Slow Cooker Holiday Ham

 

Slow Cooker Ham

The smells of Granny’s Southern Cornbread Dressing, Mom’s Slow Cooker Holiday Ham, and a plethora of other wonderful aromas wafted through the house as Mom and Granny bustled around the kitchen, preparing the Holiday dinner meal.

We always had a big, traditional feast for Thanksgiving and Christmas which included dressing, deviled eggs, sweet potatoes, Pistachio Salad , ham, turkey, and several casseroles, including Granny’s Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole.

Growing up in the South, I was blessed to have many cooks in the family that knew how to throw down in the kitchen.

Every Holiday gathering was always filled with mouthwatering dishes and probably way too much food.

When I got old enough to help in the kitchen, mom started letting me make the Ham Glaze for her famous Slow Cooker Holiday Ham so I learned early on how it was done.

The first meal I ever cooked for my family at home featured this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham and Ham Glaze and I think I was around 11 or 12 years old – that’s how easy this recipe is!

 

Holiday Ham Recipe

Every year, for as far back as I can remember, my mom has made this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham for every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.

I must confess, I’m more of a ham person myself. I understand that the turkey gets a lot of attention on Thanksgiving and Christmas but I have always had more of a love for the ham.

This Slow Cooker Holiday Ham will be the Belle of the Ball at your Christmas dinner table this year, I can assure you!

I love how the slow cooker can turn a relatively cheap cut of meat into a gourmet center piece, just like this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham.

No need to spend a fortune on an expensive Christmas ham, just get a cut of meat large enough to feed your crowd (this was a little over four pounds and only cost $12!) and tasted like a $60 gourmet Honey Ham!

The ingredients for this recipe are so simple you won’t hardly believe it!

 

 

Slow Cooker Boneless Ham

If you’re looking for the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas ham, don’t spend a fortune buying a really expensive holiday ham to feed your family.

I purchased this four pound Kentucky Legend boneless, fully cooked ham at my local grocery store and by the time I was finished making the special Ham Glaze, it tasted like a million bucks!

Any fully cooked, boneless ham will work beautifully for this recipe.

You’ll also need a four quart or larger slow cooker, and to make clean up even faster, I also used a slow cooker liner, but that isn’t required.

In an effort to cut some calories, I used the Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, however, regular dark or light brown sugar works as well.

 

Crock Pot Ham

Start out by removing the plastic packaging from the ham.

Give the ham a good rinse under cool water and place it in the slow cooker.

I like to place my ham so that the skin side is up and the cut side is facing either the left or the right, but not downward.

 

 

Brown Sugar Ham in the Crockpot

Now scoop out 1/4 cup of the Splenda Brown Sugar blend and place it in a small mixing bowl.

As I said earlier, you can also use regular light or dark brown sugar if you prefer.

 

 

Ham Recipe

Once the Splenda Brown Sugar blend is added to the bowl, add in 1/2 cup of ketchup.

Any brand of Ketchup will work – we prefer to purchase a brand with no high fructose corn syrup.

 

 

Ham Glaze

Stir the brown sugar and ketchup together, stirring well and making sure no lumps remain.

You may need to use a fork or small whisk to get any brown sugar lumps out.

 

 

Easy Ham Glaze Recipe

Once the brown sugar and ketchup has been mixed together, add in 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.

At this point you might be thinking that this Easy Ham Glaze Recipe is just homemade BBQ sauce, but it is NOT!

While it might sound similar to BBQ sauce, this ham glaze actually tastes nothing like BBQ.

 

Holiday Ham Glaze Recipe

After you stir the Worcestershire sauce in, add in 2 teaspoons of reduced sodium soy sauce.

You can also use regular Soy Sauce, or use Liquid Aminos or Coconut Aminos for a healthier alternative.

 

 

Honey Baked Ham

Stir the soy sauce into the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire blend.

Make sure all ingredients are well combined and smooth – you don’t want any big lumps of brown sugar hanging out in your ham glaze!

 

 

How to Prepare a Fully Cooked Ham

Now that your Holiday Ham Glaze has been prepared, brush the glaze over the ham in the slow cooker.

I use a sauce brush to distribute the glaze over the ham, but a spoon would work as well.

I like to make sure the outside of the ham is glazed as well as the cut end.

 

 

How to Cook a Precooked Ham in the Slow Cooker

 Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 7 hours.

I don’t recommend cooking this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham on high because it won’t be as tender and juicy.

Let’s be honest, the whole point of making this in the slow cooker (other than the convenience of it all and freeing up oven space) is to have this ham so tender and juicy you can just cut it with a fork!

 

 

How to Cook a Ham in the Crockpot

Once your ham is secure and ready to cook, please don’t remove the lid for a peek inside!

Every time you remove a slow cooker lid to peek inside, it takes the slow cooker at minimum, 30 minutes to regain the heat that escaped.

Peeking can make the cook time take longer, so please resist!

 

 

Old-Fashioned Holiday Glazed Ham Recipe

Once the cook time is up, remove the lid from the slow cooker and just appreciate the magic of this moment because believe me, it is absolutely magical that you can make this wonderful Holiday Ham so effortlessly in your slow cooker!

Carefully remove this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham with two forks (One stuck in the front end and one in the back end) and place it on a large platter.

After removing from the slow cooker, carefully cut the ham into 1/4 inch thick slices.

For reference, I had a 4 pound ham and I got 10 slices out of mine.

Depending on the size of your ham and how thick or thin you cut the slices, you may have more or less servings.

 

 

Christmas Ham Recipe

Now that the ham is sliced, just fan the slices out on the platter to make it look prettier and to allow everyone to be able to pick their slice easily.

If you’re serving this ham for the holidays, I suggest serving it on a holiday themed platter for a little extra festiveness.

 

 

Precooked Ham Recipe

Last but not least, spoon some of the juice and sauce in the slow cooker over the ham before serving.

Basting the ham with the delicious Ham Glaze just before serving it gives it such a wonderful, juicy flavor!

 

 

Holiday Ham in the Slow Cooker

Now if that doesn’t have your mouth watering, I just don’t know what will!

If you’re looking for traditional Holiday side items to serve with your Slow Cooker Holiday Ham, try my Granny’s Southern Cornbread Dressing or my Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes.

 

Slow Cooker Boneless Ham

If you end up with leftover ham, you can freeze these ham slices in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to three months.

Thaw in the refrigerator and heat in a skillet on the stove to make ham sandwiches, or serve with eggs and biscuits for a wonderful breakfast!

You can also dice it up and serve with sheet pan roasted vegetables for a fast and easy dinner or work lunches.

 

 

I hope you all love this Slow Cooker Holiday Ham as much as we did and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Thank you for spending time in my kitchen today and I hope you will come back soon for more wonderful Holiday recipes!

-Amy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shared at Meal Plan Monday

Shared at Weekend Potluck

Also Shared at Foodie Friday

View at What’s for Dinner

Also view at Full Plate Thursday