This air-fryer ham features a simple, old-fashioned glaze just like Grandma used to make. The mustard and vinegar counter the sweetness from the brown sugar and add tangy flavor. —Carol Strong Battle, Heathsville, Virginia
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (5 to 7 pounds)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Directions
- Preheat air fryer to 300°. Place ham on a double-thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Using a sharp knife, score surface of ham with 1/4-in.-deep cuts in a diamond pattern; seal foil. Place in air fryer. Cook until a thermometer reads 130°, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine brown sugar, mustard and enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Remove ham from air fryer. Spread sugar mixture over ham. Cook, uncovered, until a thermometer reads 140°, 15-20 minutes longer, tenting with foil if glaze starts to brown.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAM?
Basically, the two types of ham you can make in an air fryer are city hams, or country hams. City hams are what you typically think of when you imagine a classic holiday ham. They’re easy to find in supermarkets, and are sold ready to eat, although most people bake them first. That’s the kind of ham I used here, and I went with a small boneless version. City hams are moist, tender, and super easy to make.
The other option is country ham. Unlike wet-cured city ham, country ham is dry-cured and aged before being sold. These are much less common to see in grocery stores. A full-size country ham is usually quite large, and has to be soaked to remove some of the heavy salt content before cooking and eating. A whole country ham will definitely not fit in the air fryer. However, if you’re determined to have country ham, look for a small, boneless country ham. These are usually soaked, rinsed, and pre-cooked before being sold, so you don’t have to worry about that part! Plus they’re little enough to fit in the air fryer!
How do you seal the ham in the aluminum foil?
To seal the ham with foil, line the air fryer basket with two long overlapping pieces of foil. Lay the ham on top of foil. Score 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.
What can you serve with air-fryer ham?
You can serve so many side dishes with air-fryer ham. Try a homey side of cheddar and chive mashed potatoes, flavorful roasted asparagus and buttermilk dinner rolls.