Crock Pot Ham is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal!
With just minutes of prep and a simple and delicious glaze, ham is slow cooked to tender perfection for an easy holiday favorite.
Crock Pot Ham Is a Favorite Because…
A crockpot ham recipe is an easy way to prepare a holiday dinner or a Sunday supper.
- It takes only about 10 minutes to prepare.
- Since it slow cooks, the ham is tender and juicy every time.
- Making ham in a slow cooker saves oven space for scalloped potatoes!
- It’s so easy that it practically cooks itself.
What You’ll Need For CrockPot Ham
- Ham: I like to use a spiral ham since it’s easy to cut and serve, but any fully cooked ham will work. Choose an 8 to 10-pound ham to fit in a 6 to 7-quart CrockPot. I prefer spiral ham as it’s easy to serve.
- Preserves: Use either apricot preserves, apple jelly, or orange marmalade as the base of the glaze.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds sweetness and flavor.
- Flavor: Dijon mustard and a pinch of ginger add flavor while cider vinegar balances sweetness.
Variation:
- Swap the glaze below for brown sugar glaze.
How Much Ham To Buy
You will need:
- ¼ – ⅓ lb. per person of boneless ham
- ⅓ – ½ lb. per person of bone-in ham
Holly’s Tips For a Perfect Crockpot Ham
- No liquid needed: No liquid is needed in this recipe, the ham will release juices as it cooks. While not required, you can add up to ½ cup of pineapple juice to the bottom of the slow cooker if desired.
- Make your own glaze: For the best flavor, discard the glaze packet with the ham and use the glaze recipe below.
- Sore the meat:If using ham that isn’t spiral cut, score the outside by running a knife diagonally about 1/8-inch deep to allow the glaze to get into the meat.
- Use a thermometer: A smoked ham should be cooked to 140°F on a meat thermometer—remove it from the slow cooker at about 135°F as the temperature will continue to rise as it rests.
- Check it early: Slow cookers can vary, so check the ham early to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
What to Serve With Ham
Ham pairs well with almost any kind of side dish; here are our favorites!
- Scalloped Potatoes (or Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes)
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Coleslaw
- Green Bean Casserole
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Find my favorite leftover ham recipes here.
Did your family love this Crock Pot Ham? Leave us a rating and a comment below!
Crock Pot Ham
Crock Pot Ham is the perfect holiday ham recipe. It takes just 5 minutes of prep and the slow cooker does all of the work!
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary optional
- 8 to 10 pound spiral ham fully cooked, see notes for other ham
For the Glaze
- ½ cup apricot preserves apple jelly, or orange marmalade
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- For the glaze, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the preserves or jelly. Whisk in the remaining glaze ingredients. Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute while stirring.
- In the bottom of a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker, sprinkle ¼ cup of brown sugar.
- If the ham has a plastic disk in the center, remove the disk and discard it. Place the ham on a large cutting board or baking sheet and use a knife to score the top* of the ham, ⅛-inch deep, in a criss-cross pattern.
- Separate the layers of ham and brush some of the glaze into the layers. Place the ham into the slow cooker and pour the remaining glaze over the top.
- Add rosemary sprigs, cover slow cooker (see note), and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until the ham reaches 140℉.
Video
Notes
Temp Check: Slow cookers can vary; check the ham early using an instant-read thermometer to ensure it doesn’t overcook.
Ham: Be sure to check your package to ensure that the ham is smoked/ fully cooked. The package will tell what temperature the ham needs to reach.
Score the ham: If your ham is not spiral cut, score the ham to allow the glaze to seep into the meat.
Substitution: Apple jelly can be substituted with apricot jam/jelly/preserves, apple butter, or even orange marmalade.
Ham Size: If the ham is too large for the lid to close completely, cover the slow cooker with foil and place the lid on top of the foil to seal in the heat.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 997 | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 4388mg | Potassium: 1081mg | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3.5mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Ham, Main Course, Slow Cooker
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Tasty and easy
It is done but I am not allowed to touch it yet. This was easy to follow and I will try this again! Thanks for putting this recipe up, it truly helps as I am old, but new to the kitchen scene!
Hi, there
I’m using a 4 lb smoked ham, not spiral…so should I halve the ingredients and cook for about 2 hours or so?
Hi Maureen, it will probably need about 2-3 hours on low. I would check it with a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches 145°F internal temperature.