Air Fryer Ham
A holiday ham takes over the oven, but a small spiral ham heats beautifully in the basket. Air fryer ham takes about 35 minutes at 320 °F, and a brown sugar and mustard glaze caramelizes on the outside while the slices inside stay moist. This is the fix for Easter, Christmas or a smaller Sunday dinner when the oven is already full.
- Temperature
- 320°F160 °C
- Total time
- 55min
- Prep time
- 10min
- Servings
- 6
- Internal temp
- 140°F60 °C
- Per serving
- 220kcal
Why the air fryer works for ham
Most hams sold in American stores are fully cooked, so the goal is to heat the ham without drying it out and to give the outside a glaze. A spiral cut makes this harder, because the slices expose a lot of surface. In a 300 °F oven the ham can take over two hours, and the thin slices at the edges turn leathery. In the air fryer, a small ham heats in about 35 minutes, and wrapping it in foil for most of that time keeps the slices moist.
The glaze goes on at the end. Brown sugar, mustard and honey caramelize in 8–10 minutes of hot air and drip between the slices. Ham in the air fryer fits the Easter or Christmas dinner for four to six people, but not a 10 lb holiday ham. If you are cooking a bigger crowd, use the oven for the ham and the air fryer for the sides.
How to make ham in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare the ham Take the ham out of the refrigerator ahead. Remove the packaging and any plastic disk from the bone. Check that the ham fits in the basket with about 1 inch of space on all sides.
- Wrap Wrap the ham loosely but completely in aluminum foil, so the steam keeps the slices moist. Do not put empty foil in the basket during preheating.
- Heat covered Preheat the air fryer to 320 °F for , then place the foil-wrapped ham in the basket, cut side down. Heat for .
- Glaze While it heats, stir together the brown sugar, mustard, honey and vinegar. Unwrap the ham, brush the glaze over the surface and between the slices, and return it to the basket at 320 °F for , until the glaze is bubbling and brown.
- Check Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part, away from the bone. The USDA recommends reheating fully cooked ham to 140 °F.
- Rest and serve Let the ham rest for , then serve the slices with the glaze spooned over them.
Times and temperatures
| Air Fryer Ham | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Spiral ham, 3 lbWrapped, glaze last 8 min | 320 °F (160 °C) | 35 min |
| Boneless ham, 2 lbWrapped | 320 °F (160 °C) | 25–30 min |
| Ham steak, ½ inchFlip after 4 min | 380 °F (190 °C) | 8–10 min |
| Ham slices | 350 °F (180 °C) | 4–5 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. Done at 140 °F (60 °C) in the center. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Read also: Thanksgiving in the air fryer – a game plan
Tips
- Choose a small, fully cooked ham. Look for a 2–3 lb quarter or half spiral ham, or a boneless ham of about 2 lb. Fresh or uncured ham takes much longer.
- Cut side down. Placing the cut face against the bottom of the basket keeps the slices from fanning open and drying.
- Use a thermometer. Fully cooked ham needs only 140 °F. Going past 150 °F makes it dry.
What to serve with ham
Ham goes with classic holiday sides like scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, deviled eggs and rolls. Quick options from the air fryer include carrots and sweet potatoes. Leftover slices make great breakfast with scrambled eggs.
Storing and reheating
Leftover ham keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, or about 2 months in the freezer. Reheat slices in the air fryer at 350 °F for 3–4 minutes, or until they reach 165 °F. Ham bone and trimmings are good for split pea soup or bean soup.
Variations
- Pineapple and cloves: Replace the vinegar with 2 tbsp pineapple juice and press a few whole cloves into the ham.
- Maple-bourbon: Use maple syrup in place of the honey and add 1 tbsp bourbon to the glaze.
- Spicy: Stir ½ tsp red pepper flakes into the glaze.
- No glaze: Heat the ham wrapped and serve it with mustard on the side.
If it does not turn out right
- The ham is dry
- Spiral ham dries out when exposed to hot air for too long. Keep it wrapped for the first 25 minutes and unwrap only for the glaze. Stop heating at 140 °F.
- The glaze burned
- Sugar burns quickly. Apply it only for the last 8–10 minutes and keep the temperature at 320 °F. If the edges darken early, cover them with a small piece of foil.
- The ham does not fit in the basket
- Most baskets hold a ham up to 3 lb. For a larger one, use the oven, or cut it in half and heat the halves in two rounds.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to heat a ham in the air fryer?
A 3 lb fully cooked spiral ham takes about 35 minutes at 320 °F, which is roughly 10–12 minutes per pound. Add 8–10 minutes for the glaze.
What temperature should ham reach?
Fully cooked or spiral ham only needs reheating to 140 °F. A fresh, uncooked ham needs 145 °F plus a 3-minute rest, but those are too large for most air fryers.
Can I cook ham in the air fryer without a glaze?
Yes. Skip the glaze and leave the ham wrapped for the whole 35 minutes, or brush it with a little melted butter or honey for the last 5 minutes.
How do I cook ham steak or ham slices in the air fryer?
A fully cooked ham steak takes 8–10 minutes at 380 °F, flipped once. Thin slices take 4–5 minutes at 350 °F.
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