This small crock pot ham with a brown sugar glaze is perfect for any occasion. The brown sugar blends with honey, pineapple juice, and spices to create a delicious, moist, and tender glazed boneless ham that is ideal for small households or as a second meat for holidays.
🐖Ingredients
Small ham—fully cooked boneless quarter or half ham
Honey
Brown sugar
Crushed pineapple
Pantry Ingredients—dry mustard, ground cloves, and cinnamon
Jump To (scroll for more)
Featured Comment by Laura:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"The small crock pot ham came out wonderfully…Everyone was thrilled with the taste. I was thrilled with the extra oven space, this last-minute miracle that helped me out. I will always make my ham this way..."
Learn how to cook your small ham in a crock pot and add an outstanding glaze with only 5 minutes of prep. Using your slow cooker frees up your oven space for another main entree or side dishes. Then, serve using the pineapple drippings as a garnish for extra flavor.
We use this small glazed ham recipe in our "for two" household at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter holidays. It also works as a second main course for larger gatherings. And by using a quarter or half boneless ham, we don't have to eat ham for a week.
👨🍳How to Cook a Ham in a Crock Pot—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
1. Brush a quarter boneless ham with a generous amount of honey.
2. Mix the brown sugar with cloves, cinnamon, and dry mustard. Pack the brown sugar mixture on the ham.
3. Move the ham to the crock pot on the crushed pineapple. Cover and cook on low.
4. Every hour while cooking, spoon some of the pineapple juice on top of the ham. Cook for about 2 hours to an internal temp of 140°-150°.
5. Remove from crock pot and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with some of the pineapple solution.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰How long to cook a small ham in a crock pot
A quarter ham (2 pounds) should take 2-3 hours on low in a crock pot, and a half ham (about 4 pounds) will take approximately 3-4 hours on low. Cook until an internal temperature of 140°-150°.
Time will vary by the crock pot and the size/thickness of the ham.
🤔Substitutes and options
You can substitute maple syrup or Dijon mustard for the honey.
The crushed pineapple needs to cover the bottom of the crock pot so you can decrease it. You may also substitute pineapple juice.
The ground cloves are optional.
A bit of garlic powder in the brown sugar mixing will also add some flavor.
⬆️Cooking a half ham—adjustments
You can cook a 4-pound half ham. It will work if it fits in your crock pot without touching the sides.
Keep the pineapple the same and up the other ingredients by about 50%. That should take about 3-4 hours.
🐖Other Ham Recipes
If you don't want leftovers, cook ham for one or two by cooking a ham steak in a skillet or grilling using How to Cook Ham Steak for an excellent glazed taste.
If you have leftovers, try Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and Ham or Easy Egg Fried Rice.
🍽️Serving glazed ham
Serve with side dishes of Cheesy Potato Casserole, Baked Parmesan Asparagus, Green Beans with Bacon, and Quick Dinner Rolls. Finish that special meal with Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp or Berry Crisp for Two or More.
❄️Storing leftover ham
Store the ham and the pineapple with liquid in separate airtight containers. They will be good refrigerated for 4 days or stored in the freezer for 2 months.
Reheating leftover ham is easy in a 300° oven covered with aluminum foil.
❓FAQs
Plan ½ pound of boneless ham per person. For a bone-in ham, you should plan for ¾ to 1 pound of ham per person.
A quarter mini boneless ham is 2 to 2¼ pounds, which makes 4 good-sized servings just right for the "cooking for two" household with one meal of leftovers. A half ham will be 8 servings.
Boneless ham comes in two varieties. The first is pieces of ham pressed together, which is canned or deli ham. It is not necessarily bad, but this is not what we are discussing.
The second type of boneless ham will be shaped like an oval and sealed in plastic. You can buy a whole, half, or quarter ham. So great for smaller households that don’t want to eat ham for a week.
Boneless hams are hams with the bone removed. They are already fully cooked and ready to eat, sliced or unsliced. Like bone-in hams, they are brined and salted, which makes them hard to get wrong.
📖The Recipe Card
Small Crock Pot Ham with Brown Glaze
Video Slideshow
Save this recipe link to your inbox for later!
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless ham - quarter fully-cooked
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 oz crushed pineapple
Instructions
Prep a small crock pot with a good coat of PAM cooking spray. Pour an 8 oz of crushed pineapple with the juices into the bottom of the crock pot. Most size crock pots will work as long as the ham fits without touching the sides or lid.- Brush a quarter boneless ham with a generous amount of honey, about 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Mix ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves, cinnamon, and dry mustard. Pack the brown sugar mixture on the ham.
- Move the ham, cut side down, to the crock pot on the pineapple. Pile any remaining brown sugar on top of the ham. Cover and cook on low.
- Every hour while cooking, spoon some of the pineapple solution on top of the ham and check the temperature. Cook to an internal temp of 140°-150°—about 2 hours. Your time may vary due to the difference in crock pots and the size and thickness of the ham.
- Remove from the crock pot and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with some of the pineapple solution.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Plan about ½ pound of boneless ham per person.
- If you want a 4 pounds half ham, keep pineapple the same and up the other ingredients by about 50%. It should take about 4 hours to cook.
- The crock pot I used was 3.5 quarts. This would be fine in a bigger pot. As long as the ham fits, you are fine.
- You can cut the amount of pineapple in half, but it makes a great topping a the end.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. It should also freeze well for 2 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
© 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors.
Editor's Note: Originally Published March 19, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
This Recipe Featured in the Easter Recipe Recommendation.
Juli says
So Dan, for a two pound ham I should cook in crock pot for two hours? But at what setting: low or high?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Juli,
Welcome to the blog.
For a two pound ham, about 2 but up to 3 hours on low. The variance is due to differences between crock pots and the thickness of the ham. Thicker takes longer to get to temperature. At about 2 hours check the temp and spoon some of the pineapple on top.
I clarified the wording a bit in the post and recipe card to help.
Dan
Stacy says
Very good!
Cleffy says
Make no mistake, that is still mechanically reformed ham.. Pieces of leg and fat pressed together in the same manner as the canned and deli ham you mentioned.
Jena cooks says
Buy a Cure 81 spiral cut boneless 3lb ham. Definitely not a pressed ham with lots of fat! It’s the real deal.
anne elfman says
Thank you so much for this way to cook a small ham !
Will be cooking it for Easter as I only have 2 or 3 guests
Love your recipes Dr. Dan
A happy holiday to you and yours and also to your beautiful doggies !
Sue Thoma says
I have a 5 quart oval crock pot. Do you know about how big a ham will fit in it? I'm planning on using your delicious recipe for Christmas.
DrDan says
Hi Sue,
Welcome to the blog.
What will fit in your crockpot is somewhat determined by dimensions. About a 4 pounder would fit in most 5 qt. crock pots.
If you calculate by volume, a 5 qt pat at 60% volume (the most you usually want to go) would be 3 qt. Use 1 qt for the pineapple/brown sugar etc. Then 2 qt left for the meat. There are 2 pints or 4 cup per quart.
A pound of ham will be about 2 cups, so about 4 pounds in the last 2 qt of space we have. So, I'm staying with 4 pounds or slightly bigger. I would use the same amount of pineapple. Up brown sugar and spices by 50%. Paint with the honey (you may need a bit more) It should take an hour or so more. Pay attention to the temperature.
Hope that helps. I have not done a 4 pounder but the above should be about right.
Dan
Deborah says
Hi Dr Dan, I have a 2.5 smoked honey ham. Since it’s a honey ham already how would you suggest changing the recipe or do you think it’s ok to keep just the same. Thanks for your thoughts,
DrDan says
Hi Deborah,
Welcome to the blog.
That does affect things. It is a bit sweet anyways. So taste the ham and cut back the honey and sugar. If I thought I needed to cut back 1/3, I would cut back 1/2. So overcompensate a little.
Have a good holiday.
Dan
Judy M. says
Delicious, easy, & very tasty! Put sweet potatoes (cut-skin on) at the bottom on my 4qt. crock and cooked frozen peas & carrots separately. Fantastic meal!
DrDan says
Hi Judy,
Welcome to the blog and sorry for the late reply.
I do like "dolling up" these smaller pieces of ham and making them a little special.
Glad it worked well for you and thanks for the note.
Dan
Amber says
I can only find a fully cooked small ham. Will this recipe still work? Thank you so much!
DrDan says
This is for the "fully cooked" ham. To my knowledge, that is the only way this small hams are sold.
Dan
Diane says
Dr Dan
I made a boneless 3 lb. ham yesterday in my crock pot.......delicious. My question is about the netting and if to remove it or not before cooking or after. I kept it on and removed it after cooking...................just a guess! Which way?
Thanks.
DrDan says
Hi Diane,
I would remove any net if it is plastic like. Sometimes you will have a roast with a cotton-like netting and those can be left on. When in doubt, remove it.
Glad it worked well for you.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Robin says
Hi there! Wondering...if I wanted to bake mine in the oven how long would you say? I’m thinking of scoring it and baking to get a nice crust. Either way, great recipe! Thanks :)
DrDan says
I have never done it but my guess is about 15-20 minutes per pound at 350. It is precooked so you only want to get to 140 internal temp or so. No reason to dry it out. I don't know if that will do much crust.
Kerri says
Can I put a 3lb. in the crockpot in the morning on the timer and then it sit on warm for an additional 6 hours or is that not okay? Thanks!
Kim says
You are the man Dan!!!
This is exactly what I was looking for down to the last ingredient ha ha. I will be starting my ham soon as it's barely 11am but I want to say thanx so much for posting this and I will think of you at dinner🐷🐷🐷
I❤Ham
DrDan says
It was just one of those recipes I had to do. Hope it works well for you.
Dan
Cerwyn says
I have a bigger ham to cook. Now exactly sure of the weight but like the normal size ud buy for Easter. What adjustments would I need to make for that? Thank u!!
DrDan says
Hi Cerwyn,
I have done these 1/4 hams a couple of times but never bigger. I have a link above to the recipe I modeled that was for a bigger full size ham. Check that out. It, of course, would take longer 4-6 hours. If it is the half which would be about 4 plus pounds I have suggestion above. For the 8-9 pound whole, I would probably just double what I have suggested for the 4 pound. At least as a start. But check that other recipe site though, she has done large hams and I have not...
Dan
Melissa says
Can I prep this the night before and then cook in the crock pot the next day?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Melissa,
Welcome to the blog.
The trouble with your plan is that most crockpot have ceramic inserts. They can break when moved from cold (refrigerator) to hot (crockpot).
It is a fast prep. Maybe make up the brown sugar/spice mix tonight. It will only take a few minutes to get it started tomorrow.
Dan
Lois Clements says
I just made this and it was so good and juicy...loved the juice.. Yum 😋 thanks for the recipe!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Exactly what I want the recipe to do.
Dan
Janice S. says
Found this recipe last night and made it for our new years dinner today. Didn't have nutmeg or dry mustard so improvised with a little dijon mustard instead. It came out delicious! It's only two of us so we usually don't buy a large ham. This was perfect for the 2 lb. Boars Head that we got. It will be a regular at our house! Thanks so much!
Kendall says
Dr Dan! Thank you so much for publishing this recipe. I have been looking for something like this for some time now. Also, you have an amazing BLOG. I just so happened to come across it this morning as I was searching for a Blackened Tilapia recipe (which I will be using yours tonight!). Keep up the great work.... and don't worry, I will not be asking you any questions about my health. ;) Make it a great day!
DrDan says
You look healthy from here... Nobody ever reads that...
You will love the tilapia but watch the heat factor.
Thanks for the note
DrDan