Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham
A cranberry orange crockpot ham is the easiest way to feed a crowd at the holidays. The ham stays moist in a sweet-tart glaze of cranberries and orange, and it frees your oven for sides and rolls.
Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes4
hours30
minutesA pre-cooked ham warms slowly in cranberry sauce, orange juice and brown sugar. The glaze reduces into a sweet-tart sauce for serving.
Ingredients
1 fully cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham (6 to 8 lb), fits a 6-quart slow cooker
1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water
fresh cranberries and orange slices, for garnish
Directions
- Choose a ham that fits in your slow cooker with the lid closed. Trim off a little if needed. Remove any plastic disc from the bone.
- Mix the cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, Dijon, orange zest, cloves, cinnamon and pepper in a bowl.
- Set the ham in the slow cooker, cut side down.
- Pour about two-thirds of the glaze over the ham and between the slices. Dot the top with the butter.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The ham is already cooked, so you are warming it to 140°F.
- Spoon the juices over the ham once or twice while it cooks, if you can.
- Move the ham to a platter and tent loosely with foil for 10 minutes.
- Pour the liquid from the pot into a saucepan. Skim off the fat, add the remaining glaze and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Slice or pull the ham from the bone, spoon the sauce over and garnish with cranberries and orange slices.
Notes
- Do not buy an uncooked ham for this recipe. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze for 2 months. Use the bone for split pea soup or beans. If your slow cooker is small, use a boneless half ham of 4 pounds and cut the time to 3 to 4 hours.
Why a slow cooker is a good fit for holiday ham
A fully cooked ham only needs to be warmed through. In the oven it can dry out at the edges before the center is hot. In a slow cooker the heat is gentle and moist, so the whole ham comes up to temperature without a dry crust. The glaze also looks pretty on a holiday table, with bright red berries against golden orange slices.
Cooking the ham in the slow cooker also leaves the oven free. At the holidays, oven space is the main problem, and with a ham in the crockpot you can bake rolls, potatoes and casseroles at the same time. It is also nearly impossible to ruin, as long as you do not cook it for too long.
Ingredient notes
Spiral-cut ham: a pre-sliced bone-in ham lets the glaze get between the slices. Check the size, because many hams are too big for a slow cooker. Hams vary in saltiness, so taste the glaze before pouring it over the top.
Whole berry cranberry sauce: it gives the glaze body and tartness. Jellied sauce works if you break it up with a whisk.
Orange juice and zest: they add brightness to the sweet glaze. Use fresh if you can. A tablespoon of grated fresh ginger also works well in the glaze, if you like a little warmth.
Brown sugar: it deepens the flavor and helps the glaze thicken. Light or dark both work.
Dijon mustard and cloves: the mustard adds tang, and cloves give the classic holiday flavor. Use cloves lightly, since they are strong.
Tips for juicy, glazed ham
Check the fit: the lid should close fully. If the ham is too tall, trim a little off the top and save it for another dish. Set the ham on a rack or a crumpled strip of foil if you want to keep it above the juices.
Do not overheat: a precooked ham only needs to reach 140°F. Use a thermometer and stop at that point. If the glaze seems thin, the cornstarch step at the end fixes it quickly.
Do not cook it all day, the most common mistake: cooking a precooked ham for ten hours dries it out and turns it stringy. Four to five hours is plenty.
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Swaps and variations
Use pineapple juice or apple cider in place of orange juice. Add a spoon of bourbon or a pinch of ground ginger to the glaze. For less sweetness, cut the brown sugar to a quarter cup. Maple syrup in place of brown sugar gives a softer, rounder sweetness.
Do not use an uncooked, fresh ham in this recipe. It needs much more time and a food-safe internal temperature of 145°F, and the glaze will burn before the meat is ready.
What to serve with it
Serve with scalloped potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls and a simple salad. Put the sauce in a gravy boat so guests can add as much as they like. Cranberry sauce on the side echoes the glaze. Warm the sauce just before serving, so it stays hot at the table.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate leftover ham in a covered container for up to 4 days. Slice it for sandwiches, or dice it for omelets and casseroles. Keep the sauce separate from the ham for storage, which makes reheating easier.
Freeze slices in zip bags for up to 2 months, with a spoon of the sauce to keep the meat moist. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat.
Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 12 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by fully cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham (6 to 8 lb), (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar
Tips for Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham
Do not buy an uncooked ham for this recipe. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge and freeze for 2 months. Use the bone for split pea soup or beans. If your slow cooker is small, use a boneless half ham of 4 pounds and cut the time to 3 to 4 hours.
Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham FAQ
How long does Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham take?
Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham takes 4 hours 30 minutes of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham serve?
This recipe makes 12 servings.
What do I need to make Cranberry Orange Crockpot Ham?
12 ingredients, led by fully cooked bone-in spiral-cut ham (6 to 8 lb), (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
