Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham
I love hosting parties and finding shortcuts to cook plenty of food without too much effort. This Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham with Orange Glaze is one of my favorite holiday meals, perfect for Easter or Christmas. The best part? Its practically effortless, with only 15 minutes of prep, the slow cooker does the rest of the work.
Whenever I make this ham, it turns out juicy, tender, and every single bite is packed with flavor. Bonus points that my house smells amazing as it cooks. I love this recipe since I dont have to keep an eye on it, and my oven is free to make other delicious dishes. I usually concentrate on creating an appetizer to go with it, like my rosemary-baked brie or crack chicken pinwheels, and I always serve my famous cheesy mac and cheese as a side dish.
Table of contents
This recipe is a lifesaver during the holidays; it’s always a crowd pleaser and easily becomes the centerpiece dish that impresses everyone. Since it’s a classic, it’s easy to build a menu around it. It goes with many things, from traditional mashed potatoes to fancier Duchesse potatoes. I also love it when I have lots of leftovers to make ham sandwiches the next day!
Why you will love this recipe
- Only a few ingredients: All I need is a ham, oranges, and a couple other ingredients to make the perfect Easter entrée.
- Just a few minutes of prep time: Instead of spending hours in the kitchen, I can pop it in the pot and let the slow cooker do all the work.
- The sticky-sweet glaze: With my recipe, I guarantee this glaze will win some extra compliments this year.
- It serves a crowd: This recipe serves a dozen people, so the whole family can have seconds and still have leftovers.
What you will need
- Meat: I use a fully cooked, spiral-sliced boneless smoked ham for tender, juicy meat with lots of flavor.
- Juice: The orange juice I use is freshly squeezed for a vibrant and tangy taste.
- Fruits: In addition, I use lots of grated orange peel for extra zest and three orange slices to place on top.
- Orange glaze: For the orange glaze, I use my homemade orange marmalade made with fresh oranges, lemons, and a bit of sugar. I also add a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon.
- Sweetener: To add a rich, sweet flavor, I use more packed brown sugar and molasses that stick to the meat, also helping to caramelize and tenderize it.
How to make
- Mix the juice: First, I mix the glaze ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined, setting aside 1/2 cup.
- Coat the ham: Next, I slice the ham down to one inch from the bottom and place it sliced side up in the slow cooker. This allows me to pour the brown sugar mixture on top, spreading it out and into the slices so that they are all covered. Then, I spread the remaining 1/2 cup of glaze between the slices and covered the top of the ham with the remaining half cup of brown sugar, rubbing it in well before topping it with the orange slices.
- Cook and serve: Now, I cover it and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Since it is pre-cooked, it doesn’t take long, but I like to open it a few times and pour juices over the ham to keep it moist.
Expert tip
The right kind of ham
I highly recommend spiral-sliced ham because it absorbs more juices and cooks more evenly. I also would not use anything but pre-cooked ham. Raw ham cooked in a slow cooker takes about 8 to 9 hours. I would rather heat it for a few hours to infuse it with flavors and juices. Boneless ham is another one of my preferences because it’s easier to serve and heats up faster. Just remember, a 10-pound ham is about the biggest ham that will fit in an eight-quart slow cooker.
More tips to consider
- Make sure the ham fits in the slow cooker before getting it all set up.
- For a crispy, sugary crust, place the ham in the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
- If the glaze becomes too watery, add a cornstarch slurry. Two tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Be careful when zesting the orange. Avoid getting any of the white parts (pith) in it, as they taste very bitter.
- Do not overcook the ham. It is just being heated up. Overcooking it will make it dry.
- A large, fully cooked ham should take 3-4 hours to cook in the slow cooker on the low setting. If using the HIGH setting, the cooking time should be about 2 hours.
- You’ll need about 3/4 pound of ham per person for a bone-in ham. However, if you plan on hosting a larger crowd, increase the amount to 1 pound of meat per person. This way, you will also end up with plenty of leftovers.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different citrus: To change the flavor, sometimes I use lemon or lime instead of oranges. The lemon taste is absolutely tangy, and I really like it.
- Spicy ham: Because I have several family members and friends who like spicy food, I often make them their own small spicy ham with red pepper flakes and chopped jalapenos. They love it this way, a combination of sweet and spicy, and I sometimes join in.
- More fruit: Other fruits can also be added, like cranberries, pomegranates, peaches, and apples.
- Add cloves: Even if it is sliced, I can still stick cloves into my ham for extra flavor. It also looks impressive when done right.
- Other herbs and spices: Occasionally, I have added other herbs and spices, including rosemary sprigs, sweet basil, thyme, and a hint of cinnamon.
Serving suggestions:
This sweet and juicy ham is perfect for Easter dinner and goes great with my creamy scalloped potatoes, which I can make in minutes. The creamy cheese sauce and layers of tender potatoes make an excellent side dish, paired well with my green bean casserole. Together, these make a full spread of delicious food for the whole family, even on a weekday dinner.
Corn casserole is another easy side dish I like to serve with this ham because they blend so well together. It only has seven ingredients, and the creamy, rich taste makes it the perfect comfort food any time of the year. As an appetizer I serve this carrot cake cheese ball and one of my favorite Easter desserts is my adorable bunny butt cake. Not only is it cute, but it is also delicious and much easier to make than it looks.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Leftover ham can be wrapped in plastic and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: If I have a lot of leftovers, I like to separate them into small portions and freeze them in quart-sized freezer bags, wrapped in plastic to prevent freezer burn. They will stay fresh for up to three months.
- Defrost: Then, I can take out just what I need and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheating: I reheat small portions of leftovers wrapped in foil in the oven at 325 degrees F for 10 minutes or in the microwave, covered with a moist paper towel, for 60 to 90 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Overcooking ham will make it hard even if it is cooked in the slow cooker. Since ham is already pre-cooked, it should not be cooked for longer than a few hours in the slow cooker, as it is just being reheated. Also, make sure there is enough liquid on it to keep it from drying out. Dry ham also causes it to get hard.
This can also be from overcooking. When the meat is overcooked, the juices are squeezed out of the ham, and it is hard to chew. Take it out before it’s overcooked, so this doesn’t happen. Again, basting it will help prevent this too. If the ham is dry, it will be chewy, so I like to baste it several times during the cooking process.
If the top of the ham is burning as it cooks, even though it’s in a slow cooker, this could be due to the sugar in the glaze. One possible issue could be if the ham is cooked on high. I would suggest cooking it on low to keep the sugary glaze from burning or covering it lightly with foil.
Even if the ham is not overcooked and it has been soaked in glaze, how could it possibly end up dry? This can happen if it is taken out of the pot and served without letting it rest. If yours is already sliced like mine, just be sure to baste it and do not let the glaze dry out.
More slow cooker festive meals:
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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham with Orange Glaze
Ingredients
- 1/2 fully cooked spiraled sliced boneless smoked ham
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
Glaze:
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 cups orange juice
- 3 tablespoons grated orange peel from about 2 oranges
- 12 ounces orange marmalade
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 orange slices
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the glaze. Set aside 1/2 cup.
- If the ham is not pre-sliced, slice it one inch from the bottom or flat side, so the slices still hold together. Place ham flat side down in the slow cooker. Pour the brown sugar and orange mixture over it, except for the 1/2 cup that you set aside.
- Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of glaze in between the slices.
- Top the ham with the remaining 1/2 cup of brown sugar, rub it well into the ham. Top with orange slices.
- Put the lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours. Since the ham is pre-cooked, you're are only heating it and melding the flavors into it. Cooking too long will dry it out.
- During the cooking process, lift the lid a few times and use a ladle to pour the juices over the meat, keeping it moist.
- Once ready, slice ham and serve.
- Store it in an airtight container filled with the brown sugar orange glaze mixture from the crockpot.
Notes
The right kind of ham
I highly recommend spiral-sliced ham because it absorbs more juices and cooks more evenly. I also would not use anything but pre-cooked ham. Raw ham cooked in a slow cooker takes about 8 to 9 hours. I would rather heat it for a few hours to infuse it with flavors and juices. Boneless ham is another one of my preferences because it’s easier to serve and heats up faster. Just remember, a 10-pound ham is about the biggest ham that will fit in an eight-quart slow cooker.More tips to consider
- Make sure the ham fits in the slow cooker before getting it all set up.
- For a crispy, sugary crust, place the ham in the broiler for a few minutes before serving.
- If the glaze becomes too watery, add a cornstarch slurry. Two tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Be careful when zesting the orange. Avoid getting any of the white parts (pith) in it, as they taste very bitter.
- Do not overcook the ham. It is just being heated up. Overcooking it will make it dry.
- A large, fully cooked ham should take 3-4 hours to cook in the slow cooker on the low setting. If using the HIGH setting, the cooking time should be about 2 hours.
- You’ll need about 3/4 pound of ham per person for a bone-in ham. However, if you plan on hosting a larger crowd, increase the amount to 1 pound of meat per person. This way, you will also end up with plenty of leftovers.