Slow Cooker Ham w/ Brown Sugar (Easy & Juicy!)

Overhead shot of a white oval serving plate with a serving fork and sliced ham surrounded by orange slices and fresh herbs. Plate is surrounded by oranges, herbs, white serving plates, and a bowl of orange marmalade.

Slow Cooker Ham w/ Brown Sugar (Easy & Juicy!)

For a crowd-pleasing holiday or Sunday supper, this EASY slow cooker ham with brown sugar is simple and delicious. Just prep in minutes, let the slow cooker do the rest, and enjoy a juicy, caramelized ham without tying up your oven!

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword crock pot, Crockpot, ham, Slow Cooker, slow cooker ham

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Servings servings

Calories 185

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

For the Glaze

½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange marmelade
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

For the Ham

1 (6- to 8-pound) bone-in fully cooked half ham
⅓ cup pineapple juice

Instructions

Make the Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, orange marmalade, and mustard to form a glaze paste.

Prepare the Ham

If your ham does not have a fat layer then it does not require any prep and you can proceed to the next step to glaze.
If your ham has both the fat layer and skin on top, trim away the tough exterior skin or rind, then trim the fat layer to ¼ inch thickness. Score the remaining fat layer in a 1-inch crosshatch pattern. See step-by-step photos for example.

Glaze the Ham

Set aside 1 tablespoon of the glaze. Rub the remaining glaze evenly over the ham.
Place the glazed ham into a 6-quart slow cooker. Carefully pour ⅓ cup of pineapple juice around the sides, being careful not to disturb the glaze. Cover and cook until the fat is rendered and ham registers 100F, about 5-8 hours on low.
Transfer ham to a cutting board, brush evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon glaze, and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Carve ham and serve.

Notes

I use orange marmelade in this because it helps the brown sugar stick to the ham and balances out the sweetness making ham not as sweet. However, you can substitute crushed pineapple in its place if you have that on hand, or apple jelly works well too.
Cook times may vary depending on your slow cooker! While a bone-in, fully cooked ham takes 5-8 hours on low to cook in the crockpot, the exact amount of time depends on the size of ham and your slow cooker. To ensure your ham is ready, cook until the fat is rendered and ham registers at 100F, but not beyond.

Nutrition