Holidays, Sundays, and other occasions call for our special homemade glaze-sweetened Crockpot Ham. Always a hit, flavorful, and never dry.
A succulent ham would be the perfect addition to any Easter meal. Using our own maple and brown sugar glaze, not the ham’s grainy packet, to drizzle. The Crockpot is used to slow cook this ham, and it always comes out perfectly! For Sunday dinner, I sometimes make this simple ham in a crock pot if I can find a ham on sale. Then, we can use the leftover ham for a variety of meals throughout the week (more on that below; we have a lot of great ideas for using leftovers). This rich, sweet holiday ham looks stunning on a serving platter. You won’t want to use the flavor packet that comes with it again because the flavor is so delicious and sweet!
Ingredients in Crockpot Ham
This crock pot ham recipe could not be easier! All you need is a ham and three other ingredients to make the tastiest sauce you’ll ever try. Here’s what you need:
Spiral-cut ham: This recipe calls for an 8-10 pound boneless or bone-in ham. You can easily cook a larger ham, and double the ingredients for the sauce.
Brown sugar: About a cup
Maple syrup: For this recipe, use real maple syrup. The thick, sweet syrup will make the best glaze for the ham!
Canned pineapple juice: For best results do not use fresh pineapple juice.
Benefits of a Slow Cooker (Crockpot)
Spiral hams are delicious all year round, but they are especially good at Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. Oven space becomes a problem when preparing meals for a big Sunday dinner or even a holiday dinner. By heating the ham in the crockpot, the delicious sauce can simmer in the meat, freeing up oven space for rolls and other side dishes. The fact that the ham is not dried out when cooked in the crock pot is another advantage. The ham remains flavorful and tender. To prevent the ham from drying out before serving, you can always cover it with foil.
Best Maple Syrup for Slow Cooker Ham
I adore using real maple syrup in this recipe. It provides a maple-rich flavor that cannot be beat. Naturally, real maple syrup costs a lot, so you can use any regular breakfast maple syrup or Mrs. Butterworth’s instead. Make sure you use enough syrup. Do what you think is necessary by adding a little more! Follow your instincts. Honey is another option if syrup isn’t your thing.
INGREDIENTS
1 8-10 pound spiral-cut ham (boneless ham or bone-in ham)
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup canned pineapple juice (do not use fresh pineapple juice)
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove ham from packaging and place in a large (7+ quart) slow cooker. Discard flavor packet (if any). Place ham flat-side down in slow cooker, but if it doesn’t fit, ham can be placed on it’s side so the lid can close.
Generously rub with brown sugar all over ham. Pour maple syrup and pineapple juice over the ham.
Add lid and cook for 2-3 hours on low heat.
Spoon juices over the ham and cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
Remove ham from slow cooker and serve!
NOTES
Heating the ham in the crockpot saves oven space for side dishes and rolls and allows the meat to simmer in the glorious sauce.
Another benefit of using the Crockpot is that it doesn’t dry out the ham. The ham stays tender and flavorful.
Not a fan of pineapple juice? Try apple cider or orange juice instead.
This elegant Spanish paella goes well with a dry rosé or a crisp Sauvignon blanc.
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. large, peeled and deveined shrimp
8 oz. Spanish chorizo, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tsp. saffron threads, finely crushed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 c. short-grain rice, such as bomba or Arborio
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. lemon zest, plus 6 tablespoons juice and wedges for serving, divided
16 mussels (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 c. pitted green olives, cracked
1/2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, turning once, until browned, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to low. Add chorizo and 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until chorizo begins to crisp and release its oils, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer half chorizo to a plate.
Step 2
Increase heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, saffron, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add rice and paprika. Cook, stirring, until rice is coated, 1 minute.
Step 3
Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, 30 seconds. Add stock and 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Simmer, stirring often, until rice begins to absorb liquid, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
Step 4
Add shrimp and mussels to skillet, hinge-tips down. Cook, covered, until mussels open, shrimp turn pink, and rice is tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 5
Remove from heat and fold in olives, reserved chorizo, and remaining 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon zest and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.
Steak Diane’s official origin is unknown, but it certainly gained popularity in upscale New York restaurants in the 1950s and 1960s, just like many other classic dishes. It was lavishly served tableside with a Cognac flambé, making it the Drake Hotel’s signature dish. But don’t worry; you can make this delicious steak dinner without using the torch at home.
Tender beef (typically filet mignon or pounded sirloin) in a cream sauce flavored with beef stock, mustard, Cognac, and shallots, chives, or parsley are the components of a traditional Steak Diane. There have been many delicious variations over the years, including mushrooms! tomato paste! However, this version has a few modern twists to add even more flavor and is pretty close to the original.
Although covering an expensive, seared steak in brown sauce may seem counterintuitive and distinctly 1950s, beef tenderloin is actually an excellent candidate for this savory, saucy treatment.
Baste away.
Basting the filets with garlic- and thyme-infused butter, which is typically reserved for thicker, longer-cooking steaks, adds a subtle layer of flavor that is essential to the creation of the delicious sauce.
Soy sauce is the secret.
Although unorthodox, adding soy sauce to the mustard and Worcestershire gives the dish a more complex umami flavor. Make sure to use unsalted butter and beef stock that does not contain salt to prevent this dish from becoming a salt bomb.
Do I really need to flambé?
Sincerely, no. The alcohol will simply evaporate when deglazed over high heat, easing some of the pressure that comes with alcohol and open flame. Follow these easy steps for flambé fun if you’re making this for a dinner party, fancy date night, or just because you can’t resist the show:
In a small saucepan next to the stove, gently warm the Cognac over low heat before adding the shallots. This must not simmer; You don’t want to see it go down.
Remove the pan from the heat after the shallots and garlic have been cooked, and then add the Cognac. With a long match or a grill lighter, carefully light the Cognac on fire after returning to the heat. Swirl the pan gently until all of the flame is gone and the alcohol has completely evaporated. Continue using the mustard and reduced broth mixture.
Ingredients
1c.no-salt beef stock
1tbsp.Dijon mustard
1tbsp.Worcestershire sauce
11/2tsp.soy sauce
4(4-5 -oz.) beef tenderloin steaks, about 1” thick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp.extra-virgin olive oil
2tbsp.unsalted butter
4cloves garlic, divided— 2 smashed and 2 minced
2sprigs thyme
1large shallot, minced (about 1/2 cup)
1scallion, green and white separated, both minced
1/4c.Cognac
1/2c.heavy cream
1tbsp.fresh parsley, finely chopped
Directions
Step 1
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the beef broth to a gentle boil and reduce until ½ cup remains, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the Dijon, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl, and whisk until combined.
Step 2
Pat steaks dry with a paper towel, and season each steak with a pinch of salt and ¼ tsp coarse ground black pepper on each side, gently pressing the pepper into the steak to help it adhere. Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter, swirling to coat. (Be sure to keep an eye on the butter so that it doesn’t burn.) As soon as the butter stops sputtering and there’s a slight wisp of smoke, add the steaks to the pan and cook on one side for about 2 minutes. Turn the steaks, lower heat to medium, add the smashed garlic and thyme sprigs to the pan, and continue to cook an additional 2 minutes, basting continuously. Transfer steaks to a plate and set aside.
Step 3
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan, and return to medium heat. Cook the shallots and the minced whites of the scallions for 1 minute, with a small pinch of salt. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to medium-high, and deglaze the pan with Cognac, using a spoon or spatula to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the Cognac has almost completely evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add reduced broth and Dijon sauce mixture, and simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Whisk in the cream and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Whisk in the accumulated juices from the steak, and reduce heat to medium-low. Return steaks to pan to heat through a bit more, spooning the cream sauce over the top over each steaks for about 2-3 minutes (or until the center of steaks reach 125 degrees for medium rare, and the cream sauce has thickened slightly).
Step 5
Garnish with parsley and scallion greens. Serve with fluffy mashed potatoes.
Add a sticky syrup and a clove sauce to a juicy gammon joint that has been cooked in cinnamon-spiced stock before serving it in thick slices.
Ingredients
2kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint
2l cola (not diet)
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 stick celery, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
½ tbsp peppercorns
1 bay leaf
For the glaze
150ml maple syrup
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
pinch of ground cloves or five-spice
Method
STEP 1
Put 2kg unsmoked boneless gammon joint in a large pan and cover with 2l cola. Add 1 chopped carrot, 1 quartered onion, 1 chopped celery stick, 1 cinnamon stick, ½ tbsp peppercorns and 1 bay leaf.
STEP 2
Bring to the boil, then turn down to simmer for around 2 ½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if necessary to keep the gammon fully covered.
STEP 3
Carefully pour the liquid away, then let the ham cool a little while you heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
STEP 4
Lift the ham into a roasting tin, then cut away the skin leaving behind an even layer of fat. Score the fat all over in a criss-cross pattern.
STEP 5
Mix 150ml maple syrup, 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and a pinch of ground cloves or five-spice in a jug.
STEP 6
Pour half over the fat, roast for 15 mins, then pour over the rest and return to the oven for another 30 mins, baste half way through.
STEP 7
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 mins, then spoon more glaze over the top. Can be roasted on the day or up to 2 days ahead and served cold.
Maple Glazed Ham – this is the ham glaze you use when you want to add a special touch to your festive baked ham, but still keep it easy! The most incredible sticky glaze with the subtle fragrance of maple and hint of holiday spices, this is THE Christmas Ham recipe I make to gift and take to gatherings year after year.
Maple glazed ham
There is no reason to be daunted by the thought of making a glazed ham! It’s quite straight forward if you have someone to show you how to do it.
Here’s why this Maple Glazed Ham is my go-to centrepiece for holiday menus:
It makes the most wonderful, regal centrepiece – huge payoff for effort
This maple ham glaze has a touch of special that people love – but it’s 100% dead easy
It’s low risk and forgiving to make
Prep ahead or make ahead (days and days ahead!)
Economical – it’s sliced thinly, a bit goes a long way and leftovers last for ages and ages
What you need for Ham Glaze
Here’s what you need for the Maple Ham Glaze. So few ingredients, it’s magical how it transforms once baked! It’s the combination of the glaze, the caramelization of the fat on the surface of the ham and the salt in the ham itself (which is why I don’t use any salt in the glaze).
Maple syrup is what gives this ham glaze a special little touch. No one can put their finger on it – they just know it’s got something magical about it! Sub with honey in a heartbeat! No maple or honey? Make this Brown Sugar Ham Glaze!
Brown sugar adds to the caramelised flavour of the glaze;
Dijon Mustard is a thickener for the ham glaze AND adds a touch of much needed tang to an otherwise sweet glaze;
Cinnamon and all spice for a touch of festive spices;
Oranges – for a bit of liquid in the pan that’s more interesting than just using water, plus a touch of extra natural sweetness. You can’t taste the oranges in the end result once cooked. Orange juice has more flavour than just using water which adds to the flavour of the glaze and also the sauce made using the pan drippings;
Cloves – optional, for studding! I really can’t taste it so I do it for visual / traditional purposes only. Also, they are a bit impractical – you can’t freely baste as you have to dab around the cloves (otherwise you brush them off) and also you need to remove them before carving. No one wants to bite into a clove!
How to make Glazed Ham
Making Glazed Ham is a 3 step process:
Remove rind (skin) from ham;
Slather with maple glaze then bake for 2 hours, basting with more glaze every 20 to 30 minutes;
Baste loads after removing from oven – the trick for a thick, golden glaze!
1. HOW TO REMOVE RIND FROM HAM
If this is the part you’re worried about – don’t be! The skin is thick, sturdy and WANTS to come off – so it peels off with little effort, mostly in one piece!
2. BASTE AND BAKE
This part couldn’t be easier – just brush or spoon the Maple Ham Glaze all over the ham, squeeze over the orange juice then pop it into the oven to bake, spooning over reserved glaze every 20 minutes or so!
3. BASTE, BASTE, BASTE BEFORE SERVING!!
Now here’s the trick for an incredible glaze on your ham – baste LOADS after it comes out of the oven using the syrupy sauce in the baking pan! As that syrupy sauce cools, it will thicken and darken slightly in colour, so as you brush or spoon it over the ham, it creates an incredible thick to-die-for glaze!
Sauce for Ham
While ham itself is seasoned well enough such that it can be eaten plain, nobody ever says no to sauce!
I used to serve ham with sauces like Cranberry Sauce, mustard, caramelised onion jam and even chutney. But then one day it dawned on me – everybody’s favourite part is the glaze. Why not just use the pan drippings which is just the excess glaze that drips down the ham into the pan? Combined with the ham juices and orange juice, it transforms into a fantastic sauce to drizzle over the ham!
How to serve ham
Here’s how I serve ham – in fact, how I served it on the weekend at a Christmas Party I catered for my mother! (The only “catering job” I do each year – because I can’t say no to her )
Wrap parchment / baking paper around “handle”, and tie with ribbon (practical to hold onto for carving + looks nice);
Cover serving platter / board with green fluffage of some kind. Whatever’s good value at the shops on the day;
Place ham on the green fluff age and place quartered oranges around it (for colour). In the past, I’ve also used cherries – just depends what’s better value on the day (oranges are usually good value!);
Once the glistening ham has been admired enough (yep, I’m really that immature ), I start carving!
There’s something so iconic, so sentimental about a shiny, glistening Maple Glazed Ham taking pride of place in the centre of a festive table. It’s completely incomparable to the ham slices slapped between sandwich bread that you get over deli counters. I even know people who hate deli ham who go nuts over Glazed Ham.
Plus, as I said right up front, this is easy, easy, easy! It’s also make ahead or prepare ahead, is fabulous served warm OR at room temperature.
Don’t have maple syrup? Use honey, or make a classic Brown Sugar Mustard Glazed Ham.
Ingredients
5 kg / 10 lb leg ham, bone in, skin on (Note 1)
30 Cloves (for studding the ham, optional – mainly for decorative purposes)
2 oranges , cut into quarters (Note 2)
1 cup (250ml) water
GLAZE
3/4 cup (185ml) maple syrup (sub honey)
3/4 cup (165g) brown sugar , packed
3 tbsp dijon mustard (can sub American or other plain mustard)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp All Spice (or nutmeg)
Instructions
Take ham out of fridge 1 hour prior.
Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C fan). Arrange shelf in lower third so the ham will be sitting in the centre of the oven (rather than in top half of oven).
Place the Glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined – use whisk if needed.
REMOVE HAM RIND (SKIN)
Run small knife around bone handle, down each side of the ham, and under the rind on the cut face. (See video & photos in post)
Slide fingers under the rind on the cut face of the ham, and run them back and forth to loosen while pulling the rind back. Use knife if needed to slice off any residual rind.
Lightly cut 2.5cm / 1″ diamonds across the fat surface of the ham, about 75% of the way into the fat. Avoid cutting into the meat.
Insert a clove in the intersection of the cross of each diamond on the surface (optional).
GLAZE AND BAKING
Place the ham in a large baking dish. Prop handle up on edge of pan + scrunched up foil so surface of the ham is level (for more even caramelisation).
Squeeze the juice of 1 orange (4 quarters) over the ham. Then place them along with the remaining orange into the baking dish around the ham.
Brush / spoon half the glaze all over the surface and cut face of the ham (don’t worry about underside, glaze drips down into pan)
Pour the water in the baking dish, then place in the oven.
Bake for 1.5 – 2 hrs, basting very generously every 30 minutes with remainig glaze + juices in pan, or until sticky and golden.
Use foil patches to protect bits that brown faster than others – press on lightly, caramelisation won’t peel off with the foil.
Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. Baste, baste, baste before serving – as the glaze in the pan cools, it thickens which means it “paints” the ham even better – but be sure to save pan juices for drizzling.
SERVING AND PRESENTATION TIPS
My favourite sauce: Use pan juices as the sauce – it’s loaded with flavour! Pour into a jug and warm so it’s pourable. Thin slightly with water if required. Drizzle sparingly as the glaze flavour is intense!
Presentation: Wrap handle with baking paper and ribbon if desired. Remove cloves. Cover serving platter with lots of green fluffage, then place ham on. Surround with more quartered oranges, for colour. Let people admire before carving!
Serving: Personal preference whether to serve at room temp or warm, I like either. I also like to drizzle with pan juices – it looks messier but tastes fabulous. Slice thinly! I start slicing at the table, then finish it in the kitchen (towards end when it gets messy!)
Leftovers: See list in post for recipe using leftover ham and ham bone!
Storing: Will keep for at least a week in the fridge if properly stored using a water-vinegar soaked ham bag or pillowcase. Otherwise freeze – don’t forget the bone! See How to Store Glazed Ham for directions.
Recipe Notes:
1. HAM:
Skin (rind) on ham – Make sure you get the ham with the skin on (rind – thick rubbery skin). Between the skin and the ham is a layer of fat which is what makes this ham gorgeously sticky. There are some hams which come with the skin and fat removed. Though you can use this recipe for those hams too, you won’t get the sticky exterior you see in the photo.
Half or whole – this recipe can be used for half or whole hams.
Larger hams – For larger hams, scale the glaze by using the recipe slider (click on the Servings)
Ham quality – Buy the best ham you can afford. The more you pay, the better the quality. However, for an economical option, I can recommend the Woolworths Smoked Ham Leg for $9/kg (I used a half leg). I was very impressed with how great it was for such good value – I’ve used it for several years now. There is an even cheaper one for $6/kg – I bypassed this because it wasn’t smoked and looked a bit pale.
Cooked ham – Make sure you get a cooked ready-to-eat ham, not a raw one (also referred to as “gammon”). All ham sold in Australia in supermarkets is ready-to-eat but if you get your ham from the butcher, double check that it’s not raw. If you have a raw ham (gammon), this recipe is not suitable.
2. Oranges – you can’t taste it in the end result, it just adds more flavour into the pan drippings and the glaze the ham. If you really can’t use or stand oranges, use 1/2 cup apple or other fruit juice instead (store bought bottle is fine) and skip putting oranges in baking pan.
3. Make Ahead – Glazed Ham is excellent made ahead, it’s how I do it most of the time!
a) PREPARE THEN BAKE FRESH (100% perfect): Remove skin, cut fat, insert cloves, make glaze and store separately. Then refrigerate until required, then glaze etc and bake on the day of per recipe.
b) COOK AHEAD (99.9% perfect): Make entirely per recipe, cool. Transfer to non reactive container (do not leave in metal tray), cover sticky surface with baking paper (parchment paper) then the whole ham with foil. Scrape every bit of juice in the pan into a container. Refrigerate both for up to 5 days (longer probably ok, I’ve done 5 days).
To reheat, remove from fridge and bring to room temperature, pour sauce into pan and place ham in pan. Reheat covered loosely with foil in a 160°C/320°F oven for 40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the middle comes out warm. When the inside is warm, remove foil and baste with pan juices, then bake until the surface is sticky and golden – it shouldn’t take much longer than 10 minutes.
The juices thicken into a jelly when cool so it needs to be reheated (microwave is fine).
DO NOT MICROWAVE!!! It can make the fat diamonds “pop” and you might lose the best part – the golden, sticky surface!
4. How much ham per person – remember, ham is salty, people don’t typically eat giant slabs like steak and you slice it thinly so less goes further.
With other main dishes – 6 to 8 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10 lb ham = 30 – 40 people, about 100 – 130g / 3.4 – 4 oz per person.
As the only main protein – 5 people per 1 kg / 2 lb ham (bone in weight). So a 5 kg / 10lb ham would serve 25 people, about 150g/5oz meat per person..
Note: Ham bone with residual meat weighs anywhere 750g – 1.25 kg (1.5 – 2.5 lb). Assumed 1 kg/2lb for purpose of above.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 30 servings and all sauce is consumed (which in reality it won’t be).
A Filipino staple comfort food Mungo Guisado or Lentil Soup is a great dish to fit all types of diets.
Depending on what ingredients are used this dish can be vegan, seafood, or meaty.
Traditionally it’s made with small pieces of pork creating a meatier version to which fresh or dried shrimp for taste. The meat and seafood can be omitted for a vegan or vegetarian option. However it’s made it’s very tasty and filling, specially paired with Ukoy a deep fried shrimp fritter. The stew can also be eaten with steamed white or brown rice, that’s how I love to eat it!
Here is the traditional recipe for this simple but delicious lentil stew or Mungo Guisado.
