Hosting a holiday dinner or a large family gathering often feels like a high-stakes juggling act. Between timing the side dishes, managing the oven space, and ensuring the centerpiece remains juicy, the pressure can mount quickly. This is where the slow cooker becomes your most valuable kitchen ally. Learning how to make a ham in slow cooker not only frees up your oven for rolls and pies but also guarantees a level of moisture and tenderness that traditional roasting often struggles to achieve.
Why Choose the Slow Cooker for Ham
Most hams you buy at the grocery store—specifically city hams—are already fully cooked and smoked. When you “cook” a ham, you are essentially reheating it. The biggest challenge with oven-roasting is that the dry heat can quickly turn a premium cut of meat into a salty, leathery disaster.
The slow cooker solves this by creating a sealed, humid environment. As the ham warms through, the moisture stays trapped inside the pot, gently braising the meat in its own juices and whatever glaze you choose to add. It is a hands-off approach that yields professional results with minimal effort.
Selecting the Right Ham
Before you plug in your appliance, you need to ensure you have the right piece of meat. There are three main things to consider: size, type, and bone.
The Size Factor
The most common mistake is buying a ham that simply won’t fit. Most standard slow cookers are 6 to 7 quarts and can comfortably hold a 7 to 8 pound ham. If you have an exceptionally large ham, you may need to trim a slice off the side to get the lid to close. If the lid still won’t fit perfectly, you can create a “tent” over the top using heavy-duty aluminum foil to seal in the steam.
Spiral Sliced vs. Whole
Spiral-sliced hams are incredibly convenient because they are already cut down to the bone. This allows the glaze to seep deep into every slice. However, they are more prone to drying out. If you use a spiral-sliced ham, you must be more vigilant about the cooking time. A whole (unsliced) ham takes slightly longer to heat but retains its juices much better.
Bone-In vs. Boneless
While boneless hams are easier to carve, a bone-in ham offers superior flavor. Additionally, the bone acts as a conductor of heat, helping the interior warm up more evenly. Plus, you get a ham bone to save for a future batch of split pea soup or beans.
Preparing Your Glaze
A ham is only as good as its glaze. Since the slow cooker doesn’t provide the high-heat caramelization of an oven, the glaze needs to be flavorful and slightly acidic to balance the saltiness of the pork.
A classic base usually involves a sweetener like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup. To this, you add a liquid element such as pineapple juice, apple cider, or even ginger ale. For depth of flavor, include Dijon mustard, cloves, or a splash of bourbon. The sugars in the glaze will meld with the ham’s natural juices, creating a delicious basting liquid at the bottom of the pot.
The Step-by-Step Process
- Step 1: Prep the Slow Cooker Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick spray or use a slow cooker liner for easier cleanup.
- Step 2: Score the Ham If you are using a whole, unsliced ham, use a sharp knife to score the surface in a diamond pattern about 1/2 inch deep. This allows the glaze to penetrate the fat layer. If your ham is spiral-sliced, you can skip this step.
- Step 3: Add the Flavor Base Place the ham in the slow cooker. If it is a half-ham, place it flat-side down. Pour your prepared glaze or liquid over the top. If you are using brown sugar, you can rub it directly onto the surface of the meat before adding the liquid.
- Step 4: The Low and Slow Cook Set your slow cooker to the Low setting. You should avoid using the High setting for ham, as it can cause the outer edges to toughen before the center is warm. For a typical 7 to 10 pound ham, you will need approximately 4 to 6 hours. The goal is to reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 5: Basting If possible, open the lid once or twice during the last hour of cooking to spoon the juices from the bottom of the pot back over the top of the ham. This reinforces the flavor and ensures the top doesn’t dry out.
Achieving a Crispy Finish
The only downside to the slow cooker is the lack of a “crust.” If you prefer a caramelized, slightly charred exterior, you can perform a quick finish in the oven.
Once the ham reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully transfer it to a baking sheet. Brush it one last time with the thickened juices from the slow cooker and place it under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch it closely; the high sugar content in the glaze can go from caramelized to burnt in seconds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most frequent error is overcooking. Because the meat is already cooked, you are only aiming for a safe serving temperature. If you leave a spiral ham in the slow cooker for 8 or 10 hours, the muscle fibers will break down too much, resulting in a mushy texture.
Another mistake is adding too much liquid. You aren’t boiling the ham; you are steaming it. Usually, 1/2 cup to 1 cup of liquid is more than enough, as the ham itself will release a significant amount of moisture as it heats.
Storing and Using Leftovers
Once the meal is over, don’t let those leftovers go to waste. Ham can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Leftover slow cooker ham is incredibly versatile. You can dice it for omelets, toss it into a creamy carbonara pasta, or stack it high on sliders with Swiss cheese and a poppyseed butter sauce. And as mentioned before, never throw away the bone. Freeze it in a freezer bag until you’re ready to make a hearty winter stew.
FAQs
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Can I cook a frozen ham in the slow cooker?
It is strongly recommended that you thaw your ham completely in the refrigerator before putting it in the slow cooker. Cooking meat from a frozen state in a slow cooker can keep the meat in the “danger zone” (between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit) for too long, which allows bacteria to grow. Plan for about 24 hours of thawing time for every 5 pounds of ham. -
How do I keep the ham from getting too salty?
Slow cooking can sometimes concentrate the saltiness of a ham. To mitigate this, choose a glaze with plenty of sweetness, like pineapple or maple, to balance the salt. You can also rinse the ham under cold water and pat it dry before placing it in the slow cooker to remove some of the surface brine. -
What if my ham is too tall for the lid to close?
This is a common issue with larger bone-in hams. Do not try to force the lid. Instead, take a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap it tightly over the top of the slow cooker, crimping it around the edges of the stoneware to create a seal. Place the lid on top of the foil to help weigh it down. This will keep the steam inside just as effectively as the lid alone. -
Do I need to add water to the bottom of the pot?
You do not need to add plain water, but you should add some form of flavored liquid like juice, cider, or even a bit of ginger ale or cola. This liquid provides the steam necessary to keep the meat moist and serves as the base for your basting sauce. Adding about 1/2 cup is usually sufficient. -
How long does a 10 pound ham take in the slow cooker?
On the Low setting, a 10 pound ham typically takes between 5 and 7 hours to reach the target internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Always use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the ham (not touching the bone) to ensure it is heated through without being overcooked.