Crock Pot Ham is the perfect holiday ham recipe! Glazed with brown sugar and jelly, the slow cooker does all of the work (leaving precious oven space for Scalloped Potatoes).
Making ham in the slow cooker takes just 5 minutes of prep and the result is a tender and juicy crock pot ham that your family will absolutely love!
Easy Crock Pot Ham
Making ham in the crock pot is a total breeze with just minutes of prep. While I do love a good Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze, sometimes love to free up the oven and prep the meal ahead of time!
Making this Crock Pot Ham recipe in the slow cooker not only saves oven space, but it takes only about 5 minutes of prep to set and forget. The result is ham perfection every time!
How to Cook Ham in a Crock Pot
I prefer a spiral ham as it’s easy to cut and cook but of course any kind of smoked ham will do!
- Sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar in the slow cooker. Add ham.
- Mix the glaze and pour over ham.
- Cover and allow the Crock Pot to do all of the work!
Glaze for Crock Pot Ham is so quick to make! I use a jelly and brown sugar glaze on this slow cooker ham. Dijon mustard adds a hint of tang while apple jelly and brown sugar add sweetness. If you don’t have apple jelly you can use apricot or substitute a brown sugar ham glaze. Or try Raisin Sauce for something different!
How Long to Cook a Ham
I find a lot of Crock Pot Ham recipes suggest a cook time that is too long meaning the ham is not tender when it’s done! This recipe uses a spiral ham which is smoked (it is pre-cooked). Be sure to check your package to make sure your ham is smoked/cooked, the package will tell you what temperature the ham needs to reach.
A smoked ham should be cooked to a temperature of 140°F which will take 4-5 hours on low for an 8-10lb ham.
How Much Ham Per Person
When buying ham, you’ll need:
- 1/4 – 1/3 lb. per person of boneless ham
- 1/3 – 1/2 lb. per person of bone-in ham
If you want leftovers for ham salad or ham casseroles, get a bit extra (and don’t forget to save the bone for ham bone soup)! I usually just put it in the freezer and add it to my soup right from frozen!
What to Serve With Ham
We serve this Crock Pot Ham alongside a lot of the same sides we put on our Thanksgiving dinner menu. Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a of course Bacon Green Beans, 30 Minute Dinner Rolls and a fresh salad.
While any leftovers you have make pretty much the best ever ham sandwich on toast or add ham to a grilled cheese sandwich. I’ve also used leftovers in everything from ham and potato casseroles to corn chowder. With only a few minutes of effort to prep it and a few hours in the Crock Pot, you will have an unforgettable ham that is sure to become a family favorite!
The Best Side Dishes for Ham
- Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- The BEST Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Twice Baked Potatoes
Crock Pot Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8-10 pound spiral cut ham fully cooked
Glaze
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup apple jelly
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Melt apple jelly and whisk together remaining glaze ingredients.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup brown sugar in the bottom of a 6-7 qt slow cooker.
- Add ham and pour glaze overtop ensuring you separate the layers of ham and brush with glaze.
- Cover slow cooker (see note), add rosemary sprigs and cook on low 4-5 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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Hello I have a 2.5 pound precooked, spiral sliced ham. I was wondering how long that would take in the crockpot? Also when do I put the glaze on it?
Hi Cassidy, a ham of that size should take 2-3 hours on low. Check the temperature and once it gets to 140 you can turn the slow cooker to warm. The ham should continue to rise to 145°F.
Have made this recipe for each Christmas & Easter since discovering it a couple years ago – can’t be beat the flavor or ease of prep! (Prep/clean up is even easier when using a crockpot liner… genius invention!) We usually use a 5# boneless spiral cut ham, skip the rosemary and substitute ground black pepper for garlic and the ginger with a scant 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves. Leftovers are the best, though hard to come by! Thanks for such a great recipe!
I made this ham for Thanksgiving and again for Christmas and had absolutely no leftovers. It was such a hit it’s now becoming a holiday staple. I used a regular ham (not spiral cut), adjusted the cooking time to compensate, and it turned out amazingly. The meat fell off the bone and was moist and delicious. I omitted the rosemary (because I forgot it the first time) and the flavor was amazing even without it.
Do you remember how long you slow cooked it for? I’m doing a 10lb Cooks bone-in ham.
I made this recipe with a regular (not spiral cut) 3# ham. I cut back the recipe size to 3 servings and didn’t score the ham at all. I used some surplus raspberry jam I had instead of apple jelly. This was absolutely the best ham I have ever eaten, and I’m 72 years old! I think almost any type of jelly would work.
This crockpot ham recipe is great. I used a regular ham and just made deep slits about and inch apart. Everyone loved it.
I don’t usually cook a ham for a large group because I am so afraid it will come out dry despite glazes and other liquids but I made this for the 12 people who came to my Christmas dinner and this recipe is fabulous. I have never even thought to cook a spiral ham in the crock pot but not only does it cook perfectly well, but it also frees up the oven for other side dishes. I recommend this method for everyone who likes a juicy, flavorful and easy ham recipe.
I didn’t have apple jelly but used some apple butter left over from a thanksgiving recipe and I added some apple juice for more moisture but still cooked it on the stovetop as the instructions said and it was just fine. It makes so much gravy/sauce as well and I heated up the leftover ham in that the next day which were great!! I will absolutely save this recipe and make it again for another holiday or large party!
Is this for preparing a FULLY-COOKED spiral ham??
Yes, you can find this info in the post as well.
This recipe uses a spiral ham which is smoked (it is pre-cooked). Be sure to check your package to make sure your ham is smoked/cooked, the package will tell you what temperature the ham needs to reach.
Haven’t tried yet. Can ham go into crock pot cut side down? What to substitute for apple jelly? Can’t find it anywhere.
Apricot jam/jelly would work well or you can use your favorite glaze or try our brown sugar glaze.
What temp do you cook the crockpot ham low medium or high
This is cooked on low.
We loved this for one of our proteins on Thanksgiving…it’s so easy to prepare and is very tasty…it’s nice and sweet with a hint of rosemary…I served some roasted pineapple slices with it…Made for “What’s on the Menu” tag game…
So glad you enjoyed it, Teresa! That sounds like such a delicious way to serve it.
hi what about a ham shank … I just bought one yesterday ?? …looks fabulous and I would love to try it.
Hi Elise, we have this delicious ham steak recipe. You could always use this glaze and follow the cooking instructions for the ham steak if you would like. :)
Hello
I wanted to try this recipe. but I don’t have a spiral. What if i do cross hatch or would that be to shallow? Watch if I inject the ham with the glaze to try and get flavor in it and then put it in the crock pot and put brown sugar on top? This sounds amazing
Hi Deborah, this recipe should work with any smoked (pre-cooked) ham. Both a cross hatch and injecting it with the glaze sounds like delicious ways to infuse with flavor. We can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!
I also rubbed the ham with brown sugar and added half cup of pineapple juice with the brown sugar at the bottom. Absolutely
This glaze recipe was so good! I wanted to let you know that I subbed apple butter for the apple jelly and it was great! I had a 4 lb ham and started at three hours in the slow cooker on low. I checked the temp and it wasn’t quite there yet so I let it go another half hour.
Hi! I have apple juice or apricot jelly but not apple jelly. Any recommendations on which I should use?
Apricot jelly will be lovely!
Wow! What a great idea! The Ham came our wonerfully moist and it freed up oven space for all the side dishes. Thanks for sharing!
I made this for the family this Christmas .It was definitely juicy and well worth serving but, I have to say that the reviews were split on flavor.
I would use the recipe for the cooking portion but, next time I would use a different glaze.
Thanks for the crockpot recipe
I have a ham that slightly sticks out of my pot. Will I get the same result if I cover it with foil and the lid on top?
Yes, covering with foil will work.
Hi…there is just the two of us so all the spiral hams are too much. We ended up with a Kentucky Legend 2.75 pound sliced ham. Can/should I do everything the same and cut the cook time down to a couple hours or should I just do in the oven per the package instructions. Thanks in advance.
You can cook it in the slow cooker, you’ll want to ensure it doesn’t overcook or it will dry out. Check the temperature and once it gets to 140 you can turn the slow cooker to warm. The ham should continue to rise to 145°F.
Hi! I have a quarter piece of smoked ham but it’s not cut. Should I leave it whole or do the slicing myself beforehand?
I would suggest leaving it whole.