Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham: Your Easiest Holiday Ham Recipe

Imagine serving a succulent, perfectly glazed holiday ham without ever needing to preheat your bulky oven. With the magic of an air fryer, this dream becomes a delicious reality! Discover how to create an incredibly flavorful Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham that’s not just simple to prepare but also utterly mouth-watering, making it ideal for any special occasion or a cozy family dinner.

If you’re like me, cooking a whole ham can feel overwhelming, especially when you only need a half or quarter portion. Heating a large oven for a smaller cut of meat seems inefficient and unnecessary. That’s why I was absolutely thrilled when I discovered how effortlessly I could prepare our holiday ham right in my air fryer. This recipe for Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham is genuinely easy and delivers an unbelievably delicious result every time.

Why Choose the Air Fryer for Your Honey Baked Ham?

Initially, I always thought of my air fryer as a gadget primarily for making crispy snacks like fries or chicken wings. However, its versatility quickly became apparent, and now I use it for almost everything! Cooking a ham in the air fryer offers numerous benefits that can simplify your meal preparation, especially during busy holidays:

• Energy Efficiency: For smaller hams, using an air fryer is far more energy-efficient than firing up a large oven, saving you on electricity bills.
• Faster Cooking: Air fryers circulate hot air rapidly, leading to quicker cooking times and a consistently moist ham.
• Perfectly Glazed: The intense, circulating heat creates a beautifully caramelized and slightly crispy glaze on the ham’s exterior, locking in all the sweet and savory flavors.
• Countertop Convenience: Free up valuable oven space for other holiday dishes. The air fryer sits neatly on your countertop, ready for action.
• Less Mess: When properly wrapped in foil, the cleanup is minimal, leaving you more time to enjoy your meal and less time scrubbing pans.

This recipe is particularly fantastic for those preparing a smaller ham. While a giant, bone-in ham might not fit, a 2-3 pound boneless, pre-sliced ham is perfectly suited for most air fryer baskets. It’s an ideal solution for smaller households – whether you’re an empty nester, a newlywed couple, cooking for one, or simply hosting a more intimate gathering. This method ensures you get all the festive flavor without the fuss of a massive roast.

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Crafting the Irresistible Honey Glaze

The secret to an unforgettable honey-baked ham lies in its glaze. Our recipe features a rich, complex blend of sweet and tangy flavors with a subtle hint of spice that perfectly complements the savory ham. Each ingredient plays a crucial role:

• Brown Sugar: Provides deep, molasses-rich sweetness and aids in caramelization.
• Honey: The star ingredient, offering a distinct, floral sweetness and contributing to that iconic sticky glaze.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a crucial tangy note, balancing the sweetness and brightening the overall flavor profile.
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These warm spices evoke a classic holiday aroma and taste, adding depth and coziness.
• Paprika: Contributes a mild, earthy sweetness and a beautiful reddish hue to the glaze.
• Cayenne Pepper: Just a touch provides a very subtle warmth that enhances the other flavors without making the ham spicy.
• Salt: Essential for bringing out all the flavors and providing a contrast to the sweetness.

Whisking these ingredients together creates a thick, glossy glaze that will transform your ham into a culinary masterpiece. This homemade glaze surpasses any store-bought alternative, allowing you to control the quality and intensity of flavors.

Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham

Here are some common questions we receive about making this incredible ham in an air fryer:

Do I really need to use foil?

Absolutely, yes! The foil is non-negotiable for this recipe. When you cook the ham, the beautiful glaze you apply will melt and become liquid. The foil serves two vital purposes: it contains all this delicious liquid, ensuring your air fryer stays clean, and more importantly, it allows the ham to cook and baste in its own flavorful juices. This self-basting action is key to achieving a moist, tender ham infused with all that incredible honey glaze.

What type of air fryer should I use?

We’ve actually accumulated a few air fryers over time! We initially started with a smaller Phillips model, which I’ve since passed on to my son as it’s perfect for cooking for one. However, the more I used an air fryer, the more I desired a digital screen for precision and ease. Our XL air fryer from GoWISE proved to be a fantastic upgrade, surprisingly less expensive than the Phillips, and I love its user-friendly interface and extra functions. It even came with a great set of accessories that I frequently use. More recently, while working on my second air fryer cookbook, I opted for this LARGE air fryer with Touch Screen Presets. Its XL Family Size capacity has been truly wonderful, accommodating larger meals with ease.

How to Make Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham: Step-by-Step Guide

Preparing this Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham is incredibly straightforward. Follow these steps for a perfect, juicy ham every time:

Ingredients:

• 1 fully cooked boneless smoked ham (pre-sliced, 2-3 lbs recommended)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk all the ingredients together until well combined and set the glaze aside.
2. Place your fully cooked ham onto a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Ensure the foil is large enough to completely encase the ham.
3. Generously drizzle about 1/4 of the prepared glaze over the ham, ensuring an even coating.
4. Carefully close the foil around the ham, sealing it completely to prevent any glaze from escaping and to help the ham steam in its own juices.
5. Place the foil-wrapped ham directly into your air fryer basket.
6. Set your air fryer temperature to 320 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 160 degrees Celsius).
7. Cook the ham for an initial 15 minutes. This first phase allows the ham to heat through and the glaze to begin melding with the meat.
8. After 15 minutes, carefully remove the air fryer basket. Gently open just the top portion of the foil around the ham, being cautious of escaping steam.
9. Brush the ham with more of the delicious honey glaze, ensuring it seeps into any pre-sliced crevices. Recover the ham with the foil and return it to the air fryer. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Repeat the glazing and cooking process (step 9) another 3-4 times. This continuous basting is crucial for building layers of flavor and achieving that perfectly caramelized, sticky glaze. The total cooking time after the initial 15 minutes should be approximately 15-20 minutes, depending on your air fryer and desired level of glaze.
11. Throughout the process, take care not to dry out the ham. Always make sure to recover the ham with foil after each glazing to keep it moist and tender.
12. Once cooked to your liking, remove the ham from the air fryer and allow it to rest, still wrapped in foil, for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender and flavorful ham.

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham

• Pre-sliced Ham: Using a pre-sliced ham is a game-changer as it allows the glaze to penetrate deep into the meat, enhancing flavor in every bite.
• Don’t Skimp on Glaze: The secret is layering! Brushing multiple times creates a rich, sticky, and deeply flavored exterior.
• Monitor Closely: Air fryers can vary. Keep an eye on your ham, especially during the final glazing steps, to prevent the glaze from burning.
• Resting is Key: Don’t skip the 5-minute rest. It makes a significant difference in the juiciness of the ham.
• Adjust Spices: Feel free to customize the spice level in the glaze. Add a pinch more cayenne for extra heat or a bit more cinnamon for a warmer flavor.

This air fryer ham is not only incredibly delicious but also a fantastic option when you need to free up oven space or simply want a quick and easy main course.

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Looking for more amazing air fryer recipes?

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Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham

Did you know you can make a delicious holiday ham without ever turning on the oven? Check out this Air Fryer Honey Baked Ham that is simple & oh so tasty!

Course:
Dinner

Servings:
12

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Prep Time:
10 mins

Cook Time:
35 mins

Total Time:
45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 fully cooked boneless smoked ham (pre-sliced, 2-3 lbs)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp pineapple juice
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Combine brown sugar, pineapple juice, cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne & salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine & set aside.
2. Place ham on a large piece of foil.
3. Drizzle about 1/4 of the glaze over the ham.
4. Close the foil around the ham to completely cover.
5. Place the ham in the air fryer basket.
6. Set the temperature to 320 degrees.
7. Cook for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the air fryer basket & carefully open just the top of the foil around the ham.
9. Brush the ham with more glaze, recover & cook another 5 minutes.
10. Repeat the last step another 3-4 times (with a total cooking time of 15-20 minutes after the initial 15 minutes in step 7).
11. Take care to not dry out the ham – making sure to recover each time you cook.
12. Remove & allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

*Recipe slightly adapted from Emerils

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

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