Easy Slow Cooker Ham
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This easy Slow Cooker Ham recipe with a spiced maple glaze will change how you cook ham for the holidays! The slow cooker makes it so easy to cook the ham perfectly every time, and the Crockpot also frees up space in your oven and on the stove for other recipes!
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What I Love About This Slow Cooker Ham Recipe
Have you ever tried cooking your holiday ham in a slow cooker? If so, you know how incredibly easy and delicious it is, with tender, juicy meat. It’s perfect for Christmas or Easter Dinner or anytime you’re in the mood for a festive treat!
This crockpot ham recipe glistens with a fragrant citrus glaze and makes a deceptively dramatic dish, especially considering its simplicity. Cutting a diamond pattern into the skin takes just minutes, and studded with cloves, it cooks into an elegant finish.
This is one of my favorite methods for cooking ham and is a go-to party dish for me. Having additional oven space is a treasure during the holidays or a feast. Letting the slow cooker do the work is not only easy but also allows the crock pot to keep the ham moist and full of flavor without fear of it drying out.
In fact, the low, slow heat of the slow cooker gently braises the ham with a simple-to-make, succulent glaze you pour over it. Ultimately, this sauce makes a delicious accompaniment to the tender ham.
Slow Cooker Ham Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy glazed ham recipe:
- Bone-In Ham: A spiral-cut ham is my go-to for celebrations. It’s beautiful to serve and makes carving a breeze with its pre-sliced portions. Plus, the bone adds incredible flavor as it slow cooks. Be sure to select a fully cooked ham.
- Orange (Juice + Zest): Fresh orange juice and zest brighten the glaze with a subtle citrus note that balances the ham’s richness. It’s a simple touch that adds so much depth.
- Brown Sugar: This pantry staple melts into a warm glaze that enhances the savory-sweet contrast in every bite.
- Maple Syrup: A splash of real maple syrup brings a luxurious sweetness and caramelized finish that beautifully complements the ham’s smokiness.
- Cinnamon: A whole cinnamon stick adds gentle spice and warmth as it simmers with the ham. You can substitute with a pinch of ground cinnamon if that’s what you have on hand.
- Whole Cloves: These tiny, aromatic spices infuse the ham with a festive, spiced, classic, comforting flavor. You can stud the ham with them or add a few to the cooking liquid for a more subtle touch.
How to Make Glazed Ham
Full, step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card located at the bottom of this post, but here is a quick overview.
Kitchen Tools: You will need a 6-8 quart slow cooker or crockpot. Be sure the ham fits into the insert. It’s best to place it cut side down, but if needed, turn it on the side so that it fits when placing the lid on the slow cooker.
Step 1: Make the glaze
In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, zest, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until thick and syrupy. Strain the glaze using a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Slow cook the ham
Coat the slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray and place the ham cut side down. Pour the glaze over the ham, coating it as much as possible. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ham reads 140°F.
Step 3: Thicken the sauce
Remove the ham from the slow cooker, place it on a serving platter, and cover loosely with foil for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, strain the cooking juices from the bottom of the crockpot and transfer them to a medium saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until thickened. Pour the sauce over the ham before serving.
What to Serve with This Crock Pot Ham Recipe
I love serving slices of perfectly cooked, juicy, and flavorful ham with side dishes like these:
- Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread: A classic side with a golden crust, perfect for soaking up ham juices.
- Easy Drop Biscuits: Fluffy and buttery, these biscuits are a comforting addition to your ham dinner.
- Quick Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls: Soft and pull-apart rolls that are ideal for holiday meals.
- Ginger Glazed Carrots: Sweet and spicy carrots that add a vibrant touch to your plate.
- Easy Green Bean Casserole: A creamy and crunchy classic that pairs well with ham.
- Neapolitan Green Beans: A flavorful twist on green beans with Italian-inspired ingredients.
- Roasted Asparagus with Dill Yogurt Sauce: A light and zesty side that balances the richness of ham.
- Mediterranean Lemon Rice and Cabbage: A bright and citrusy side that adds a refreshing contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for a fully cooked bone-in ham. I prefer a spiral cut, but either will work easily and deliciously. Butt-end hams tend to fit into slow cookers more readily. Before buying your ham, consider the size of your slow cooker. A 10-pound ham is the largest ham that will fit a 6-quart slow cooker.
How many guests is a good starting point for figuring out how much ham to buy for your holiday dinner. As a rule of thumb, I say 3/4 to 1 pound of bone-in ham per person or 1/2 pound of boneless ham per person. That means for a 10-person dinner, you’ll need a bone-in ham that weighs between 7.5 and 10 pounds or a 5-pound boneless ham.
Any of these simple glazes can be easily adapted for the slow cooker. Switch out the glaze ingredients, and the cooking instructions will remain the same.
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Slow Cooker Ham Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (5-7 lb) Fully cooked bone-in ham
- Orange zest from about 1 orange
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup pure maple syrup
- 1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 6 whole cloves
Instructions
Make the Glaze
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange zest, juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cloves (unless you are studding your ham with cloves). Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Strain the thickened glaze into a small saucepan and set aside.
For the Ham
- Coat a large oval slow cooker (6-8 quart) with cooking spray. Place the ham cut side down in the crockpot. Make sure you can put the lid on, and if not, turn the ham on its side.
- Pour the glaze over the ham, coating it as much as possible.
- Cover and cook on LOW heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ham reads a minumum 140°F.
- Remove the ham from the slow cooker and place onto a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil for 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, strain the liquid from the bottom of the crockpot and transfer it to a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or just until thickened. When ready to serve, pour the sauce over the ham before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
What do you do with the cinnamon sticks? Do you cook them in the crockpot or remove them before that?
Hi Debra- I often remove it from the sauce along with the cloves, but for a more intense cinnamon flavor you could let it cook with the ham in the slow cooker too.