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Keep it simple for the holidays! A Crock Pot Ham with Cola Glaze is a classic Southern dinner recipe to feed a crowd. The moist, flavorful precooked ham is warmed in the slow cooker and basted with a sweet, spiced glaze made from brown sugar, mustard and Coke!
Yes, that’s right — you can prepare a fully cooked ham in the Crock Pot! Seriously, friends…a special holiday meal with friends and family doesn’t get much easier than this. Set it in advance, and then get out of the kitchen to enjoy your loved ones and celebrate the season!
What is a Crock Pot Ham with Coke?
This classic Southern dish includes a fully cooked ham that is basted with a sweet-and-savory glaze made from Coke! While it may seem a little odd to folks that aren’t from the South, this popular combination is full of rich flavor. The sugars in the cola make a great base for the thick glaze, which also includes brown sugar, mustard and spices. You’ll love this pair!
How to cook a precooked ham in a slow cooker:
You can make the ham glaze in advance, and then it’s just a matter of warming a precooked ham in the Crock Pot.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bone-in fully cooked ham (about 8-9 pounds)
- 1 can of Coke
- Brown sugar
- Dijon mustard
- Cinnamon and cloves
- Garlic
First, place the ham in a large slow cooker. I used a Smithfield Spiral Sliced Hickory Smoked Ham here, but you can use any similar bone-in fully cooked ham (spiral sliced or whole).
Next, prepare the glaze with Coke, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, cinnamon and cloves.
Once the glaze simmers and reduces for about 20 minutes, remove the garlic cloves.
At this point, you can store the ham glaze in a jar in the refrigerator for a few days, or you can pour it over the ham and cook the meat right away.
Cover the lid and cook the ham on LOW for 3-4 hours, or until warmed through. Be sure to baste the ham with the glaze every hour or so. This gives it great flavor and keeps the meat really moist!
When the ham is done, remove it to a serving platter and transfer the glaze to a saucepan on the stovetop.
This final step is optional, but I like to thicken the juices with cornstarch, and then serve the thickened Cola glaze with the meat. It’s the perfect finishing touch on your holiday table!
What to serve with Crock Pot Ham:
There are so many delicious sides that go well with Coca Cola ham. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Southern Collard Greens
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Southern Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
- Easy Creamed Spinach Casserole
- Orange Pineapple Fluff Salad
- Cranberry Salad
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Prep ahead: You can make the Cola glaze in advance, place it in a jar with a lid, and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days before using with the ham.
- How do you keep a spiral ham moist? If using a sliced ham, make sure that you baste the ham glaze in between the slices as much as possible to keep the meat moist. The slow cooker also helps to hold in the moisture!
- How much ham per person? It’s safe to estimate about 3/4 pound per person for a bone-in ham. So, this 9-lb. bone-in ham would feed about 12 people.
- How long does it take to heat a ham in a Crock Pot? It will require about 3-4 hours on LOW to warm your fully-cooked ham. Every slow cooker cooks meat at a slightly different temperature; however, so it’s important to use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your ham reaches 140 degrees F.
- Can I put a frozen ham in the Crock Pot? Yes, if you have enough time, you can cook a frozen ham in the slow cooker. It will just take about twice as long! And while it will technically work, food safety experts do not recommend cooking frozen meat in a Crock Pot. This is because it takes too long for a slow cooker to reach a safe temperature of 140 degrees F when frozen meat is involved, which can lead to bacteria growth.
- How long will Crock Pot ham keep in the refrigerator? Wrapped tightly, the ham will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Can I freeze slow cooker ham? Yes! Allow the meat to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Can leftover ham be reheated? Reheat the ham in a 325-degree F oven for no more than 10 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. If I’m reheating just a small portion of ham (such as a few slices), I like to wrap it in foil before placing it in the oven (this keeps it nice and moist).
How to use leftover ham:
Take advantage of your leftovers with these easy recipes:
- Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche
- Ham, Brie and Apple Panini Sandwich
- 5-Ingredient Ham and Noodle Casserole
- Leftover Ham and Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes
- Egg and Cheese Monkey Bread with Ham
Crock Pot Ham with Cola Glaze
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-9 lb. bone-in fully cooked ham (sliced or unsliced is fine)
- 12 ounces cola (1 can)
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed and then peeled
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Place ham in a slow cooker. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine cola, brown sugar, mustard, cinnamon, cloves and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes (to allow glaze to reduce), whisking frequently. Remove garlic cloves.
- Pour glaze over the ham. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or until a thermometer registers 140 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the ham. Transfer ham to serving platter.
- Pour liquid from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 4 teaspoons of cold water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook (stirring regularly) for 6-8 minutes (or until thickened). Pour glaze over ham and serve!
Notes
- Prep ahead: You can make the Cola glaze in advance, place it in a jar with a lid, and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days before using with the ham.
- How do you keep a spiral ham moist? You can use either a spiral-sliced ham (which I’ve shown here), or an unsliced ham. If using the sliced ham, make sure that you baste the ham glaze in between the slices as much as possible to keep the meat moist. The slow cooker also helps to hold in the moisture!
- How much ham per person? It’s safe to estimate about 3/4 pound per person for a bone-in ham. So, this 9-lb. bone-in ham would feed about 12 people.
- How long does it take to heat a ham in a Crock Pot? It will require about 3-4 hours on LOW to warm your fully-cooked ham. Every slow cooker cooks meat at a slightly different temperature; however, so it’s important to use a meat thermometer to know exactly when your ham reaches 140 degrees F.
- Can I put a frozen ham in the Crock Pot? Yes, if you have enough time, you can cook a frozen ham in the slow cooker. It will just take about twice as long! And while it will technically work, food safety experts do not recommend cooking frozen meat in a Crock Pot. This is because it takes too long for a slow cooker to reach a safe temperature of 140 degrees F when frozen meat is involved. This gives bacteria a chance to grow.
- How long will Crock Pot ham keep in the refrigerator? Wrapped tightly, the ham will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
- Can I freeze slow cooker ham? Yes! Allow the meat to cool to room temperature, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Can leftover ham be reheated? Yes! Reheat the ham in a 325-degree F oven for no more than 10 minutes per pound, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. If I’m reheating just a small portion of ham (such as a few slices), I like to wrap it in foil before placing it in the oven (this keeps it nice and moist).
Can you use Diet Coke or Coke Zero?
Hi, DD! Unfortunately, I think it’s important to use a real Coca Cola with regular sugar in this recipe rather than a soda that’s artificially sweetened.
Hello, I’m allergic to corn. What other type of starch can be used to thicken the glaze?
Hi, Lynn! I know that some folks use arrowroot powder to thicken glazes, but I’m not familiar with how much you would need. You can also thicken with flour, though. Just start with a small amount, whisking consistently to make sure that it’s smooth, and gradually add more as necessary until the glaze bubbles and thickens.