Description
Savory crock pot brown sugar ham with pineapple delights family gatherings with its sweet and succulent flavor profile. Slow-cooking methods blend tropical notes and glazed ham for an unforgettable centerpiece that guests will eagerly enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (6-8 lb / 2.7-3.6 kg) fully cooked spiral-cut ham
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ cup (120 ml) honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 can (20 oz / 567 g) pineapple slices, with juice reserved
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional for a slight tang)
- 1 tsp ground cloves (optional for added warmth)
- Fresh rosemary or thyme for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Line the slow cooker base with an even layer of brown sugar, creating a caramelizing foundation for the ham.
- Fruit Arrangement: Craft a vibrant pineapple mosaic across the sugar layer, overlapping slices to create complete coverage and maximize flavor infusion.
- Ham Placement: Nestle the ham centrally within the crock pot, allowing the pineapple-sugar base to envelop and enhance the meat’s natural characteristics.
- Sugar Coating: Lavishly dust the entire ham surface with additional brown sugar, ensuring a rich, glossy caramelization during cooking.
- Liquid Enhancement: Distribute remaining pineapple slices strategically around and atop the ham, then cascade the reserved pineapple juice across the meat to amplify moisture and depth of flavor.
- Slow Cooking: Seal the crock pot and set to low heat, allowing the ham to gently transform for several hours, developing a succulent tropical essence.
- Basting Technique: Intermittently bathe the ham in its developing sauce, promoting a burnished, lacquered exterior and intensifying the overall taste profile.
- Finishing Touch: Once the ham reaches optimal internal temperature and achieves a golden-brown glaze, delicately transfer to a presentation platter and permit a brief resting period to redistribute internal juices, guaranteeing maximum tenderness and flavor concentration.
Notes
- Optimize Sugar Distribution: Spread brown sugar evenly to create a consistent caramelized base, preventing sugar clumping and ensuring uniform sweetness throughout the ham.
- Control Moisture Levels: Baste the ham regularly to maintain tenderness and prevent drying, using the natural pineapple juices to keep the meat succulent and flavorful.
- Temperature Precision: Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature, aiming for 140°F to guarantee safe cooking and prevent overcooking, which can make ham tough.
- Adjust for Dietary Needs: Substitute brown sugar with coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener for low-glycemic options, and choose a nitrate-free ham for health-conscious variations.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg