Christmas Recipes and Ideas | Easter | Main Dish | Spring | Winter
ByStephanie Wilson
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Trust me, this easy Slow Cooker Holiday Ham recipe with a spiced maple glaze will change the way you cook ham for the holidays! The slow cooker makes it so easy to cook the ham perfectly every time, and the Crockpot also frees up space in your oven and on the stove for other recipes!
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Have you ever tried cooking your holiday ham in a slow cooker? If so, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. This is an easy and delicious Slow Cooker Holiday Ham recipe you will definitely want to make this year.
A ham glistening with a fragrant glaze makes a deceptively dramatic dish, especially considering how simple it is to make. Cutting a diamond pattern into the skin takes just minutes and studded with cloves cooks into an elegant finish.
This ham recipe is a go-to, party dish— and will be the easiest holiday ham you’ll ever make. Cooking a ham in a slow cooker keeps it moist and flavorful without any fear of drying out.
In fact, it’s the low, slow heat of the slow cooker that gently braises the ham with a simple-to-make, succulent glaze you simply pour over the ham. In the end, it makes a delicious sauce to serve alongside the tender ham.
And a bonus… it frees up space in your oven for other holiday dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of ham should I buy?
Look for a fully cooked bone-in ham. I prefer a spiral-cut but either will work easily and deliciously. Butt-end hams tend to fit into slow cookers more readily. Before buying your ham, consider the size of your slow cooker. A 10-pound ham is the largest ham that will fit a 6-quart slow cooker.
How much ham will I need?
How many guests is a good starting point to figuring out how much ham to buy for your holiday dinner. As a rule of thumb I say 3/4 to 1 pound of bone-in ham per person, or 1/2 pound of boneless ham per person. That means for a 10-person dinner, you’ll need a bone-in ham that weighs between 7.5 – 10 pounds or a 5 – pound boneless ham.
Can I use a different glaze to this spiced maple one?
Any of these simple glazes can be easily adapted for the slow cooker. Simply switch out the glaze ingredients, the cooking instructions remain the same.
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Slow Cooker Holiday Ham
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- Author: Stephanie Wilson
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
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Description
Trust me, this easy Slow Cooker Holiday Ham recipe with a spiced maple glaze will change the way you cook ham for the holidays! The slow cooker makes it so easy to cook the ham perfectly every time, and the Crockpot also frees up space in your oven and on the stove for other recipes!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- Fully cooked bone-in spiral cut ham (5 to 7 lb)
- Orange zest from about 1 orange
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (pure maple syrup)
- 4-inch cinnamon stick
- 6 cloves
Instructions
- Make the glaze: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the orange zest, juice, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cloves (unless you are studding your ham with cloves). Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Remove the cloves with a spoon and set aside.
- Coat a large oval slow cooker (6-8 quart) with cooking spray. Place the ham cut side down in the crockpot. Make sure you can put the lid on, and if not, turn the ham on its side.
- Pour the glaze over the ham, coating it as much as possible.
- Cover and cook on LOW heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the ham reads 140°F.
- Remove the ham from the slow cooker and cover loosely with foil for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the liquid from the bottom of the crockpot and transfer it to a medium-sized pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or just until thickened. Pour over the ham before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
