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Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham served on a plate

Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham

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This Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham features a fully cooked ham glazed with brown sugar, mustard, and cloves for a sticky-sweet crust. Scoring the ham allows the glaze to penetrate deeply while slow cooking on low heat preserves moisture and builds caramelized layers with easy hourly basting.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 6-8 lb fully cooked ham bone-in or boneless
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup mustard Dijon or yellow mustard
  • ½ cup pineapple juice or cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves or 8-10 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Slow cooker Used for cooking the ham on low heat
  • Sharp knife For scoring the ham in a diamond pattern
  • Meat thermometer To check the internal temperature of ham
  • Mixing bowl To whisk glaze ingredients

Method
 

  1. Use a sharp knife to cut ¼-inch deep diagonal lines across the ham in a diamond pattern, spacing cuts about 1 inch apart.
    6-8 lb fully cooked ham
  2. Whisk brown sugar, mustard, pineapple juice, honey, cloves, garlic powder, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until the sugar dissolves.
    1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup mustard, ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup honey, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp black pepper
  3. Pour half the glaze over the scored ham placed in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours (approximately 30 minutes per pound).
    6-8 lb fully cooked ham, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup mustard, ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup honey, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp black pepper
  4. Every hour, baste the ham by spooning the remaining glaze from the bottom of the slow cooker over the top to build caramelized layers.
    1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup mustard, ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup honey, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp black pepper
  5. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone. When it reaches 140°F, the ham is done. If under, cook another 20-30 minutes and check again.
    6-8 lb fully cooked ham
  6. Turn off the slow cooker and let the ham rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, slice against the grain, and spoon extra glaze from the slow cooker over the slices before serving.
    6-8 lb fully cooked ham, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup mustard, ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup honey, 1 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp black pepper

Notes

  • Score the ham in a ¼-inch deep diamond pattern before glazing to hold the sauce and help caramelization.
  • Baste every hour during cooking for a sticky, caramelized crust; skipping basting results in a thin glaze that slides off.
  • Use low heat to prevent drying out the ham and maintain juiciness, especially for bone-in cuts.

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