How to Heat Fully Cooked Ham in a Pressure Cooker

The warm scent of a ham with all the fixings fills the house during holidays and family celebrations. Still, when you're heating a ham, even a precooked ham, it takes up precious oven space for at least an hour. An electric or stovetop pressure cooker is the answer. Cooking a precooked ham in the power pressure cooker allows you to take care of all the rest of your baking while your family and guests eagerly wait for dinner.

Before you begin, you need a ham. There are a multitude of choices, from a fully cooked cured or uncured ham to a spiral ham to a country ham – which may be smoked and uncooked – to a fresh ham. In addition, if you're buying a country or fresh ham, there's usually a choice of the shank end or the butt or sirloin end. A butt-end ham has less fat and is more tender than the shank end.

A fully cooked ham, whether whole, half or spiral sliced, should be heated to an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit if the label indicates it is from a USDA-inspected plant. Otherwise, heat the ham to 165 degrees. An uncooked country or fresh ham should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees.

Electric pressure cookers are widely available under different brand names. Simply program the pressure cooker for meat or on high and set the time. It automatically brings the unit to pressure and then releases the pressure.

The traditional stovetop pressure cooker, made of heavy aluminum or stainless steel with a lid that clamps firmly to the pot, allows you to cook your ham on top of the stove. When properly maintained and monitored, stovetop pressure cookers are as safe as any other pot. Safety features include built-in indicators and a release valve to regulate the pressure inside the pot. Whether you choose an electric or stovetop model, always review the manual before using your pressure cooker.

In general, place the electric model on the counter and the stovetop model on the back of the stove with the pressure valve facing toward the back wall. When the hot steam vents from the valve, it won't hit you in the face or hands. Pressure cookers and pressure canners are not interchangeable. You can cook in a pressure canner, but a pressure cooker won't reach the required 240 degrees consistently, so it may not inactivate the spores that cause botulism poisoning.

Place the ham in the pressure cooker. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water, pineapple juice, orange juice or other liquid and spices, such as whole cloves and peppercorns. Also add brown sugar, honey, pineapple rings and other ingredients according to your favorite recipe. Do not fill the pot more than two-thirds full.

Clamp down the lid and place the stovetop pressure cooker on the burner closest in size to the pot. Set the pressure valve on high. Let the pot come to pressure and then reduce the heat and set your timer. If you are using an electric pressure cooker, program for meat and set the timer; it will do the rest automatically.

Once the cooker comes to pressure, heat for approximately three to five minutes for a spiral-sliced ham or two and one-half minutes per pound for other cooked hams. When the timer goes off, carefully remove the stovetop cooker from the burner and allow it to naturally vent for at least 10 to 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the ham has reached an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees. If the ham is still too cool, either heat it again in the pressure cooker or wrap it in foil and put it in a 350-degree oven until it is hot throughout.