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Slow-Cooker Glazed Ham

By Dan Zuccarello

Published on October 15, 2019

Time

5 to 6 hours on low

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Glazed Ham

Ingredients

1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in half ham ½ cup packed dark brown sugar ½ cup apple jelly 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon pepper

Before You Begin

Do not substitute spiral-cut ham, as it dries out during slow cooking. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Remove skin from exterior of ham and trim fat to ¼-inch thickness. Score remaining fat at 1-inch intervals in crosshatch pattern. Place ham cut side down into slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, cover, and cook until fat is rendered and ham registers 100 degrees, 5 to 6 hours on low.
  2. Bring sugar, jelly, mustard, cornstarch, and pepper to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking often, until glaze begins to darken and is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Let glaze cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer ham to carving board, brush evenly with glaze, and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve ham and serve.
Slow-Cooker Glazed Ham

Slow-Cooker Glazed Ham

Save

Time

5 to 6 hours on low

Yield

Serves 10 to 12

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in half ham
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup apple jelly
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in half ham
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup apple jelly
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in half ham
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup apple jelly
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We lacquered hams with every thick, sticky, sugary coating we could think of, but every glaze slid right off during slow cooking. The glaze definitely needed to be applied after the ham was brought to temperature in the slow cooker. Our goal was to make a stovetop glaze that would have a thick, coating consistency without having to make a trip to the oven. Ultimately we found that equal parts dark brown sugar and apple jelly thickened with a tablespoon of cornstarch gave us the ideal consistency, along with some Dijon mustard and pepper for balancing zest. 

Before You Begin

Do not substitute spiral-cut ham, as it dries out during slow cooking. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe.

Instructions

  1. Remove skin from exterior of ham and trim fat to ¼-inch thickness. Score remaining fat at 1-inch intervals in crosshatch pattern. Place ham cut side down into slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, cover, and cook until fat is rendered and ham registers 100 degrees, 5 to 6 hours on low.
  2. Bring sugar, jelly, mustard, cornstarch, and pepper to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking often, until glaze begins to darken and is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Let glaze cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer ham to carving board, brush evenly with glaze, and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve ham and serve.

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