Air Fryer Easter Ham (Juicy, Glazed, and Ready in Half the Time)
This air fryer Easter ham delivers a beautifully caramelized, sticky honey-brown sugar glaze in half the time of conventional oven cooking. The intense circulating heat creates an incredibly juicy interior with a spectacular glazed exterior that would take twice as long to achieve traditionally. Perfect for holiday gatherings with minimal effort and maximum flavor.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Small saucepan
- Basting brush
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Ham and Glaze
- 4 lbs fully cooked bone-in ham scored in a crosshatch pattern
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Pat the ham dry with paper towels and score the surface in a shallow crosshatch pattern, cutting about ¼ inch deep into the fat layer.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and butter.
- Stir in ground cloves, black pepper, and salt. Heat until the mixture is smooth and combined, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Air Frying
- Preheat your air fryer to 325°F for 5 minutes.
- Cut the ham in half if needed to fit in your air fryer basket. Place cut-side down in the basket.
- Brush half of the glaze evenly over the top and sides of the ham using a pastry brush.
- Air fry at 325°F for 20 minutes. Remove the basket carefully and brush with the remaining glaze.
- Return to air fryer and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes until the glaze is deeply caramelized and sticky. The internal temperature should reach 140°F.
- Remove ham from air fryer and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Use a fully cooked, bone-in ham for best results. Score the surface in a crosshatch pattern before glazing to help the glaze penetrate and caramelize beautifully. If your air fryer basket is small, you may need to cut the ham in half or use a smaller ham (3-4 lbs).