Sticky, sweet, sour and full of flavor, this recipe for slow cooking ham with orange icing is the real deal! It is rubbed with brown sugar and flavored with an Asian sauce made with orange jam, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, five Chinese spices and sriracha. The amazing flavors make it the best Easter clay pot ham recipe.

This ham

takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes per pound to reheat. This cooking method saves space in the oven for other dishes and results in a tender, juicy ham that your family will love! The recipe has bright flavors adapted from the popular Chinese orange chicken. So delicious!

Holidays are busy times for those who cook. I think we’ve all been there at least once, right?

Having options for cooking or reheating the main course, such as this orange glazed ham, in more ways than one can be quite helpful

.

You can choose to reheat a fully baked spiral ham, like our honey-baked ham, or throw it into the slow cooker and continue with your other tasks.

Although I usually bake my hams, I’m glad this time I ended up cooking it in the slow cooker. That freed up the oven for baking desserts and muffins, and for cooking and reheating side dishes.

Smart, right?

What type of ham works best in the crockpot?

😉

The hams that work best in the simple cooker are those that can fit inside it, plain and simple! To cook a fresh ham or reheat a precooked ham, the lid must fit well and securely so that the ham steames enough to reach 145°F (62°C).

What this means is that you can cook or reheat any cut of ham in the cooking pot: whether fresh or precooked, bone-in or boneless, whole or spirally sliced, cured or uncured, plain or smoked. The most important factor is size. Note that a standard-sized slow cooker (6 ct.) can fit into a bone-in ham of 7 pounds or less (boneless ham 8 pounds or less). Anything above that will require a larger cooking pot, trimming a piece of ham to fit, or cooking/reheating the ham in the oven.

When the ham doesn’t fit completely into the slow cooker, some tips use a triple layer of sturdy aluminum foil to cover the slow cooker with an airtight seal and then cover with the lid on top. I don’t agree with that! This decreases the efficiency of the cooking pot, especially if the sheet leaves gaps, which is always a risk. If that happens, say goodbye to a wet and juicy ham!

Anyway, all the above factors will influence the cooking time! Yes!!!!

What size do I need?

The size of the ham you’ll have to buy will depend on how many people you’re feeding. Calculate about 3/4 pound per person for a bone-in ham and 1/2 pound for boneless on holidays, when people tend to overeat. That means if you’re cooking a daily meal, you can cut down on that amount.

For a daily meal, plan in:

1/4 – 1/3 lb. per serving of boneless ham 1/

• 3 – 1/2 lb

. per serving of bone-in ham I find that a 2-pound bone-in ham can perfectly feed a family of four or five for a regular dinner. How to make slow cooker ham I

prefer a

bone-in spiral ham, as it retains moisture and comes pre-cut, so it’s still easy to separate from the

bone

.

But of course,

any ham that fits the slow cooker will work here.

All you need to do is:

Place the ham

1. upside down in the cooking pot

.

2. Pour half of the orange juice

over the ham.

3. Rub the ham with brown sugar

.

4. Mix the glaze and pour over the ham, reserving about a third (PIC.1

).

5. Cover well and simmer for about 3-4 hours (or 30 minutes per pound). Easy, right?
6. Suffice the ham in the middle of the cooking time and then again about an hour before the ham is ready!
7. About 10 minutes before the cooking time ends, heat the orange icing mixture on the stove over medium heat until it thickens (about 3-5 minutes).
8. We grate ham (PIC.2) and serve!

But of course, you can use pineapple, apricot, or apple jelly instead of orange jam for a simple variation of this

slow-cooked ham recipe.

You can also make this slow-cooking ham with pineapple jam and juice instead. Another option is to use 7-up or Sprite with a matching jelly. It’s all up to you!

<img src="https://www.easyanddelish.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/slow-cooker-ham-recipe-crockpot-cooking-instructions.jpg" alt="collage of two photos showing how to

make slow cooker ham” />

How do I make this

slow cooker ham without brown sugar?

Brown sugar adds depth of flavor to this slow-cooked ham recipe. But if you prefer, you can brush honey or maple syrup on the ham instead of rubbing brown sugar on it. This will make it less sweet!

For a tasty version, rub garlic powder and/or a mixture of seasonings of your choice into ham instead of brown sugar, use chicken broth instead of orange juice and balsamic vinegar instead of orange jam, and skip the five Chinese spices or use herbs. It will transform this ham into something new and exciting.

In the latter case, you can use the leftovers to make this baked rice with ham and cheese, our broccoli, ham and cheese pop cakes, and Brazilian ham and cheese enchiladas, or even to add to a feijoada recipe.

But if you make our slow cooking ham recipe as is, you can use the leftovers to make this grilled ham and brie cheese.

How long does it take to heat a ham in a cooking pot?

It takes about 30 minutes per pound over low heat to reheat a fully cooked spiral ham, with bone in the slow cooker or slow cooker, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (60°C) according to the FDA recommendation.

That means a 7-pound ham will take about 3 1/2 hours to reheat. If it’s boneless, it takes about 40 minutes per pound. The reason a bone-in ham cooks or reheats faster than a boneless one is because bones are conductors of heat.

How long does it take to cook a precooked ham?

First of all, as you can imagine, one does not cook a precooked ham. In fact, you reheat it, since it is already cooked. But the time to reheat the ham depends on the cooking method.

OVEN: It takes about 15 minutes per pound in a 275°F (135°C) preheated oven or 10 minutes per pound at 350°F (180°C) to bake a fully cooked bone-in ham.

CROCKPOT: But it will take about 30 minutes per pound for a bone and 40 minutes per pound for a boneless ham to reheat in the slow-cooker over low heat. In any case, the internal temperature should reach 140°F (60°C).

How do you cook a ham that is not precooked?

CROCKPOT: If cooking in the cooking pot, season the ham thoroughly, place it upside down in a greased cooking pot and add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom. Simmer for 8-10 hours.

OVEN: If cooking in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C), season well, place the ham upside down in a broiler lined with aluminum foil, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes per pound. If cooked at a lower or higher temperature, the cooking time will also be longer or less.

In any case, cook until a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62°C) and a maximum of 160°F (71°C) has been reached.

Keep in mind that fresh hams

require a higher internal temperature 145°F (62°C)] than precooked hams [140°F (60°C)].

Can you put ham in the slow cooker without liquid like water?

You can certainly cook meats in the slow cooker without liquids, as slow cookers create steam that stews the meat until tender. But putting about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water, broth or other liquid produces a great flavoring liquid that can be served along with ham or served as a base for the sauce.

How do you heat a spiral ham

without drying it?

You can reheat a

precooked spiral ham by placing about 1/2 cup of water at the bottom of the pan and covering tightly with aluminum foil, and then heating for 10 minutes per pound to 350°F (180°C).

If reheated in the microwave, pour some liquid and cover the loosely sliced ham with plastic wrap or lid and heat over high heat for 1 minute, Flip the dish over and heat at 1-minute intervals until reheated. That will prevent it from exploding over you!

Can I freeze slow cook ham?

yes! Place the fresh ham in an airtight container with its juices and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge!

Useful tips and tricks for slow cooker ham recipe To make this slow cooker ham recipe low-carb or ketogenic ham, replace brown sugar with a honey or unsweetened maple syrup, use a sugar-free orange jam, and substitute orange juice for water or chicken broth. If the ham doesn’t fit in the slow cooker and you don’t have a

larger slow cooker, trim a piece to fit it together and cover it tightly, or alternatively,

• consider cooking/reheating the ham

in the oven.

• You can store cold leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bags (removing most of the air) in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days or freezer for up to 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat well. As you can see, this recipe is one of those easy to freeze meals!
• To reheat without drying, add some liquid to the baking sheet, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until you reach USDA 140°F (60°C) again. Or, microwave in a safe container with a little liquid and a loose lid until hot, this will help maintain moisture, but also ventilate enough so that the lid does not come off in the microwave.
• Be sure to let the ham sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting to seal the juices.
• To cut ham, place it on a flat surface, with the flat side facing down. If it is whole just cut against the grain. If pre-cut, run a sharp knife between the slices near and around the bone to separate them.

What

to serve with ham

You can serve this slow cooker ham with almost any garnish. Here are a few options:

• Broccoli au gratin

(keto)

• Mexican cornbread casserole

(gluten-free) Mac with cheese (quick and easy)

• Cauliflower Mac with cheese (low

carb)

• Sweet potato puree

(gluten-free and dairy-free)

• Potato casserole (gluten-free and nut-free

)

• Low carb cookies (keto

)

• Raw salad (vegan)

Using a slow cooker to cook or reheat ham is an easy and clutter-free method… And above all, it results in a tender, juicy and delicious ham. I’m already looking forward to doing this every Easter… and Christmas, too. If you cook for a few people, these lamb chops are a great dish for Easter!

It will simplify family dinners every time you want to serve a small ham. Just put the cooking pot and forget about it!

PIN & ENJOY!