Crock Pot Ham – Dash of Sanity

Crock Pot Ham is insanely delicious and my absolute favorite holiday recipe! Slice, serve and enjoy this traditional holiday classic.

I love this Crock Pot Ham recipe with just a few simple ingredients, 10 minutes to prepare, you are only a couple of hours away from the most delicious holiday dinner ever.

Coated with brown sugar and maple syrup, forget the seasoning packages that come with the ham, toss it and coat it up with sugar and a little more sugar and you have holiday ham perfection.

This post is sponsored by the National Pork Board, all opinions expressed are my own.

So I am just going to lay it all out there, has anyone ever overcooked a ham? Slowing raising my hand. Sad right? Like I was completely devastated three Thanksgivings ago when I put the ham in the oven covered it in the sauce package that came with it. That was the first mistake. The second mistake was not checking the temperature and just letting it cook according to package directions, which can vary per oven, eye roll.

It wasn’t until I attended the Pass the Pork Tour the last couple of years that I realized, friends, your pork can be cooked to order, and oh, yeah, buy a meat thermometer.

You see, as simple as this recipe is, you can, my friends, overcook ham. When you have it for the holiday no one wants a dried out, crinkled up piece of meat. Am I right?

So let’s start with the basics of cooking ham and pork overall.

Okay, I am a visual person so let me share this with you, the National Pork Board makes it easy to know how your pork should be cooked and look like depending on how you like it. And, friends, just like beef the cooking temperature varies on the cut of the pig, so let’s talk about that too.

What Temperature to Cook Pork?

• Medium-Rare: 145 – 150°F
• Medium: 150 -155°F – this is how we prefer it cooked
• Medium-Well: 155-160°F
• Well: 160°F – how my mom cooked it.
• 160°+ how my grandma cooked it, remember those good ole’ Bake N’ Shake recipes? My grandma and mom made them crispy tender.

Pork Cooking Temperatures for Various Cuts

• Pork Loin/Tenderloin: 145 – 160°F
• Pork Chop: 145 – 160°F
• Ham: 140°F
• Ribs: Until tender
• Ground Pork: 160°F
• Pork Shoulder: Until tender
• Cutlets: Until tender

What does tender mean when cooking meat?

When cooking meat and it says to cook until tender, it means that it is done when you can easily pull it apart with a fork or knife, meaning very little resistance.

It should cut like butter meaning smooth and easy. You should be able to easily tear a piece away from the rest of the meat.

So while the cooking temperatures are fantastic to have, you cannot measure the cooking temperature of ham by using your eyes. Trust me, I know this to be accurate. You need to use a meat thermometer. To get a juicy, tender ham for the holidays, you need one friend.

So hop on Amazon and buy a meat thermometer and let me walk you through how to use one. It will take all the guesswork out of making a delicious, juicy ham every time.

How to Use a Meat Thermometer

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, making sure not to touch any bone. I like to use an instant-read thermometer because the temperature should register within a few seconds.

Make sure not to leave your instant-read thermometer in the meat while cooking, just use it to check the temperature periodically while cooking.

If you would like to leave in the thermometer while cooking, make sure to buy one designed for that. My oven actually came with a probe that measures the meat while cooking, but I prefer to use my instant-read thermometer.

Your ham should come with directions on what temperature to cook it to, but I cook mine to 145° and then allow it to rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.

These are the basics, but you can get more tips on using your meat thermometer here.

Easy Holiday Ham Recipe

Every holiday table should be graced with this Crock Pot Ham recipe. It will become apart of our Christmas Day spread, and I will never again overcook our Thanksgiving Ham, well here is hoping, at least.

Ingredients

• Spiral-Cut Ham
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup
• Pineapple juice

How to Make Ham in a Crock Pot

Okay, sounds silly, but remove the ham from its packaging. I know you may understand that but trust me not everyone does. Discard flavoring package if it comes with one, you don’t need it.

Place it flat-sit down in a 7+ quart crock pot or slow cooker.

Rub and press in the brown sugar all of the top and side of the meat.Then pour the maple syrup and pineapple juice over the top.

Turn on the crockpot to low, place lid on and cook for 2-3 hour.

I suggest checking the temperature at 2 hours. Once it has reached 140°F hours on low heat, spoon juices over the meat, add pineapple slices or chunks from the can, and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes or until ham reaches 145° F.

Remove it from slow cooker, let it rest for 3-5 minutes then slice and serve!

As you know, if you have been following A Dash of Sanity for a while now, I love the National Pork Board and the awareness that they bring to the agricultural industry as well as raising livestock. There were so many misconceptions before, and now I am proud to raise awareness on the issues that they face.

I have learned to appreciate the food that is on my table, especially those delicious pork cuts, and now to me, pork isn’t just my mom’s pork chops. It is delicious, mouthwatering recipes that we make monthly in our home. Add this Crock Pot Ham to your holiday menu, and you know what, make it all year round. You don’t have to wait for a holiday to enjoy it.

Oh, and until the next time, here is just the most cutest pig picture ever.

Check out my recent video from our Pass The Pork Tour. You will see why I love what I do so much. Until then, learn how to make the most delicious crock pot holiday ham. XOXO San

More Delicious Pork Recipes

• Pork Tacos
• Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
• Cashew Oven Pork Chops
• Korean BBQ Ribs

Don’t forget to pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.