Tired of dried out ham that takes up valuable oven space? This Crock Pot Ham may be the easiest ham recipe ever, and it stays moist and flavorful! This is a holiday favorite, but is easy enough to make year round!
This Crock Pot Ham is perfect for any holiday! Serve it with Scalloped Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, (or any other side dish!) and some of my favorite Lion House Rolls for the perfect holiday spread.
When it comes to holidays, we rarely celebrate alone with just our little family. It is usually a big, family affair. Which I really love.
But truth be told, it wasn’t until this last year that I ever hosted and had to make the main dish.
And it was a little intimidating.
I’ve made plenty of hams before, but I had never actually done it for a holiday.
For Christmas, we hosted both my side of the family and my husband’s side of the family, so that meant 2 ham dinners. We luckily have 2 ovens, but even then, I had to time everything perfectly so that different dishes or desserts could go into the oven. It was that moment that I realized just how much I love this Crock Pot Ham recipe.
It didn’t need to take up precious oven space. It only takes about 5 minutes of hands on time. And to top it all off, it was so good and so moist. I’m pretty sure this has turned into my favorite ham recipe!
Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar.
- Apricot Jam: I’ve tried this with a few different jams, and apricot is my favorite. But you can definitely use another flavor!
- Dijon Mustard: I like Dijon mustard the best here. I like the savory element it brings in. Regular yellow mustard is too harsh for me. You could use a spicy brown mustard, though.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you could use another vinegar of your choice. A white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar would work well.
- Garlic Powder: You could also use freshly minced garlic, but the garlic powder works well in the recipe and is super easy.
- Spiral Cut Ham: You want a 7-9 pound half ham that is spiral cut. Spiral cut hams will come with a bone. If the ham is too big, it won’t fit well in your slow cooker, so I try to find a smallish ham. See the tips below to get your ham to fit in the slow cooker.
- Fresh Rosemary & Thyme: The fresh herbs really do make a difference here, but if you want to use dried, use about 1 1/2 teaspoons each of rosemary and thyme.
How to Cook Ham in a Crock Pot
It really doesn’t get much easier than this recipe!
- Start by combining your glaze ingredients – part of the brown sugar, the jam, the mustard, the vinegar, and the garlic powder. Cook this over medium heat just until the jam melts and everything combines nicely.
- Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add the ham, flat side down, and trim, if needed.
- Pour the glaze over the ham.
- Add the herbs, I like to put some on top and some on the sides.
- Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours
.
Tips and Tricks
Most 7-8 pound hams will fit in a slow cooker. I like to press on the hams at the grocery store and try to find one that doesn’t have the hard part of the bone at the top of the ham. That way, if the ham is too tall, I can cut it down so that it will fit.
If it does have the bone at the top, or if it is just too big for the lid to go on, you can place several layers of foil over the top to keep the heat in. You’ll want to make sure it is tight so that the heat doesn’t escape.
Storing: Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Heat up leftovers to eat, use it for sandwiches, or use it in all kinds of other recipes!
Freezing: If you have leftover ham, it freezes well! I like to use up as much of the leftovers as possible in other recipes, but anything I can’t get through, I freeze for up to 4 months.
More Ham Recipes:
Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Sweet and Spicy Ham Glaze Recipe
Cherry and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Root Beer Glazed Ham
Honey Glazed Ham
Ways to Use Leftover Ham:
Breakfast Casserole with Ham and Cheese
Ham and Bean Soup
Ham and Noodle Casserole
Cauliflower Soup with Ham and Cheese
Ham Risotto with Peas
Crock Pot Ham
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar divided
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 7-9 pound spiral cut ham
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, the apricot jam, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder. Cook over medium heat until the jam has melted and it’s all combined, just a couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile, sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the bottom of the crock pot. Place the ham on top fo the sugar, flat side down.
- Pour the apricot mixture over the top of the ham. Add the rosemary and thyme. (I like to put some on top and some on the sides.)
- Cook on low for about 4 hours, or until the internal temperature registers 140ºF.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
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