This Slow Cooker Ham Recipe is a pre-cooked spiral cut ham topped with a finger-licking-good brown sugar and apricot marmalade glaze. The best way to cook any holiday ham, save your oven (for these Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin) and let the Crockpot do all the work for you.
My favorite holiday ham
Few things remind me more of my childhood than a Christmas ham and leftover ham sandwiches.
This Slow Cooker Ham with Marmalade Glaze is perfect for a casual Sunday dinner or special family holiday and cooks itself right in the slow cooker leaving the oven free for all your favorite sides like these Honey Glazed Carrots, Baked Asparagus, and Crispy Herb and Butter Oven Roasted Potatoes.
Slow Cooker Ham Ingredients
There are many different ways to season and glaze a holiday ham. I chose to mix pineapple juice with apricot marmalade, dijon mustard, garlic, and fresh herbs. You guys, it’s a total winner.
If you’re concerned about the sweetness – I totally understand. I hate when “sweet” overwhelms “flavor”. If this is you, I recommend cutting the total amount of brown sugar in half. If once your ham is all cooked, you find that you prefer a sweeter glaze (since ham will always be more salty than sweet naturally) you can add more brown sugar to the glaze at the end.
Of course, feel free to create your own flavor combination.
- Fully cooked spiral cut ham
- Brown sugar
- Pineapple juice
- Apricot marmalade
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Fresh rosemary
Types of Ham
Just in case you did not know (because I didn’t), ham comes from the back leg of the pig. From there, there are three main ways the meat is typically processed.
- Fresh Ham. Or an uncured leg of pork. Fresh ham, with the same color and texture of fresh uncooked pork, must be cooked before eating. In order to be “fresh” ham, the name must have the word “fresh” in it. Makes sense.
- Cured Ham. There are two ways that a leg of pork can achieve “cured” status. The first is to brine, while the second is to cure with a dry rub and hang to dry. Some of these hams are sold ready-to-eat, while others require some kind of cooking.
- Cured and Smoked Ham. Also known as a cured ham plus smoking.
Ok, right. So what ham do I need for this recipe?
Which type of Ham Should You Buy?
For this recipe, I suggest purchasing a whole, cured and smoked spiral-cut ham with the bone. Of course, you do have the option to purchase one that is not pre-sliced or one that does not have the bone.
The benefit of purchasing a home with the bone? The bone! Oh my gosh, you guys. Bone-in meats are (typically) much better and have much better flavor. But that aside, ham bones are amazing leftover in recipes like this Split Pea Soup or this Ham and Bean Soup.
How to cook Slow Cooker Ham
With very little hands-on time, you’ll have this slow cooker ham recipe cooking in no time. The steps are easy,
- Pro tip: If your ham is too tall to place the lid on top of your slow cooker, simply cover your slow cooker with foil, securing it as tightly as possible. If possible, you may place the lid on top of the foil.
The glaze will not end up thick and syrupy by simply reducing. If that’s what you’re looking for, I recommend adding 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch to a tablespoon or two of water and whisking to combine with the sauce.
Tips and Tricks
- If your ham is too tall to place the lid on top of your slow cooker, simply cover your slow cooker with foil, securing it as tightly as possible. If possible, you may place the lid on top of the foil.
- Internal temperature should register 140-145 degrees F.
- Cooking time is will vary depending on the type of ham (bone-in or boneless), the size of the ham, etc. It’s best to read the temperature of your ham using a digital meat thermometer.
- Check the label– make sure your ham hasn’t been artificially pumped with water or juices. The label on your ham should just read “ham” … not Ham, water added or Ham with natural juices.
How long does Ham take in the Slow Cooker?
The time it takes to cook a ham in the slow cooker will vary greatly depending on a number of factors. Everything I had read told me that an 8-10 pound ham would take approximately 4 hours on low in the slow cooker.
This did not apply in my case both times I’ve made this recipe.
Each time I’ve made this Crockpot Ham it’s taken closer to 6 hours for my 9-pound ham to reach the recommended 140 degrees. This could be because my ham was far too large to cover properly with the lid. As a result, I needed to cover my slow cooker with foil.
Either way, my advice is to keep a digital meat thermometer nearby and, depending on the size of your ham, allow for at least 5-6 hours for your ham to cook.
How much Ham per person?
As a general rule of thumb,
- Boneless ham- 1/4 – 1/3 lb. per person
- Bone-in ham- 1/3 – 1/2 lb. per person
Of course, it’s helpful to keep your guests in mind while planning how much ham to purchase, but this is definitely a great gauge.
I also highly recommend purchasing a bone-in ham with the hope for leftovers. Ham Sandwiches and Creamy Ham and Pea Pasta are just a couple of the awesome uses for all that leftover ham!
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Ham
We always serve our slow cooker ham with some version of Green Bean Casserole and Cheesy Potatoes Au Gratin. It’s a heavy, delicious, and very festive holiday meal that I have no regrets devouring at least once a year.
Don’t feel limited, though! Spiral cut ham is great with all kinds of sides.
Assuming you love carbs, my top picks are creamy mashed potatoes, Perfect Baked Potatoes, and Baked Sweet Potatoes. If you’re skipping all that delicious starchy deliciousness you’ll probably love my Mashed Cauliflower or Cauliflower Rice.
Other recommended sides include (all the) vegetables! Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Asparagus, and Oven Roasted Green Beans with Almonds are just a few of my favorites.
More holiday recipes,
- Spiced Mulled Wine Recipe
- Sweet and Tangy Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
- Cioppino Recipe (Seafood Stew)
- Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
- Homemade Creamed Corn Recipe
- Healthy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
If you try making this Slow Cooker Ham, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to read your thoughts and feedback!
RECIPE CARD
Slow Cooker Ham
Ingredients
- 8 pound spiral cut ham - (fully cooked)
- ¾ cup brown sugar - packed
- 1 cup pineapple juice - (or orange juice)
- ½ cup apricot marmalade - (or apple jam)
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ham. Spray a large 6-7 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add the ham and sprinkle with brown sugar, covering the top and sides.
- Prepare the glaze. Add the pineapple juice, marmalade, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, ginger, and black pepper to a small pot over medium heat, whisking well to combine. Bring to a low simmer, stirring often. Remove from heat and pour the mixture directly over the ham, separating the ham layers to help infuse the flavors.
- Cook the ham. Cover and cook the ham for 4-5 hours on low, or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
- Reduce the glaze. Carefully remove the ham from the slow cooker to a large clean platter. Transfer the juices to a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or so, or until the liquid has reduced by approximately one-third.
- Serve. Spoon the reserved glaze over the top of the ham and serve! Enjoy!
Jessica's Notes
- If your ham is too tall to place the lid on top of your slow cooker, simply cover your slow cooker with foil, securing it as tightly as possible. If possible, you may place the lid on top of the foil.
- Internal temperature should register 140-145 degrees F.
- Cooking time is will vary depending on the type of ham (bone-in or boneless), the size of the ham, etc. It's best to read the temperature of your ham using a digital meat thermometer.
- Check the label- make sure your ham hasn't been artificially pumped with water or juices. The label on your ham should just read “ham” ... not Ham, water added or Ham with natural juices.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
What would be the difference if I happened to purchase a half ham with water added? It won’t turn out as good? Instructions would need to be altered? I bought the ham before I looked up a good recipe.
Hi Donna,
I have not tried this recipe with a “Ham with water added”, so I not sure how it would turn out.
If you want to give it a try anyway as written, click on the recipe card here, https://theforkedspoon.com/slow-cooker-ham/#wprm-recipe-container-44596 , then change the “serving size” to reflect the size of your half ham.
Good luck 🙂