Easy Slow Cooker Glazed Spiral Ham: Your Ultimate Guide for a Perfect Holiday Meal

Imagine a holiday centerpiece so succulent and flavorful, yet so incredibly easy to prepare that it leaves you stress-free and ready to enjoy your guests. This Slow Cooker Glazed Spiral Ham recipe is precisely that. By utilizing the magic of your Crockpot, this dish practically cooks itself, ensuring a perfectly juicy, tender ham every single time. The pre-sliced spiral cut is a game-changer, allowing our rich, sweet-and-savory glaze to seep deeply into every crevice, infusing each slice with irresistible flavor from top to bottom. Forget the guesswork and endless basting; I’ve meticulously tested this method to guarantee a consistently delicious ham, making it the simplest route to holiday perfection.

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Choosing the Perfect Ham for Your Slow Cooker

Selecting the right ham is the first step towards a truly unforgettable meal. For this particular recipe, a fully cooked, spiral-sliced ham is ideal, as it’s designed for convenience and maximum flavor absorption. Most hams available in grocery stores, especially during holidays, are cured and pre-smoked, meaning they only require reheating and glazing.

• Spiral Ham: This type is pre-sliced into a spiral shape around the bone, making serving incredibly easy. More importantly, these cuts allow the glaze to penetrate deep into the meat, ensuring every bite is moist and flavorful. You won’t need to score a spiral-sliced ham, saving you a step!
• Bone-In vs. Boneless: While boneless hams are easier to carve, bone-in hams are generally preferred for their superior flavor. The bone adds depth and richness to the cooking liquid, which then becomes the base for our delicious glaze.
• Reading the Label: Be a savvy shopper! Avoid hams that are “water added” or “ham with natural juices” if possible. These hams have often been plumped with solutions that dilute their natural flavor. Look for labels that simply state “ham” for the best quality and taste.
• Size Matters: Ensure your ham fits comfortably in your slow cooker. A 7-quart slow cooker can typically accommodate an 8.5-pound spiral-sliced ham with the lid on. If your ham is slightly too large, you can cover the top tightly with foil during cooking.

Essential Ingredients for a Mouthwatering Ham Glaze

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simple yet powerful glaze. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in creating a sweet, tangy, and aromatic coating that elevates the ham to new heights. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Spiral Ham: As discussed, a fully cooked, bone-in spiral ham (around 7-8 pounds) is highly recommended for optimal flavor and convenience.
• Pineapple Juice: This is a cornerstone of classic ham glazes, providing a bright, tangy sweetness that beautifully complements the savory ham. It also helps tenderize the meat and keeps it moist during slow cooking.
• Brown Sugar or Sweetener: Whether you prefer dark or light brown sugar, or a brown sugar substitute, this provides the deep, caramelized sweetness that makes a glazed ham so irresistible. It reacts wonderfully with the heat to form a sticky, shiny coating.
• Honey: Adding another layer of complex sweetness, honey contributes to the rich texture and golden color of the glaze, enhancing its sticky quality.
• Cinnamon and Cloves: These warm spices are the heart of a traditional holiday ham. Ground cloves offer a pungent, sweet aroma, while cinnamon adds a comforting, earthy sweetness, creating an inviting fragrance as your ham cooks.
• Cornstarch: This is our secret weapon for achieving the perfect glaze consistency. Mixed with water to form a “slurry,” it thickens the cooking liquid into a luxurious, pourable glaze that clings beautifully to the ham.

To Score or Not to Score: Ham Preparation Tips

Scoring a ham involves making shallow cuts across its surface in a diamond pattern. This traditional technique serves two main purposes: it allows glazes to penetrate more deeply, and it creates a beautiful, rustic presentation, often adorned with whole cloves in the center of each diamond. However, for a spiral-sliced ham, this step is entirely optional.

I typically skip scoring spiral-sliced hams because they are already pre-cut. The spiral slices naturally create channels for the glaze to seep into the meat, ensuring excellent flavor distribution without extra effort.

If you are using a whole, un-sliced ham or simply prefer the traditional scored look for a spiral ham, here are some tips:

1. Stabilize Your Ham: Place the ham flat side down on a sturdy cutting board. This prevents it from wobbling and ensures safer, more precise cuts.
2. Make Shallow Cuts: Using a very sharp knife, make shallow cuts across the surface of the ham, about ½ inch deep. These cuts should not go too deep into the meat, only through the skin and a bit of the fat.
3. Create the Diamond Pattern: Cut straight lines all the way across in one direction. Then, turn the ham and cut lines in the opposite direction, creating a classic diamond pattern.
4. Add Whole Cloves (Optional): For an extra layer of flavor and a beautiful aesthetic, you can press a whole clove into the center of each diamond using a toothpick to secure it.
5. Ready for Glazing: Once scored, your ham is ready to soak up all that incredible glaze as it cooks.

Step-by-Step: Making Your Slow Cooker Glazed Ham

Achieving a perfectly glazed ham in your slow cooker is incredibly straightforward. The Crockpot does most of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your meal. Follow these simple steps for a truly delicious result:

1. Prepare the Ham: Carefully place your spiral-sliced ham into your slow cooker. If you have a bone-in ham, ensure it fits snugly. Pour the pineapple juice over the ham, followed by a generous sprinkle of brown sugar or your chosen sweetener. The liquid should pool at the bottom, creating a flavorful broth as the ham cooks.
2. Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover your slow cooker and cook the ham on low heat for 3-4 hours. The slow, gentle heat is key to keeping the ham moist and tender. To ensure it’s perfectly heated through, use a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone, and aim for an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Create the Flavorful Glaze Base: Once the ham is cooked, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and set it aside. Pour the accumulated liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker into a saucepan or skillet. This liquid is packed with incredible ham juices and glaze remnants, forming the perfect base for your rich glaze. Place the saucepan over medium heat.
4. Infuse with Spices and Sweetness: To the liquid in the saucepan, add the honey, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir well to combine all the flavors. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer, letting the spices release their aromas.
5. Prepare the Cornstarch Slurry: In a small separate bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk these together until you have a smooth, lump-free “slurry.” This is essential for thickening the glaze.
6. Thicken the Glaze: Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering glaze mixture in the saucepan, stirring continuously. Continue to stir until the glaze begins to thicken to your desired consistency. If it’s not thick enough after adding the initial slurry, you can prepare an additional tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of water and add it slowly, stirring until the perfect thickness is achieved. Remember, the amount of liquid from the ham can vary, so adjust the cornstarch as needed.
7. Glaze and Serve: Once the glaze is perfectly thickened, generously pour it over the warm spiral ham. Allow the ham to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in an even more tender and flavorful ham.

Slow Cooker Glazed Spiral Ham

By Brandi Crawford

There’s no stressing over this ham, the slow cooker does all the work. The spiral cut means the glaze seeps into every slice, so you end up with juicy, flavorful ham from top to bottom. Using the Crockpot is one of the easiest ways to get it right every single time. I’ve done all of the hard work and testing so you don’t have to guess. It’s perfect every time.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins

Course dinner, lunch, main dish

Cuisine American

Servings 16 servings

Calories 405 kcal

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

• 7-8 pounds fully cooked ham (I prefer bone-in and spiral cut.)
• ¾ cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup brown sweetener or sugar (Dark or light.)
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2-4 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Add the ham, pineapple juice, and brown sugar or sweetener to the slow cooker. (A 7-quart slow cooker works well for an 8.5-pound ham).
2. Cook for 3-4 hours on low heat. Ensure the ham is finished by using a meat thermometer. Insert it into the thickest part of the ham and ensure the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Once the ham has cooked, carefully pour the flavorful liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker into a saucepan or skillet. Place it over medium heat to prepare the ham glaze.
4. Add the honey, cinnamon, and ground cloves to the saucepan. Stir thoroughly to combine all the ingredients and allow them to gently simmer.
5. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until a smooth, lump-free slurry forms. (If the glaze needs further thickening, repeat this step with an additional tablespoon of each and continue until desired consistency is reached.)
6. Gradually add the cornstarch slurry mixture to the simmering glaze, stirring continuously as you pour it in slowly. Continue stirring until the glaze thickens to your preferred consistency.
7. Pour the warm, luscious glaze generously over the cooked ham. Allow the ham to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing to ensure maximum juiciness and flavor distribution.

Notes & Expert Tips

• Discard any glaze packet that may come with your store-bought ham; our homemade glaze is far superior!
• Scoring a spiral-sliced ham is not necessary as the pre-cut slices allow the glaze to penetrate effectively.
• While flour can sometimes be a substitute for cornstarch, it tends to form large clumps in this glaze, so I strongly advise against using it. Cornstarch is key for a smooth, glossy finish.
• The cornstarch and water slurry is vital for thickening the glaze. The exact amount you’ll need can vary because the volume of liquid in the slow cooker after the ham cooks will differ based on the ham’s moisture content. This liquid is packed with delicious ham juices, so adjust the slurry gradually until your glaze reaches its perfect texture.
• For a more traditional look and added spice, you can insert whole cloves into the ham (especially if you choose to score it) using toothpicks to hold them in place during cooking.
• My 7-quart Crockpot comfortably fits an 8.5-pound spiral-sliced ham with the lid closed. If your ham is too large for your slow cooker, don’t worry! You can cover the top tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil to create a seal and cook as directed.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5 pound

Calories: 405 kcal

Carbohydrates: 35 g

Protein: 27 g

Fat: 19 g

Nutrition Data Disclaimer

Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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Pro Tips and Delicious Variations

While this recipe is fantastic as written, there are always ways to customize and enhance your Slow Cooker Glazed Spiral Ham:

• Spice it Up: For a bolder flavor profile, consider adding a pinch of ground ginger or a dash of allspice to your glaze. A tiny bit of cayenne pepper can also add a subtle warmth without making it spicy.
• Citrus Zest: A teaspoon of orange or lemon zest added to the glaze can brighten the flavors and add a fresh aromatic note.
• Pineapple Rings: For a classic presentation, you can arrange pineapple rings around the ham in the slow cooker, securing them with toothpicks, before adding the liquid. They’ll absorb the ham’s flavor and become wonderfully caramelized.
• Cherry or Apricot Glaze: Instead of pineapple juice, try using cherry or apricot preserves, thinned with a bit of orange juice, for a different fruit-forward glaze.
• Basting for Extra Shine: Although the slow cooker keeps the ham moist, for an extra shiny finish, you can occasionally open the lid during the last hour of cooking and spoon some of the liquid glaze over the top of the ham.
• Serving Suggestions: Glazed ham pairs beautifully with classic side dishes like mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, green bean casserole, and sweet potato soufflé. Don’t forget some freshly baked rolls to soak up any extra glaze!

Storing and Reheating Your Glazed Ham

One of the best parts of cooking a delicious ham is the inevitable leftovers! Proper storage ensures you can enjoy them for days to come.

• Refrigeration: Once the ham has cooled, transfer any leftover slices or chunks, along with some of the glaze, into an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. In fact, many find the flavor actually improves on the second day as the ham continues to soak in all that incredible glaze.
• Freezing: For longer storage, leftover ham can be frozen. Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. This helps prevent freezer burn and makes reheating individual servings easier. Frozen ham (tightly sealed) will maintain optimal freshness and quality for 1-2 months. While it remains safe to eat indefinitely beyond that, its texture and flavor may start to degrade.
• Reheating: To reheat, gently warm the ham slices in a skillet with a little extra glaze or a splash of broth to prevent drying. You can also reheat it in the oven at a low temperature (around 275-300°F) until warmed through, covered with foil to retain moisture. For convenience, microwave individual servings.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Ham and Main Dish Recipes

• Southern Baked Ham with Pineapple
• Ham Potato and Vegetable Soup
• Air Fryer Honey Glazed Ham
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Cornish Hens
• Ham Hocks and Beans
• Traeger Smoked Ham
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Duck

More Slow Cooker Recipes

If you love the convenience of slow cooking, explore these other fantastic Crockpot recipes:

• Slow Cooker Crockpot Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Bone In Turkey Breast
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Oxtail
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Beef Roast
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Neck Bones
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Black Eyed Peas
• Slow Cooker Chili Mac
• Slow Cooker Crockpot Gumbo
• Watch step-by-step video instructions on how to make this recipe on Youtube.
• Watch the Tiktok Video here.

With this Slow Cooker Glazed Spiral Ham recipe, you’re not just making a meal; you’re creating a memorable experience. The effortless preparation combined with the irresistible flavor means you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time celebrating with loved ones. Give it a try and discover your new favorite way to prepare a holiday ham!