Crockpot Slow Cooker Ham

This amazing Crockpot Ham is the BEST slow cooker ham recipe! It's cooked in pineapple juice with a brown sugar glaze featuring Dijon, balsamic vinegar, and honey for an EASY holiday dinner

1. Remove ham from the packaging and discard any flavoring packet. If using a bone-in ham, check the end of the bone for a plastic cap and, if present, discard.

2. Pour the pineapple juice in bottom of a large (6- to 9-quart), oval slow cooker.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, Dijon, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a paste. Spread brown sugar mixture all over ham and place, flat side down, in slow cooker.

4. Cover slow cooker with lid and set to LOW. Cook ham for 4 to 6 hours or until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches 140°F. If desired, flip and baste the ham halfway through cooking time and again about an hour before the ham is done.

5. Once ham is done, remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm and rest for 15 minutes. Skim any fat and strain the juices from the crock pot into a saucepan. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring the juices to a simmer.

6. In a small bowl, use a fork to stir the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the pot while whisking the ham juices. Allow the mixture to bubble and thicken for a minute or two, stirring occasionally. If you desire a thicker sauce, you may make and stir in a bit more cornstarch slurry.

7. Serve the ham warm, with the sauce on the side or spooned on top.

NOTES

• You may use a bone-in ham (recommended) or boneless, whole or spiral cut, cured or uncured, smoked or not, shank, butt, or shoulder.

• To determine number of servings, estimate approximately ½ pound of boneless ham per person and ¾ pound of bone-in ham per person.

• A ham that's less than 7 or 8 pounds will probably reach 140° sooner than 4 to 6 hours. The ham is already cooked, so all you are doing is heating it through to a safe temperature and allowing it to absorb the flavors of the glaze. For example, a small 3-pound ham will probably be done in 2 ½ to 3 hours. Overcooking will lead to a tough, dry ham, even in the crock pot! You may also want to halve the other recipe ingredients if cooking a ham that's smaller than 4 pounds.

• Try to ensure that your ham is going to fit in your crock pot before buying it. However, if your ham is particularly large or of a shape that will not allow the lid of the slow cooker to properly close, trim off a chunk of ham to make it fit. As a last resort, you may cover the slow cooker with a tightly-sealed, triple layer of heavy duty foil instead. Beware of hot steam when you remove the foil!

• If you prefer an oven-cooked ham effect, you may brush the entire ham with the thickened glaze and pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes (watch it closely!) before serving.

• When thickening your glaze, do not add straight cornstarch to the hot liquid or it will clump, and do not over stir the sauce once the cornstarch has been added or it may not thicken properly.