Slow Cooked Honey Glazed Ham (Printable)

Tender ham slow-cooked and glazed with honey, brown sugar, and warm spices for rich flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Ham

01 - 1 fully cooked bone-in ham, trimmed (approximately 5–6 lbs)

→ Glaze

02 - 1 cup honey
03 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
05 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
06 - 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

→ Aromatics

09 - 1 orange, sliced
10 - 6 whole cloves

# Steps:

01 - Place the ham flat side down in a large slow cooker. Score the surface in a diamond pattern and insert whole cloves into the intersections.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, whole-grain mustard, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves until combined.
03 - Pour the glaze evenly over the ham and arrange the orange slices around it inside the slow cooker.
04 - Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours, basting occasionally with the glaze to enhance flavor and moisture.
05 - Once tender and heated through, transfer the ham to a cutting board to rest.
06 - Pour the glaze from the cooker into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened to a syrupy consistency.
07 - Slice the ham to desired thickness and brush with the thickened glaze before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It frees up your oven completely, which matters more than you think when youre juggling side dishes and desserts.
  • The slow cooker keeps the ham unbelievably moist while you do absolutely anything else for six hours.
  • That glaze thickens into something almost like candy, and people will scrape the bottom of the serving plate for it.
02 -
  • Do not skip the basting, that step is what builds up the sticky, caramelized layer on the outside.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the ham at 5 hours because you want it tender, not dried out.
  • Let the glaze reduce until it actually thickens, thin glaze just slides off and doesnt cling to the meat the way it should.
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker with parchment or a liner for easier cleanup, that glaze hardens as it cools.
  • Taste the glaze before pouring it over, if it feels too sweet, add another tablespoon of vinegar to balance it out.
  • Let the ham rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute and every slice stays juicy.
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