Honey Baked Ham Recipe in the Slow Cooker

This easy honey baked ham recipe turns a store bought spiral sliced ham into an impressive, flavorful holiday ham. And it roasts without supervision in your slow cooker!

CROCKPOT HAM FOR ANY HOLIDAY

There are few holiday meals in the world I love more than honey baked ham. The perfectly melded combination of sweet, salty and a bit of tang, is irresistible – whether I pull it out of the oven, pile it on bread, or (let’s be real here) jam it in my mouth right out of the fridge.

While I’ve baked my fair share of hams, one of my favorite ways to cook the massive hunk of meat is in my slow cooker!

If your holiday gatherings will have ham on the menu, pull out your trusty slow cooker and save the oven for another day.

TRUST ME!

This  honey baked ham recipe is so fast and easy, you will forget all about those times struggling with huge roasting pans, giant tents of tin foil, and the expense of running your oven for hours on end.

And yes, the clove pattern is WORTH IT! You’ll be so impressed when the few minutes you spent tucking the cloves into the slices pays off with a gorgeous and attractive honey baked ham.

EASY HONEY BAKED HAM RECIPE

• Unwrap a 2 pound spiral sliced ham.
• Tuck whole cloves between the slices in an alternating pattern. You can use 20-40 cloves depending on taste.
• Place the ham, cut side down in your slow cooker.
• Whisk together 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard with 1/2 cup of honey then drizzle all over the ham.
• Cook your ham on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. If your ham is frozen, you’ll need to increase the cooking time. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is at least 140F.

TIPS FOR MAKING CROCKPOT HONEY BAKED HAM

• If you have a pre-sliced ham, you can snuggle your cloves between the slices in an alternating diamond pattern. If your ham is not sliced, just score it in a diamond pattern, with a sharp knife, and put cloves in the center of several of the diamonds. Here’s a great tutorial on how to make your diamond pattern look professional.

• Some people are not huge spice lovers, so I try to leave a few sections of ham “uncloved.” The aroma of the roasting cloves will still perfume the ham, but the flavor will be much less intense.
• When you add the ½ cup of water to the bottom of the slow cooker, be careful not to wash away all your lovely honey mustard and cloves. Ham doesn’t usually give off a lot of moisture like other types of meat, so you want to be sure to add the water to the slow cooker.
• If you notice things drying out as the ham cooks, you can always add a bit more water. If things seem too wet when it’s getting close to meal time, crack the lid to allow some liquid to evaporate.

• Since your ham was fully cooked, you’re mostly just looking to warm it through in the slow cooker. When it’s done the exterior will turn a lovely deep shade from the caramelized honey and the interior will transform into a rich pink color.

HOW TO SERVE SLOW COOKER HAM

Using the slow cooker makes this recipe incredibly versatile. It’s perfect for preparing a stress-free main dish, but is also great for those family dinners that just don’t come together.

When everyone has evening activities, I can leave the ham in the slow cooker on warm, and people can come by and assemble their plate when they have a moment. I also love this honey baked ham recipe for casual entertaining, nights one of us is working late, or when we leave the kids at home with a sitter.

This honey baked ham pairs well with pretty much any set of sides but lately our family is hooked on Balsamic Strawberry Asparagus and Easy New Potatoes.

If you make a big batch of honey baked ham like this for just the immediate family, freeze half of the meat in portions just right for your family size for quick weeknight dinners. This makes it so much less likely you’ll get tired of ham before it’s gone, and it makes things so much easier on those crazy evenings.

HONEY BAKED HAM SUPPLIES:

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NEED TO COOK YOUR HAM QUICKLY? TRY OUR PRESSURE COOKER HAM!