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Hot honey peach slow cooker ham is made with a precooked, bone-in ham smothered in a sweet and spicy glaze, and slow-cooked until tender, juicy, and caramelized. It makes a great centerpiece for holiday gatherings and is easy enough for a casual dinner on the weekend. With minimal prep, the crockpot does most of the work!
Slow Cooker Ham Recipe
We have enjoyed orange honey spiral ham for years, usually in the oven, but for the upcoming holidays, this hot honey peach slow cooker ham is on the menu and saves on oven space.
They’re similar in that we’re slow cooking a precooked spiral ham until fall-apart tender, coated with a sweet honey brown sugar glaze, but instead of just the sweetness from honey, brown sugar, and peach jam, we’re adding red pepper flakes for some heat.
As the meat heats through, the flavors absorb into every inch and the sugars caramelize giving the outer ring of every slice beautifully crisped edges.
Not only does hot honey peach slow cooker ham come together easily allowing the crockpot to do most of the work, but it’s also a great way to serve a large group. There is so much you can do with leftovers too!
Why you’ll love Hot Honey Peach Slow Cooker Ham
An anytime meal – Sure, it’s a showstopper for all your special occasions and holiday meals, everything from Easter dinner to Christmas dinner, however, it’s easy enough to prepare for your Sunday dinner crowd.
Always a hit – The aromas alone will have everyone’s mouths watering in anticipation. The flavors of the sweet and spicy glaze coating every inch of a juicy crockpot ham are unparalleled.
Great for leftovers – The next day, leftover holiday ham can be used in sandwiches, soups, salads, casseroles, you name it!
Minutes of prep time – The crockpot does most of the work freeing up space in the oven for side dishes and desserts. It’s basically effortless.
A family favorite – You can’t go wrong with hot honey peach slow cooker ham. It’s a dish everyone loves!
Equipment you’ll need
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- Spiral Ham – Use a bone-in and pre-cooked spiral cut ham. For this recipe, you should be good with anywhere between 8-12 lbs, as long as it fits in your slow cooker. I used a 10-pounder.
- Honey – The flavor depends on the variety of honey you use. Clover honey is quite subtle while regular commercial honey will be a bit sweeter.
- Peach Preserves – Peach jam, whether homemade or store-bought is what gives the ham its unique flavor. Ham pairs well with sweet and tart fruits like peaches, pineapples, apples, and oranges, so you can imagine how easy it is to swap one flavor for another.
- Brown Sugar – Adds a caramel flavor and a deeper color to the glaze.
- Red Pepper Flakes – The spice! Adjust the heat level to your liking.
- Vinegar: A bit of white vinegar helps to brighten up the sauce. The acid cuts through the sweetness and delicious a bit of tang, much like a sweet chili heat.
How to cook a precooked ham in the slow cooker
- Step One: Whisk the honey, jam, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and vinegar together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. Then, remove it from the heat.
- Step Two: Place the ham into the bottom of your slow cooker and pour half of the glaze overtop. Don’t be afraid to help brush it in between the slices.
- Step Three: Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Then, remove it and transfer it to a serving platter. Cover with aluminum foil if not quite ready to serve yet.
- Step Four: Reheat the remaining glaze and pour it over the ham before serving.
What to serve with Hot Honey Peach Slow Cooker Ham
This is a meat that pairs well with almost anything so pick your favorite sides. Sweet, savory, spicy, creamy, you name it.
If you’re preparing a feast, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole are two of my favorite comfort sides to serve.
Sometimes I’ll do some sauteed asparagus, corn on the cob, oven roasted carrots, roasted green beans, or scalloped potatoes.
If I’m feeling a little less traditional, maybe for a more casual Sunday dinner, I love to make my macaroni and cheese and jazzed up baked beans.
There are just way too many options to choose from! I mean, do you go with classic one-hour dinner rolls or slices of rosemary olive oil bread? Or both!
Tips & Suggestions 🍯🍑
- You can serve the hot honey peach slow cooker ham just as it is out of the pot but I like to pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes for some color.
- Use apple cider vinegar in place of white vinegar, if desired.
- Add some fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the glaze.
- Swap the peach preserves for pineapple juice or orange juice.
- Most often, it will come with its own glaze packet. Either toss it or keep it for something else. It’s not nearly as good!
- A dash of warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg can add another layer of flavor.
- Omit the chili flakes if you don’t want any heat at all.
How to reheat and store leftovers
How to store leftovers
Keep any leftover ham (you’ll probably have plenty) in an airtight container. Portion it out if you think you’ll want to freeze some.
How long will slow cooker honey glazed ham last in the fridge?
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze cooked ham?
You can. Keep frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
How to reheat leftovers?
Reheat smaller servings in the microwave. If you’ve got a lot, use the oven or the slow cooker to heat larger portions. Feel free to whip up some more glaze to brush overtop.
You can also enjoy this hot honey peach slow cooker ham straight out of the fridge.
FAQs
Can I use a boneless ham?
Yes, you can, however, there are a couple of things to think about before deciding.
The bone helps maintain moisture and prevents it from overcooking.
Also, when the bone is removed, the meat is formed back together again and sometimes that process can change the overall texture. It’s still great, and it can still work, it’s just different.
If you do go with a boneless ham, remember to cut down the cooking time.
What are some ways to use leftover ham?
So many ways! Heat a slice or two on a skillet and have it with your morning eggs.
Dice it up and add it to a crockpot split pea soup, ham and potato breakfast casserole, or easy sheet pan eggs.
You can also chop some up and use it in a salad, or enjoy it in a sandwich. Use it for a twist on eggs benedict, or a croque monsieur.
What size ham should I use?
It depends on how big your slow cooker is and how many people you’re serving.
The rule of thumb is half a pound of ham per person. If you want leftovers, you can up it to 3/4 lb.
The average size for a slow cooker is 6 quarts, so you’ll need to consider that too.
I happen to have a 6 quart and an 8 quart, so I have a bit of flexibility in size.
Need more delicious sides? Try these:
Click here for my entire collection of side dish recipes.
Hot Honey Peach Slow Cooker Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 18 ounce peach preserves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 10 pound spiral sliced bone-in ham
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the honey, peach preserves, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and vinegar.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and then remove the pan from the heat.
- Place the ham into the slow cooker and cover with roughly half of the glaze mixture.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
- Remove the ham from the slow cooker and place it on a serving platter.
- Reheat the glaze on low and pour over the ham.
- Optional – place the ham onto a foil lined baking sheet and place under the broiler for a few minutes to caramelize the glaze.
Notes
- Ham can be anywhere from 8-12 pounds, depending on what will fit in your slow cooker. Shown is a 10 pound ham in an 8 quart slow cooker.
- A boneless ham can also be used, just reduce the cook time.
- Adjust the heat level by reducing or increasing the amount of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
What would be difference in using smoked ham
Do you like a smoky taste?