Yes, you read that right: You can make a picture-perfect glazed air-fryer ham. And why not? An air fryer is basically a countertop convection oven. Many people use it as an alternative for deep-frying, but these gadgets work just as well as a conventional oven for roasting vegetables and meats. The cooking chamber is much smaller than an oven, though, and so the trick here is finding a ham that will fit inside the unit.
For this recipe, you’ll want to use a type of ham known as a city ham. It’s precooked, so it can easily dry out as it reheats (not ideal). But if you wrap the ham in aluminum foil, the moisture gets trapped inside, keeping the ham tender and juicy. Remove the foil covering for the final 15 to 20 minutes, and brush on a three-ingredient brown sugar glaze to give the air-fryer ham a sticky-sweet finish.
Air-Fryer Ham Ingredients
- Fully cooked bone-in ham: Every air fryer is different, so be sure to pick a ham that will fit inside the air-fryer basket.
- Brown sugar glaze: We make this three-ingredient ham glaze with brown sugar, prepared mustard and cider vinegar. This glaze is easy as can be, and it tastes incredible.
Directions
Step 1: Wrap the ham in foil
Preheat the air fryer to 300°F. Place the ham on a double-thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the ham with 1/4-inch-deep cuts in a diamond pattern. Seal the foil.
Editor’s Tip: To seal the ham with foil, line the air-fryer basket with two long, overlapping pieces of foil. Lay the ham on top of the foil. Score the ham, and seal the foil tightly. Don’t let the foil touch the heating element. If it does, your ham is too big for the air fryer. In that event, shave some meat off the cut side to make the ham fit. (Save the cuttings, and use them in these leftover ham recipes.)
Step 2: Air-fry the ham
Place the wrapped ham in the air fryer. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham reads 130°, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Cook times can vary dramatically among brands of air fryers. The cooking time will also be reduced if you substitute a boneless ham. Keep an eye on the internal temperature, and adjust as needed.
Step 3: Prepare the ham glaze
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard and enough vinegar to make a thick paste.
Step 4: Glaze the ham
Remove the ham from the air fryer. Carefully unwrap it, and spread the glaze over the ham. Cook, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 140°, 15 to 20 minutes longer, tenting the ham with foil if the glaze starts to brown.
Editor’s Tip: It’s important to wait until the end to add the glaze. The sugar caramelizes in the hot air fryer, giving the ham a gorgeous brown crust. If it’s left on too long, that sugar can burn and ruin the ham’s flavor.
Recipe Variations
- Customize the ham glaze: You can use any ham glaze to make air-fryer ham. Try one of the glaze recipes from copycat honey baked ham, pineapple glazed ham, maple-glazed ham or bourbon-glazed ham.
- Use the brown sugar glaze for other meats: Save this recipe, and use the glaze on pork chops, chicken or fish (like brown sugar-glazed salmon). Or combine it with a little butter for vegetable side dishes like glazed baby carrots and glazed beets.
How to Store Air-Fryer Ham
Store leftover air-fryer ham in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. For longer storage, freeze ham in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.
Air-Fryer Ham Tips
What can you serve with air-fryer ham?
Serve air-fryer ham with a homey side of cheddar and chive mashed potatoes, flavorful roasted asparagus and buttermilk dinner rolls. Check out our collection of Easter side dishes and Christmas side dishes for more inspiration.
What can you do with leftover air-fryer ham?
There are many great leftover ham recipes. For breakfast, cube up some ham for ham and cheddar breakfast casserole or ham and cheese omelet. Ham leftovers are a great shortcut to a delicious dinner, too, with dishes like ham and bean soup or mac and cheese with ham.
How long do you cook ham in the air fryer?
How long to cook ham in an air fryer depends on several factors. Larger hams and bone-in hams take longer to cook than boneless hams. Plus, when testing air fryers, our Test Kitchen found cook times vary dramatically among brands of air fryers. It’s best to use a meat thermometer instead of the clock to determine when the ham is finished cooking.