Remove the foil, sprinkle with turbinado sugar if using, and finish it with 3-4 minutes under the oven broiler.
• I don’t suggest using a spiral cut ham, it will likely dry out in the pressure cooker.  I suspect a bone in cooked ham would work great. I’ve never tried this recipe with an uncooked ham.
• If you’re not a fan of maple syrup, honey tastes amazing in the glaze as well.

Keywords: Instant Pot ham, glazed ham, maple glazed ham

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