Crockpot Ham (Easy Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze)
This crockpot ham is fall-apart tender, glazed with a sweet brown sugar and pineapple sauce, and practically cooks itself. The easiest holiday centerpiece you'll ever make.
Why This Crockpot Ham Is a Weeknight and Holiday Hero
There is something wonderfully forgiving about crockpot ham. You are not really cooking it so much as gently warming and glazing an already fully cooked piece of meat, which means the margin for error is basically zero. If you have ever wondered how to cook ham without babysitting an oven all afternoon, this is your answer. Slide a spiral cut ham into the slow cooker, pour over a sticky brown sugar glaze, and let the machine do the heavy lifting while you handle everything else on the table.
This is one of those ham recipes crockpot cooks return to again and again because it solves a real problem. Oven space during the holidays is precious, and a big ham can hog it for hours. Moving the ham to the slow cooker frees up your oven for sides, and the low, slow heat keeps every slice tender instead of dried out at the edges.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a genuine difference here. A roomy slow cooker, a sturdy basting brush, and good quality dijon mustard all help this glaze cling to the ham instead of pooling uselessly at the bottom. These are worth having on hand:
Choosing the Right Ham for Your Slow Cooker
Not every ham is a good fit for slow cooker ham recipes, mostly because of size. A whole spiral ham can weigh well over 10 pounds, and most crockpots simply cannot fit that. Here is what to look for:
- A bone-in spiral cut ham between 7 and 9 pounds fits most 6 to 8 quart slow cookers comfortably.
- Choose a fully cooked ham, which is the standard at most grocery stores, since this recipe is really about reheating and glazing rather than cooking raw meat.
- If your ham is larger than your crockpot, ask the butcher to cut it in half, or trim it yourself with a sharp knife before cooking.
Chef's Tip: Place the ham cut side down in the crockpot. This helps it retain moisture and keeps the glaze from sliding straight off the exposed slices.
Building the Glaze That Makes This Ham Dinner Special
The glaze is really the star of any great ham dinner, and this one leans into the classic sweet and tangy combination that pairs so well with salty ham. Brown sugar and honey bring deep sweetness, pineapple juice adds brightness and a little acidity to cut through the richness, and a spoonful of dijon mustard keeps the whole thing from tasting one-note.
Ground cloves are optional but recommended if you love that old-fashioned holiday ham flavor. Just a quarter teaspoon goes a long way, so resist the urge to add more.
Once the ham has cooked low and slow for several hours, do not skip the final glazing step. Simmering a cup of the cooking liquid with a little cornstarch thickens it into a proper glaze that clings to the meat instead of running off, giving you that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Crockpot Ham (Easy Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze)
This crockpot ham is fall-apart tender, glazed with a sweet brown sugar and pineapple sauce, and practically cooks itself. The easiest holiday centerpiece you'll ever make.
Ingredients
- 8 lb spiral cut ham, bone-in, fully cooked
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple if using
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves, optional, for classic flavor
- 1 can pineapple rings, 20 oz / 567 g, optional for garnish
- 10 maraschino cherries, optional, for garnish
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, for thickening glaze, optional
Instruction
If your ham is too large to fit in the crockpot, trim it down or ask your butcher to cut it in half. Place the ham cut side down in the slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pineapple juice, honey, dijon mustard, and ground cloves until the sugar mostly dissolves.
Pour the glaze mixture evenly over the ham, making sure to get some down into the slices.
If using, arrange pineapple rings over the top of the ham and secure with toothpicks, tucking a cherry into the center of each ring.
Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2.5 to 3 hours, basting with the pan juices every hour if you can.
About 30 minutes before serving, spoon 1 cup of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch and simmer over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened into a glaze.
Brush the thickened glaze generously over the ham for a glossy finish.
Transfer the ham to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with extra glaze on the side.
Equipment
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Basting brush
- Small saucepan
- Meat thermometer
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Making the Most of Leftovers
Once your crockpot ham is glazed and rested, slicing is easy since spiral cut ham is already partially sliced around the bone. Serve it alongside mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, or a simple green salad for a complete ham dinner that barely dirtied a pan.
Leftovers are honestly one of the best parts of making a big ham. Diced ham works beautifully in:
- Breakfast hash or omelets
- Bean and ham soup
- Sandwiches with a smear of extra mustard
- Fried rice or pasta dishes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze portions for up to 2 months. When reheating, add a splash of the reserved glaze or a little broth to keep the meat from drying out.
Chef's Tip: Save the bone. It makes an incredible base for split pea or ham and bean soup later in the week.
However you serve it, this method proves that learning how to cook ham in the slow cooker is one of the easiest wins in the kitchen, especially when the oven is already full and the clock is not on your side.
