Just 5 minutes of prep for tender, juicy crockpot spiral ham every time! You will never fix ham any other way again. This is the perfect recipe for holiday meals!
The Easiest Holiday Ham
We love to serve this slow cooker spiral ham for our Christmas dinner. It’s so simple, delicious and is always a favorite. Sometimes I’ll make an oven baked ham, but this slow cooker version is definitely easier and requires less work!
Today I am sharing the easiest and tastiest ham recipe ever. Seriously, after cooking this slow cooker ham, I will never mess with cooking one in the oven ever again. It’s made with just 5 ingredients and you just set it and forget it. Let your crock pot do the cooking for you!
We always have ham during the holidays, especially Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. It’s been a tradition ever since I can remember. This recipe is so simple and it turns out amazing every time. You literally can not mess it up, I promise! Plus, cooking the meat in a slow cooker frees up oven space for side dishes.
Brown Sugar Glaze
Other than the ham itself, this crockpot ham recipe only calls for 5 ingredients, which you probably already have at home in your pantry. It’s made with brown sugar, pure maple syrup, pineapple juice, spicy brown mustard, and balsamic vinegar.
You get sweetness from the brown sugar, maple syrup, and pineapple juice and a tangy kick from the mustard and balsamic vinegar. These flavors are so incredible together!
- Brown sugar: This adds a rich, caramelized taste. Make sure you pack it tightly when measuring it out.
- Maple syrup: Pure, maple flavor that contributes to the sweetness.
- Pineapple juice: A sweet, tropical flavor that blends so nicely with the other ingredients.
- Spicy brown mustard: Adds a tangy kick that helps balance out the sweetness.
- Balsamic vinegar: A tart and sweet boost of flavor.
TIP: There is no need to make the glaze ahead of time for this recipe. I just rub all of the ingredients into the meat and then let the slow cooker do all the work.
How to Cook a Spiral Ham in a Crockpot
If you’re wondering how to cook a spiral ham, it’s super easy using this crockpot method! Follow the steps below to get started.
- Add meat to crockpot. Place ham inside slow cooker (make sure to spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray).
- Coat with glaze. Rub glaze ingredients (except pineapple juice) over the meat using hands. Then pour pineapple juice into bottom of crockpot.
- Cover with lid or foil. Cover with lid (or aluminum foil if lid won’t fit).
- Cook in crockpot. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, basting twice during the last hour.
- Let rest, then serve! Remove from crockpot and let set 10 minutes. Slice and serve!
TIP: If the ham you buy is too large for your slow cooker, don’t worry. I used a 10 pound ham and it was too big for the lid of my slow cooker to fit. Just place 3 pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the top of the ham, covering tightly. You basically are steaming it with a tight seal.
How Long Does it Need to Cook?
Because we’re using an already cooked ham, the purpose of this recipe is to warm it up while adding delicious flavor with the glaze and tenderizing it with the pineapple juice. I typically cook mine in the crockpot on low for 4 to 5 hours, until it’s warm, tender and juicy. Make sure to baste twice during the last hour of cooking. I recommend using a bone-in spiral-cut ham that’s about 7-10 pounds.
Favorite Sides for Serving
There are so many delicious side dishes to serve with this recipe. Below are some of our favorites!
- Potatoes: Scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes and twice baked potatoes.
- Veggies: All types of roasted vegetables, like mixed veggies, carrots, broccoli and brussels sprouts.
- Classic holiday sides: Cranberry sauce, corn casserole and mac and cheese.
- Rolls or bread: Homemade recipes like lion house rolls, potato rolls, french bread and sweet cornbread.
- Salads: My favorite winter salad is apple cranberry spinach salad.
5 star review
“I’ve made this multiple times, it’s my family’s favorite ham, they actually thought I bought it from the Honey Baked store which was their previous favorite. Thank you so much!!“
– Bobbi
Have Leftovers? Try Making:
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Ham and Cheese Quiche
- Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Ham and Broccoli Frittata
Slow Cooker Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 7-10 pound bone-in spiral ham
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups pineapple juice
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Remove the ham from the wrapper and discard glaze packet. Place inside prepared slow cooker.
- Rub brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, and balsamic vinegar all over the meat using your hands. Pour pineapple juice into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cover tightly either with the lid or aluminum foil and cook on low 4 to 5 hours, basting twice, during the last hour. You can also flip the ham during the last hour if desired.
- Remove from slow cooker and let set 10 minutes. Slice the meat off the bone and serve warm.
Is there a substitute I could use for the maple syrup? Would honey work?
I haven’t tried, but I’m guessing honey would be an okay substitute! Let me know how it goes if you give it a shot!
My spiral ham just fits in my slow cooker, if placed small end down, with little to no room on the sides. (The ham touches the sides at the top.) Will that be ok, or should the ham not touch the sides of the crock pot? Thank you for your advice!
That shouldn’t be an issue! I used a 10 pound ham and it was too big for the lid of my slow cooker to fit. I just placed 3 pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the meat, covering tightly. You basically are steaming it with a tight seal.
How much cornstarch and water to make the glaze
Hi Ellen, there is no cornstarch or water needed to make the glaze :)
I made this for dinner and it came out great. Thanks for the easy recipe!
Can’t wait to use this recipe for Easter! Thank you!
Has anyone made ham gravy out of the broth?
I’ve made this multiple times, it’s my family’s favorite ham, they actually thought I bought it from the Honey Baked store which was their previous favorite 😁. Thank you so much!!
I’m so happy to hear it has become a favorite! Thank you for your comment and review Bobbi. :)
Do you mean cover just the ham with the foil or cover the entire top of the crockpot, sealing it all around?
If you cover just the ham I would think that the pineapple juices would evaporate.
Hi Peggy! I cover the entire top of the crockpot to seal it all around! :)
Love that this frees up more space in my oven for all the side dishes!
The glaze is perfect for ham!! Will make again for Thanksgiving as my husband does not like turkey!