Slow cooker ham is tender, juicy, and delicious with a sweet and tangy brown sugar orange glaze, making for one of the best slow cooker ham recipes ever! Try also our famous honey glazed ham.
Table of Contents
How to Make Slow Cooker Ham
- I prefer a bone-in spiral ham, as it retains moisture and comes presliced-- so it is still easy to separate from the bone.
- But any ham that fits the crockpot will work here. I also prefer to prepare a homemade ham glaze with a few ingredients instead of using a glaze packet.
How to cook a precooked ham in a slow cooker
- Place the ham face down in the crockpot.
- Pour half of the orange juice over the ham.
- Rub ham with brown sugar.
- Prepare an easy ham glaze recipe: Mix the glaze (¼ cup orange juice, marmalade, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, spice, and sriracha) and pour over the ham, reserving about a third (PIC.1).
- Cover tightly, and set to cook on low for about 3-4 hours (or 30 minutes per pound).
- Baste the ham halfway through the cooking time and then again about an hour before the ham is done!
- About 10 minutes before the cooking time ends, heat the orange glaze mixture on the stovetop over medium heat until thickened (about 3-5 minutes).
- Glaze slow cooker spiral ham (PIC.2) and serve!
But you can use pineapple, apricot, or apple jelly instead of marmalade for a variation of this slow cooker ham recipe.
You can also make this slow cooker ham with pineapple jam and juice instead, including preparing the simple ham glaze. Another option is to use 7-up or Sprite with a pairing jelly for this holiday recipe. It’s all up to you!
How Long to Cook Ham in Slow Cooker
It takes about 30 minutes per pound on LOW to reheat a fully cooked, bone-in spiral ham in the slow cooker or crockpot, or until the internal temperature reaches 140° F (60° C) according to the FDA’s recommendation.
That means a 7-pound ham will take about 3 ½ hours to reheat. If boneless, it takes about 40 minutes per pound.
The reason why a bone-in ham cooks or reheats faster than a boneless one is because bones are conductors of heat.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Ham
You can serve this crockpot ham with pretty much several holiday side dishes. Here are a few options for your holiday dinner:
- Broccoli Gratin (keto)
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole (gluten-free)
- Mac and Cheese (quick and easy)
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (low carb)
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes (gluten-free and dairy-free)
- Sweet Potato Casserole (gluten-free and nut-free)
- Low Carb Biscuits (keto)
- Raw Salad (vegan)
Cooking or heating a ham in the slow cooker is an easy and mess-free method… and most of all, it results in a tender, juicy, and delish ham. I am already looking forward to making this every Easter… and Christmas, too, or for a weeknight meal. If cooking for a few people, these air-fried lamb chops make a great dish for Easter!
Moreover, it will simplify family dinners every time I want to serve a small ham. Just make the spiral ham glaze, set the crockpot, and forget about it!
As you see, this recipe for ham in the slow cooker is quite simple to prepare!
Chef's Tips for Making Slow Cooker Ham Recipe
- If your ham doesn’t fit in the crockpot and you don’t have a larger slow cooker, trim off a piece to fit it in and cover tightly-- or consider cooking/reheating the ham in the oven instead.
- To reheat spiral ham in a slow cooker (without drying out,) add a little liquid to the baking pan, cover tightly with foil, and bake until a meat thermometer reads 140° F (60° C) again. Or, microwave in a safe container with a little liquid and a loose lid until warm – this will help to keep in moisture but also to vent enough so that the lid doesn’t erupt off in the microwave.
- Make sure to let the ham rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing to seal the juices in.
- To slice ham, place it on a flat surface, flat-side down. If whole just cut against the grain. If presliced, run a sharp knife between the slices close to and around the bone to separate them though.
- Serving size-portion: Estimate about ½ pound of boneless ham per person and ¾ of bone-in ham per person for a holiday meal. I find that a 2-lb. bone-in ham can perfectly feed a family of four or five for a regular slow-cooking dinner.
- If you are serving a family of 4-5 people, a 2-3 pound ham is the best option unless you want leftovers to eat later or use to make other dishes.
- You can use a bone-in or boneless, whole or spiral, cured or uncured, smoked or not, ham to prepare this recipe. But keep in mind that a pre-cooked, bone-in ham will reach 140 degrees F faster than either a fresh or a pre-cooked, boneless ham. Do not overcook it, otherwise, the ham will be tough and dry!
- Best types of ham for the slow cooker: You can cook or reheat any cut of ham in the crockpot (fresh or precooked, bone-in or boneless, whole or spiral-sliced, cured or uncured, plain or smoked). The most important factor is the size. You can fit a small ham in slow cooker easily (4-5 pound ham), saving some oven space. Keep in mind that a standard-size crockpot (6 qt.) can fit in a 7-pound or less bone-in ham (or an 8-pound or less boneless ham). Anything above that will require either a larger crockpot, trimming off a piece of the ham to get it to fit in, or cooking/reheating the ham in the oven instead. The lid has to fit tightly to cook or reheat the ham properly.
- To make this crockpot ham low carb, replace orange juice with chicken broth, use a sugar-free marmalade in the glaze for ham instead, and substitute sugar-free honey or maple syrup for brown sugar. This recipe is gluten-free, high-protein, and dairy-free!
- How to use leftovers - Use this slow cooker glazed ham to make these leftover ham recipes: Ham and Cheese Baked Rice, our Broccoli, Ham and Cheese Pop Tarts, and Ham and Cheese Brazilian Enchiladas, or even to add to a feijoada recipe. But if you make our slow cooker ham recipe as it is, you can use leftovers to make this ham and brie grilled cheese.
FAQs
The USDA doesn't recommend reheating leftovers in a slow cooker. However, you can add some liquid and reheat ham leftovers on the stove or in a microwave and then use the slow cooker 'warm setting' to keep hot for serving. Make sure the internal temperature stays at 140° F.
You can cook meats in the slow cooker without liquids since slow cookers create steam that breaks the meat until it is tender. But putting about ½ cup of water, broth, wine, or another liquid prevents any slow cooker spiral ham recipe from drying out and also renders a great flavoring liquid that can be served along with the ham or serve as a base for gravy.
According to the USDA, as with any meat or poultry, ham should always be thawed before cooking in a slow cooker. Otherwise, the meat won't cook evenly and by spending too much time defrosting, it will allow bacteria that can make you sick to multiply.
You can reheat a precooked, spiral ham by placing about ½ cup of water in the bottom of the pan covering tightly in foil, and then heating it for 10 minutes per pound at 350° F (180° C). If reheating in the microwave, pour a little liquid in and loosely cover sliced ham with plastic wrap or a lid and heat on high for 1 minute, turn the dish, and heat in 1-minute intervals until reheated.
How to Store
- Store cooked ham leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Reheat only the portion you intend to eat in a 300 F preheated oven just until warmed.
- Freeze leftover ham for up to 2 months wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil before placing it in an airtight container. This will prevent freezer burn!
- Thaw in the fridge!
Other Slow-Cooker Recipes
Besides this ham in a slow cooker, check out these:
PIN AND ENJOY!
BEST Slow Cooker Ham
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker 6-quart
- 1 pastry brush
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 7 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham, fully cooked , fully cooked
- ½ cup orange juice , divided. You may use pineapple juice instead. To make it KETO, use chicken broth though.
- ½ cup brown sugar To make this brown sugar glaze for ham KETO, use Swerve Brown Sugar Substitute.
- 1 ¼ cups orange marmalade To make it KETO, use a sugar-free marmalade instead.
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce Use a gluten-free soy sauce for a gluten-free recipe!
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- 1 teaspoon sriracha hot chili sauce
- Orange zest optional
Instructions
- Place the ham face down in the crockpot. Pour ¼ cup of the orange juice over the ham. Rub ham with brown sugar.
- Prepare an easy ham glaze recipe: Mix the glaze (¼ cup orange juice, marmalade, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar, spice, and sriracha) and pour over the ham, reserving about a third.
- Cover tightly, and set to cook on low for about 3-4 hours (or 30 minutes per pound). Baste the ham halfway through the cooking time and then again about an hour before the ham is done!
- About 10 minutes before the cooking time ends, heat the orange glaze mixture on the stovetop over medium heat until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Glaze slow cooker spiral ham, sprinkle orange zest on top if desired, and serve!
Recipe Notes
- Estimate about ½ pound of boneless ham per person and ¾ of bone-in ham per person.
- You can use a bone-in or boneless, whole or spiral, cured or uncured, smoked or not, ham to prepare this recipe. But keep in mind that a pre-cooked, bone-in ham will reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees F faster than either a fresh or a pre-cooked, boneless ham. Do not overcook it; otherwise, ham will be tough and dry!
- If you are serving a family of 4-5 people, a 2-3 pound ham is the best option unless you want leftovers to eat later or use to make other dishes.
- A 7-pound or less bone-in ham will fit a 6-qt. or larger crockpot. If the ham is more than 7 pounds, you may need to either cook it in a larger slow cooker or trim off a chunk of the ham to make it fit. The lid has to fit tightly to cook or reheat the ham properly.
- STORAGE: Store cool leftover ham with its juices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months.
- To make this crockpot ham low carb, replace orange juice with chicken broth, use a sugar-free marmalade, and substitute sugar-free honey or maple syrup for brown sugar.
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
This post was first published on March 10, 2020.
Josiah - DIY Thrill says
This ham looks so yummy!
Gemma says
The ham looks so delicious! The glaze sounds so lovely, and slow cooker recipes are always winners for me especially for weekday nights! xo
Denise Browning says
Hi Gemma! Yes, the glaze makes this tender ham sticky, sweet and tangy, and so delish!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
This looks SO good! Perfect for Sunday supper or a special occasion meal! Plus, I just love using my slow cooker! Thanks so very much for the shout out 🙂
Denise Browning says
My pleasure Dawn! I hope you enjoy this slow cooker ham with orange glaze as much as my family did.
JB says
Mmmm, this looks like it is going to be good. The Asian twist on the seasonings has piqued my interest and a crockpot ham sounds like it would be more convenient than making it in the oven.
Denise Browning says
Indeed! The crockpot is an easy cooking method and quite convenient during the holidays since it frees the oven for other dishes. It makes the ham tender and moist, and the glaze adds a ton of flavor to this recipe. Enjoy!
mimi rippee says
I love the Asian accent on the glaze! How fun!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love that glaze! And love how easy this recipe is. Thanks!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
This is such a great recipe idea. I'm already a big fan of preparing Ham in the Crock Pot, but your spice blend is dynamite!