Ginger Beer Glazed Christmas Ham in the Instant Pot

Ingredients

• 1 smoked, cured ham, about 4 lb (boneless or bone-in, small enough to fit your pot)
• 4 rooibos tea bags (caffeine-free red bush tea)
• 3 cups strong ginger beer (1 cup for steeping, 2 cups for cooking)
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp allspice berries, lightly crushed
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 ½ cups strained cooking liquid, for the glaze
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest

Instructions

1. Take the ham out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove any string or netting.
2. Pour 1 cup of the ginger beer into a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat until hot, about 1 minute.
3. Pour it into a heatproof bowl or large measuring cup. Add 1 cup boiling water and the tea bags, and steep for 10 minutes. Discard the bags.
4. Put the celery, carrots and onion in the bottom of the Instant Pot (a countertop pressure cooker). Set the ham on top.
5. Add the bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns and whole cloves.
6. Pour in the tea mix and the remaining 2 cups ginger beer.
7. Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes per pound, so about 60 minutes for a 4 lb ham.
8. Let the pressure release on its own for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not use quick release, which can toughen the meat.
9. Open the lid carefully, tilting it away from you. Lift the ham onto a rimmed baking sheet.
10. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl. Measure out 1 ½ cups for the glaze.
11. Pour the 1 ½ cups liquid into a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim off any foam or fat from the top with a spoon.
12. Add the honey and the pinch of ground cloves. Simmer (small, steady bubbles) for about 30 minutes, until syrupy and reduced by about half.
13. Halfway through, stir in the mustard and orange zest. The glaze thickens more as it cools.
14. Heat the oven to 375°F while the glaze simmers.
15. Trim off any thick outer fat from the ham. Score the remaining fat by cutting shallow lines in a crisscross pattern about ½ inch apart.
16. Bake the ham for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fat starts to melt.
17. Brush the ham with glaze and bake 5 more minutes. Repeat the brushing and baking 2 or 3 more times, until deep golden.
18. Let the ham rest for 10 minutes, then slice, so the juices stay in the meat.