It was my task to make the Easter ham for our extended family celebration yesterday but I was loathe to do it in the oven because sometimes ham can get dry that way and I also had other dishes which required oven time and space. So, I thought I’d try the crock pot. But, alas, my nine and a half pound spiral sliced ham would not fit in my existing slow cooker so I went and bought a large 8 quart model. I am glad I did because it turned out the best ham I’ve ever had. The recipe can be found here https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/crock-pot-ham/ but the directions are so quick and simple that I’ll just tell ya what’s what right now.
Here’s my tip for easy but perfect ham. Rub the outside of a spiral sliced ham with about a cup or so of brown sugar. Put the ham in the crock pot, cut side down. Pour a cup of pure maple syrup (not the fake pancake kind) over the ham. Do the same with a cup of pineapple juice (or apple juice of cider of you prefer). Put the cover on the slow cooker, set to low and let it heat for three to three and a half hours. Then pour the glaze into a saucepan, heat to simmer and thicken with a corn starch slurry of one tablespoon corn starch to two tablespoons water. Pour it back over the ham on a serving platter or cut ham from the bone and return it and the glaze to the crock pot set to warm.
Super simple, gluten-free and tasty as all get-out. Enjoy.
[images courtesy of www.dinneratthezoo.com]
