Crockery Ham

Slow cooker ham is the secret to keeping holiday cooking sane. The oven is busy with sides, the cooktop is jammed with pots, and a six-pound ham hogs the whole roasting setup. This method moves the ham to the crock pot, where it heats through gently for five to six hours on low without dirtying a single pan.

The metal trivet at the bottom is the move that keeps the ham from stewing in its own juices. Without it, the bottom of the ham sits in the released liquid and turns soggy. Lifted on a rack, the steam circulates evenly and the ham stays firm.

The glaze is built around currant jelly, a slightly tart, garnet-red preserve that pairs naturally with cured pork. A spoonful of vinegar sharpens the sweetness, dry mustard brings the heat that classic ham glazes need, and a pinch of cinnamon adds the warm-spice backbone of a holiday roast.

Scoring the ham in a diamond pattern and studding the intersections with whole cloves does the showy work. It looks impressive on the platter, and the cloves perfume the meat as the glaze caramelizes during the final 20 to 30 minutes on high.

Pro Tips

• Buy a fully cooked ham. The slow cooker reheats and glazes; it does not cook a raw ham safely.
• Pour off the released juices before glazing. Otherwise the glaze gets diluted and slides right off the meat.
• Score the rind no more than a quarter inch deep. Cutting into the meat dries the surface as it heats.
• Brush with the glaze every 10 minutes during the final stretch on high. Multiple coats build the glossy lacquered finish that turns slow-cooker ham into something special.

Variations

• Swap the currant jelly for orange marmalade or apricot preserves for a different fruit profile (both classic ham pairings).
• Stir a splash of bourbon or dark rum into the glaze for a smoky, holiday-cocktail edge.
• Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the glaze along with the dry mustard for a sharper, more savory finish.