Easy Crock Pot Ham With Honey and Brown Sugar Glaze

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchases through these links will not change the price you pay but we may receive a small commission. For more information, please read our privacy policy.

When I’m cooking for the holidays, the last thing I need is another dish fighting for space in the oven. That’s one reason I love this easy Crock Pot ham. It takes just a few minutes to get ready, and the slow cooker handles the rest.

The glaze is a simple mixture of honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. It’s sweet, a little tangy, and wonderful with ham. No complicated glaze packet required.

I’ve made this for holidays and for family get-togethers. It’s the kind of recipe I come back to because it doesn’t demand my attention all afternoon. And honestly, having one less thing in the oven is a gift all by itself.

Why This Crock Pot Ham Works for the Holidays

• It keeps the oven free for casseroles, rolls, and the other dishes that always seem to need it at once.
• The glaze uses pantry staples. There are just seven ingredients besides the ham.
• Very little hands-on work. Mix, pour, cover, and let the slow cooker do its job.
• Leftovers are easy to use. Ham sandwiches and sliders are practically guaranteed to disappear around here.

What Kind of Ham Should You Buy?

For this version, choose a 5 to 7 pound, commercially packaged, fully cooked, bone-in ham that will fit inside a 6-quart slow cooker with the lid completely closed. A ham that comes with a glaze packet is fine, but you won’t need the packet for this recipe.

Check the packaging before you start. Some hams are marked cook before eating or are sold uncooked. Those aren’t the same as a fully cooked holiday ham, so don’t rely on this simple reheating recipe or its timing for those products. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for the type of ham you have.

The label and an instant-read thermometer matter more than the clock. According to the USDA, a fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant should reach 140°F when reheated; fully cooked ham repackaged elsewhere should reach 165°F. See the USDA ham food-safety guide for details.

Ingredients for Easy Crock Pot Ham

• 5 to 7 pound bone-in ham: Fully cooked and sized to fit your slow cooker.
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar: Balances the sweetness.
• 1/4 cup honey: Gives the glaze a little sweetness and shine.
• 1/4 cup melted butter: Adds richness.
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce: Just enough savory flavor.
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar: Rounds out the glaze.
• 2 teaspoons ground thyme: The herb that pulls everything together.

Those are the same ingredients and amounts from my original recipe. No need to change something that works!

How to Make Ham in the Crock Pot

1. Get the Ham Ready

Take the ham out of its packaging and remove the glaze or flavor packet if one is included. Set the ham in a 6-quart slow cooker. Make sure the lid fits securely without having to force it down.

2. Mix the Honey Glaze

In a small bowl, stir together the apple cider vinegar, honey, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and thyme. That’s it. No saucepan required.

3. Pour, Cover, and Cook

Pour the glaze over the ham, put the lid on, and cook on LOW for about 6 hours, as in my original recipe. Because ham size and slow cookers vary, start checking with a food thermometer before the full time has passed so you don’t overheat or dry out the meat.

This is the hardest part of the entire recipe: leaving the lid on when the kitchen starts smelling so good. LOL. You don’t need to keep opening it to check. Every time you lift the lid, you let some of that heat escape.

4. Check the Temperature and Serve

Before serving, use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest portion without touching the bone. Follow the temperature guidance for the exact ham you bought, as described above, and let it rest briefly before slicing.

Spoon a little of the warm cooking liquid over the slices if you’d like. With the sweet and tangy glaze, it really doesn’t need much else.

My Best Crock Pot Ham Tips

• Check the fit before cooking. The lid needs to close completely. A ham that’s too tall for your slow cooker is going to be a problem.
• Don’t use the packet. The honey, vinegar, butter, and thyme glaze provides plenty of flavor.
• Use LOW, not a higher setting just to rush it. Follow your slow cooker’s instructions and check the ham’s actual internal temperature.
• Don’t overcook a fully cooked ham. You’re heating it for serving, not trying to cook raw meat.
• Use a thermometer. The goal is warm, juicy ham, not a ham that stayed in the cooker longer than it needed.

You’ll want a 6-quart slow cooker with a lid that closes securely, plus a reliable instant-read thermometer to check the ham. I’ll add a specific slow cooker shopping recommendation once I’ve verified the current product.

What to Serve With Crock Pot Ham

For a big holiday meal, I like how a slow cooker ham lets me concentrate on everything else. It pairs nicely with mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, and any of your favorite holiday sides.

If you’re also making a turkey, my Herb Butter Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey recipe uses the oven, so the ham can stay out of its way. And my Thanksgiving dinner planning guide explains how to juggle the oven, stove, and smaller appliances without losing your mind.

What to Do With Leftover Ham

If you’ve got leftover ham, don’t let it languish in the refrigerator until everyone is tired of looking at it. One of my favorite ways to use it is my Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders with Poppy Seed Dressing. They’re easy, delicious, and wonderful for lunch or a casual dinner.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within two hours. As a general rule, cooked ham leftovers should be used within three to four days or frozen. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to 165°F in an oven, microwave, or on the stovetop rather than slowly warming cold leftovers in the slow cooker. The USDA slow cooker food-safety guide explains why.

And if Thanksgiving left you with a kitchen full of dishes, my Day After Thanksgiving Kitchen Reset is there when you need it.

Crock Pot Ham Questions

Do I need to add water?

No extra water is called for in my original recipe. The glaze goes right over the ham. Just follow the recipe and your slow cooker’s directions.

Can I make this with a spiral-sliced ham?

A fully cooked spiral-sliced ham can dry out more easily if it’s overheated. If you use one, check its package instructions and temperature early. The USDA notes that spiral-sliced hams are already safe to eat cold when fully cooked and may dry out during reheating.

How long do I cook a ham in the slow cooker?

The original recipe uses about six hours on LOW for a 5 to 7 pound fully cooked ham. Timing depends on the shape of the ham and the slow cooker, so always check the temperature before serving and avoid leaving it cooking longer than needed.

Can I make this for Christmas or Easter?

Absolutely. It’s wonderful for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or just a weekend meal when you’ve got company. There’s nothing Thanksgiving-only about good ham.

Printable Crock Pot Ham Recipe

Crock Pot Ham

This ham is not only delicious and super easy but it frees up your oven for other things when you have company and at the holidays.

4.42 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Email Recipe Share Pin Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Servings 12 servings (approx.)

Equipment

• slow cooker

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 5-7 pound bone-in ham
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground thyme

Instructions

 

• Use a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Unwrap ham, and discard flavor packet.
• Put the hame into the slow cooker
• In a small bowl, combine vinegar, honey, butter, worcestershire sauce, sugar, and thyme.
• Pour mixture evenly over the ham.
• Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until heated through.

Notes

Recipe is for a commercially packaged, fully cooked 5-7 lb bone-in ham, not ham labeled ‘cook before eating.’ Check the label and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. According to USDA, fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant should reach 140°F when reheated; other fully cooked ham that was repackaged outside the plant should reach 165°F. Reheat leftovers to 165°F in an oven, microwave or on the stovetop, not in the slow cooker. Twelve servings is an estimate and depends on the size of the ham and portion sizes.

Keyword crock pot, ham, slow cooker

Tried this recipe? Let us know how it turned outMention @TwoSouthernSweeties or tag #twosouthernsweeties!

Planning Thanksgiving Dinner?

If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it turns out. There’s something awfully satisfying about a holiday main dish that doesn’t demand the oven.

Make it a great day, you deserve it!

Tracey

Be sure to leave us a comment below to let us know what you thought of this post.