You will never cook a ham in the oven again!
Ingredients
Fully-cooked ham approximately 7 to 8 pounds (*see Notes below)
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Instructions
1. Remove ham from the packaging.
2. Pour the pineapple juice in bottom of a large (6.5- to 8-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 ham is done.
5. Once ham is done, remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. 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. 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 stir in a bit more cornstarch slurry. 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.
6. Serve the ham warm, with the sauce on the side or drizzled on top. If you prefer an oven-cooked ham effect, you may also glaze the entire ham with thickened sauce and pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes (watch it closely!) before serving.
Notes
- You may use a bone-in ham or boneless, whole or spiral cut.
- To determine number of servings, estimate approximately 1/2 pound of boneless ham per person and 3/4 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 1/2 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.
If you like more of a savory ham versus sweet, just drop both the juice and the brown sugar and use a chicken or vegetable broth in the bottom of your slow cooker to ensure the ham stays moist while it cooks.
For the rub, double the mustard and add the vinegar and the honey. You can also add crushed black peppercorns, minced garlic, and/or a little white wine to the mix as well. Mix and rub this all over the ham as instructed. Follow the directions for cooking times.
*Recipe adapted from www.fivehearthome.com