Slow Cooker Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham

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With just 3 ingredients, this Slow Cooker Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham is an easy holiday dinner main course! It's a simple recipe for how to cook ham in a Crockpot with a pineapple and brown sugar glaze. And oh so good!

Close up of pineapple ham in a slow cooker.

The results are absolutely delicious, with a perfectly cooked and tender ham glazed in a sweet and slightly tangy outer layer.

Ham 101

You can make this recipe with a boneless spiral ham, butt portion or shank portion ham.

While a boneless spiral sliced ham is the easiest because it is already cut for you, it it a bit pricey per pound. A butt portion ham (I wish it had another name!) is less expensive than a spiral sliced ham, but it may have a bone in it. A shank portion ham costs less than both the other options but the large shank bone means much less actual ham for you to enjoy.

Unless a ham is labeled "natural" or "fresh", they are probably already a fully cooked ham and you are basically slowly cooking it so the center becomes thoroughly heated. Be sure to read the label carefully.

Horizontal shot of cooked pineapple brown sugar ham in the slow cooker.

When it comes to holiday main courses, it doesn't have to be difficult! A couple of other easy main dish recipes are my Crockpot Chicken and Dressing or this Instant Pot Bone-In Pepper Jelly Ham.

Serve this glazed ham with Instant Pot Collard Greens for a real comforting and hearty meal. You'll love how easy it is to make it, no matter the occasion!

Shortcuts

It doesn't get much easier than this slow cooker pineapple brown sugar ham! You'll only need 3 simple ingredients, making this an easy entree worthy of Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, and more.
Reduce the amount of cooking time by at least an hour for a spiral sliced ham. It takes less time to cook.

Ingredients

What you will need to make this Crockpot brown sugar pineapple ham:

Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.

Ham - Aim for a 6 to 8 pound ham. I like to go for a butt portion or a spiral cut half.
Brown sugar
Pineapple preserves

How to make Ham in the Crockpot with Brown Sugar and Pineapple

Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.

Pro Tips

Be sure to remove any small plastic covering that sometimes covers the marrow of the bone.

An uncooked ham covered in brown sugar, sitting in the slow cooker.

Coat the ham with about a quarter cup of brown sugar.
Place the ham cut-side down in your slow cooker on a rack.

Using aluminum foil as a homemade rack in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Don't have a rack for your slow cooker? Roll some aluminum foil into a tube-like shape, then bend it into a circle. Voila! Homemade crockpot rack!

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Adding pineapple preserves to ham in the slow cooker.

Adding the lid to the slow cooker to cook pineapple brown sugar ham.

Add some of the pineapple preserves to the top surface of the ham.
Place the lid on your crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

Pro Tips

Place a paper towel directly under the the lid and it will absorb moisture so the glaze won’t wash down the sides of the ham.

Fully cooked pineapple ham in the slow cooker.

30 minutes before the ham finishes, remove the lid and spread the remainder of the brown sugar, then the rest of the pineapple preserves. Replace lid and finish cooking.

Substitutions & Variations

Trade "this" for "that" in this slow cooker brown sugar pineapple ham recipe.

Fruit preserves - If you're not a fan of pineapple or want to try out another flavor, you can use other fruit preserves. Apricot, cranberry, peach, and apple are also delicious options.
Jam or jelly - Can't find pineapple preserves? You could also use pineapple jam or my Easy Peach Pepper Jelly for similar results.
Use fruit - Instead of preserves, you could also use regular crushed pineapple in heavy syrup for your ham.

For a more browned ham, remove it from the slow cooker crock; place it on a baking sheet and broil it for 2 minutes.

Helpful Information

What makes brown sugar different from white sugar?

Brown sugar is typically just white sugar with added molasses. This gives the sugar a more complex sweetness and deeper flavor profile.

Do you put glaze on ham before or after you cook it?

This slow cooker ham is cooked with the pineapple brown sugar glaze already on to seal the flavor in, but an additional glaze is added 30 minutes before cooking is done. Because of the slow cooking process, you don't run the risk of burning the sugars like you might in the oven.

Do you cook a ham flat side down or up?

Ham halves are typically cooked, cut side (flat side) down so the fat from the top will self-baste the ham as it heats up and melts. This prevents the cut side from drying out.

Slow cooker pineapple ham in slow cooker.

What to serve with Slow Cooker Ham

Storage Tips

To Store. Store any leftovers in the coolest part of your refrigerator, loosely wrapped. If stored properly, ham can last up to 2 weeks.
To Reheat. Smaller pieces of ham can be heated in the microwave, or else the whole ham can be reheated in a baking pan with a bit of water in the bottom to avoid drying it out.
To Freeze. Allow the ham to fully cool to prevent ice from forming on the outside, then wrap well with plastic and then foil.

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If you make this recipe I'd love to see it! Tag me on social media with #gritsandgouda or @gritsandgouda. Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!

Want more holiday main dish recipes?

Instant Pot Bone-in Turkey Breast
Easy Ribeye Roast
Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap Roast