Name: Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Depends on size of ham
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3-4 lb. (1.8 kg) boneless, fully cooked ham; 1/3 cup (70 g) + 2 tbsp brown sugar substitute; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp clove; 1/4 tsp smoked paprika; black pepper, to taste

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This Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer is covered with a delicious Sugar-Free Brown "Sugar" Glaze. This is one of those recipes we have love to have for holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter. Not only is this ham really easy to make, but since it is made in the air fryer, it frees up the oven for additional sides like Caramelized Oven Roasted Carrots (Whole30) or my The BEST Keto Creamy Mustard Sauce!

Did you know that an 8 lb bone-in half ham (like you can find in most grocery stores), from Honey Baked, will run you over $75...yes, I said Seventy Five!!!

That’s a 300% markup from what I can buy at my grocery store and a 400% markup if you get your spiral ham from Costco!!!

So why not save some serious cash this holiday, and make your own version at home especially when it is so easy to do?

With Easter coming up, it’s the perfect time to watch your grocery store for the prices of bone-in half hams to go down. When you see them on sale, grab one! They can be frozen if need be. This way you can save even MORE on your main dish for the holiday get-together!

WHY DO I LOVE MAKING THIS KETO AIR FRYER HAM?

it is really easy which will inspire you to make ham throughout the year
it turns out ridiculously juicy, filled with flavour and a perfectly crunchy top
it allows the oven to be free so you don't have to worry about timing
using the air fryer, makes clean up a breeze!

What ingredients do I need to make this Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze?

boneless, fully cooked ham
brown sugar substitute (I used Lakanto Golden)
butter
Lakanto maple syrup (or other sugar-free maple syrup)
onion powder
cinnamon
clove
smoked paprika
black pepper

WHAT TYPE OF HAM DO I NEED FOR THIS KETO AIR FRYER HAM?

Ham comes in so many different shapes, sizes and types.

For this recipe, I used my 6.5 QT Ninja Foodi and actually removed the air fryer basket since my 3lb ham couldn't fit. I don't suggest you try to get a ham any bigger than 4 lbs depending on what air fryer you have.

You have to wrap the ham in foil and have a little room for the air to circulate so don't make it too tight of a fit.

Also, make sure that the top of the foil is not too close to the heating element on the top.

If you buy a whole cooked ham, you may need to cut it down to the right size and you may also need to make crisscross cuts into the ham so the skin crisps up nicely and the glaze melts into the ham.

The ham you see in my pictures was purchased at Costco. I purchased a "spiral" ham which means that it has already been sliced down to the bone. If you use this type of ham, you will not need to add any cuts to the top of the ham.

What type of Air Fryer do I need?

Unless you have a very small ham, you will need a full-size air fryer.

I used my Ninja Foodi All-in-One. The size of my Ninja Foodi is 6.5 Qt.

If you have a larger air fryer, you will be able to fit a larger size ham. Just be aware that if you do have a large ham, you may need to increase the cooking time to accommodate the size of the ham.

How do you prepare the ham?

DRY THE HAM – The hams from the grocery stores come in those sealed bags, which contain water. Give the ham a little pat dry with some paper towels to make sure the butter and honey don’t just slide right off.
CREATE CRISSCROSS CUTS IN THE TOP - If your ham does not have any cut marks on the top, use a sharp knife and create slashes over the entire top surface of the ham
PREPARE THE BROWN "SUGAR" GLAZE - combine all the glaze ingredients and brush the entire surface of the ham with the glaze

BROWN SUGAR substitute glaze over the ham

WRAP THE HAM TIGHTLY - Keeping the ham upright, tightly wrap the ham in aluminum foil. I usually take two separate pieces of foil and place them perpendicular to each other. Then, I place the ham in the center and wrap the foil tightly around the ham.

How do you cook this ham in an air fryer?

Cooking times will vary because different air fryers cook at slightly different temperatures. And of course, ham sizes vary too.

A basic rule of thumb is to cook the ham for about 10 minutes for every pound of fully cooked ham.

When you’re cooking the ham during the last half, check it every so often to make sure it’s not starting to dry out. From there, you decide how much longer you will want to cook the ham.

Once you think the ham is warmed all the way through, un-covered the top of the ham, add the reserved glaze, sprinkle with additional brown sugar substitute and bake it at 360 for the last 5 minutes for a crispy, caramel texture.

this recipe

Do you have to worry about the internal temperature of ham?

It depends.

Most hams you buy at a grocery store are pre-cooked and/or smoked, which means you don't have to worry about temperature.

You certainly don't have to even heat up the ham if you don't want too but I MUCH prefer the texture and taste of baked ham with a glaze.

If you are unsure of what you are buying, double-check with the butcher when you’re buying.

What if I want to bake this ham in the oven?

covered the ham loosely in foil
add the glaze
bake at 275 F degrees on a foil-lined roasting pan or super heavy duty rimmed baking sheet
bake for approximately 12-15 minutes per pound.
once baked, loosen the foil to expose the top of the ham and place it under the broiler until the skin just begins to crisp

Can I make this Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze ahead of time?

I’ve not made this entire ham ahead of time, so I can’t guarantee the flavour and freshness if you make it that way.

I would think that you could make this ham ahead of time and once it has baked, wrap it back up tightly in its foil, place a couple of clean kitchen towels over the ham to help it stay warm and allow it to rest at room temperature before serving.

If the ham is not sliced, I believe that the ham will stay warm for at least 1 hour.

How long does this Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze leftover last?

Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 4 days. Leftovers can also be frozen.

You’ll probably have quite a bit of ham leftover, so here are my personal favourites to use up those leftovers:

FOR LUNCH - Whole30 Leftover Ham Bone Soup
FOR BREAKFAST - Quick and Easy Ham and Egg Cups
FOR DINNER - Easy Skillet Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

What can I serve alongside this Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze?

Since this Air Fryer ham recipe is so easy, I serve it several times throughout the year. Some of my favourite side dishes to serve with the ham are:

Easy Keto Ham in an Air Fryer with a Brown "Sugar" Glaze