This crock pot ham is a spiral cut ham topped with a 3 ingredient glaze, then slow cooked to perfection. This is the BEST way to make your holiday ham, the slow cooker does all of the work!
I’m always looking for ways to make holiday entertaining easier, and this crock pot ham is about as simple as it gets. All it takes is 5 minutes of prep time, and you end up with the most tender and succulent ham of all time! Not a ham fan? Try my herb roasted turkey or slow cooker turkey breast instead.
Whenever there’s a holiday, there’s a ham on my table. I love to cook ham because most of the work is done for you before you even open the package. All you need is a delicious glaze and a slow cooker to make this simple crock pot ham. Best of all, it frees up oven space so that you have plenty of room to cook up your sides and desserts.
How do you make crock pot ham?
The first step is to choose your ham. I always go with a smoked spiral cut ham. You’ll want a ham around 7-8 pounds in size. If you go any larger, you may have trouble fitting it into your crock pot. You can always trim off the end to make it fit if needed.
The ham is coated in brown sugar, then doused in maple syrup and pineapple juice to form a sweet glaze that simmers away along with the ham.
Tips for crock pot ham
- You’ll need a large oval slow cooker for this recipe – the one shown here is an 8 quart slow cooker, I’ve also used my 7 quart size with success.
- The glaze is fairly thin when it comes out of the crock pot, so I like to transfer it to a pan on the stove top and simmer the glaze until it thickens.
- Not a fan of pineapple juice? Try apple cider instead.
- I like to garnish my ham platter with an assortment of herbs and fruit for a beautiful presentation.
How much ham per person?
You’ll need about 3/4 pound of ham per person for a bone-in ham. If you want plenty of leftovers, you can increase that amount to 1 pound of ham per person.
How long to cook a ham?
It takes approximately 3-4 hours to cook a ham in the crock pot on low heat. You can check to make sure your ham is heated through by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the ham. The thermometer should read at least 140 degrees F.
What to serve with ham
Ham pairs perfectly with potatoes, vegetables, cornbread, or even stuffing! Here are some of my favorite holiday side dishes that I serve alongside my crock pot ham.
- Cranberry Jello Salad
- Bacon Green Bean Bundles
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Glazed Carrots
How to reheat leftover ham
One of the best parts about a holiday meal is enjoying the leftovers the next day! You can reheat your ham by covering it with foil and warming it in a 275 degree oven.
How to use leftover ham
Got leftover ham? I’ve got plenty of ways for you to repurpose it! Check out my list of 40 Satisfying Leftover Ham Recipes.
I love this crock pot ham because it’s tender, flavorful and so incredibly easy to make. It’s a huge hit every time I serve it!
Crock Pot Ham Video
Crock Pot Ham with Brown Sugar
Ingredients
- 8 lb spiral cut ham
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pure maple syrup do not use artificially flavored pancake syrup
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- cooking spray
- fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Coat a large 7-8 quart crock pot with cooking spray.
- Place the ham cut side down in the crock pot.
- Rub the brown sugar all over the ham, then pour the maple syrup and pineapple juice over the top.
- Cook for 3-4 hours on low heat, or until a thermometer registers 140 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the ham.
- Transfer the ham to a serving platter.
- Pour the liquid from the bottom of the crock pot into a medium sized pan.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes or until just thickened,
- Pour the sauce over the ham. Decorate the serving platter with fresh herbs if desired, then serve.
Deanna says
Would cloves be good to add when cooking it?
Sara says
Yes that would be a great addition!
Lou says
Do you need a juice?
Is just the maple syrup okay?
What juices do you suggest??
Thank w
Sara says
You can skip the juice if you want but I think it really adds a nice flavor! Apple juice would be a good substitute for pineapple juice.
Janie says
I will never ever make a ham in the oven. The crockpot is the bomb, never had anything but a juicy ham. Oversized hams in crock just seal with foil. I put brown sugar on bottom of crock and than all over ham. I get a can of sliced pineapple and add juice and all. That’s it
Odonna says
Does it have to be a spiral ham or can I just cut slits into a regular and still cook it this way?
linette gresham says
instead of maple syrup , can i use honey
when making a thick crispy carmellized glaze do i have to use corn starch
and do i put it back into the oven to harden
Sara says
You can use honey. If you’re looking for a caramelized glaze, you will want to bake it uncovered at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. I have a great ham glaze here that browns nicely: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/glazed-ham-for-the-holidays/
Tina says
Could you just use the packet of glaze that comes with the ham?
Sara says
Yes you can do that if you prefer!
ODonna says
Does it have to be a spiral ham or can I just put slits in a regular ham and still follow the recipe?
Mary Ann Hellen says
If I am doing a 4lb ham, do I cut everything in half , including the cooking time? Thank you.
Sara says
It’s fine to cut the glaze in half, I’d cook for 2-3 hours on low.
ODonna says
Does it have to be a ham with the bone in or can it be a boneless ham?
Sara says
Boneless is also fine!