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.
Found this recipe three years ago and it’s become my “goto” for ham. I get tons of compliments and everyone wants to know the brand of ham I am buying every single time I make it. I keep telling them the magic is the recipe! So simple and the ham is never dry!
Hi, is this a bone-in ham? Pre-cooked? Thank you
It’s a pre cooked bone in ham!
This seems too much like boiling the ham, do you take it out at 140 and brown it in the oven, what temp ovrn
If you want to finish it in the oven, you can broil it in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
What do I do if the ham is too high and my cover wont fit? Do I cover it with aluminum foil?
I recommend that you cut your ham to make it fit in the crock pot with the lid on.
If you pour the juice over the ham after putting on the brown sugar and syrup, you will rinse it all away. Just pour the juice around the sides of the ham OR pour juice over the ham first, then add your brown sugar then syrup (but I use honey, either will work).
How long to cook a 3lb ham? Is halving the ingredients the correct amount? Thanks for sharing your delicious recipes!
Halving the ingredients and cook time will work!
What is the best pineapple juice to use?
I use a refrigerated pineapple juice such as Dole, Trader Joe’s also has one that is good.
What’s the best way to serve leftover ham the next day
You can reheat it in a covered dish at 325 degrees F until warmed through!
Making this for Friendsgiving. Can i make this day before and keep in crockpot. Then reheat on warm next day before serving? Or will this dry it out? If not, can i put in pot with ingredients to marinate it before turning on day of serving?
You can marinate it, but I wouldn’t cook it a day in advance as I agree it will get dry.
I’ve made this ham for the last few years and it is loved by all! Making it today! Thank you for this recipe. Delicious!