Cook a fully trimmed-out small holiday ham in your crock pot — no oven space needed. It keeps your boneless ham juicy, tender, and hands-off — perfect for holidays. An easy brown sugar-honey glaze and a little pineapple turn it into a simple showpiece with almost no work.
⏰ Quick Answer: How Long to Cook a Small Ham in a Slow Cooker
Cook a 2-lb boneless ham on LOW for about 2–3 hours, or a 4-lb half ham for 3–4 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 140°–150°F.
Do not cook on HIGH, and a thermometer is recommended.
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- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 🐖 Ingredients
- 👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
- ⏰ How Long to Cook a Small Ham in a Slow Cooker
- 🤔 Ingredient Substitutes and Flavor Variations
- ⬆️ How to Cook a Half Ham (4 lb) in a Crock Pot
- 🍽️ Serving Glazed Ham
- ❄️ Make-Ahead and Leftovers
- ❓ FAQs
- 🐖 More Ham Recipes You’ll Love
- 📖The Recipe Card
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..."
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Sized right – A small boneless ham (quarter or half) is perfect for a smaller household with fewer leftovers or a second entrée.
- Holiday-friendly – Cooking this small ham in a crock pot frees up oven space for turkey, roasts, or sides.
- Flavorful glaze – Honey, brown sugar, and pineapple keep it moist, tender, and just sweet enough.
- Foolproof: Just heat through — you’re not cooking raw meat, so it’s almost impossible to mess up.
- Low effort – Just a few minutes of prep, then the slow cooker handles the rest.
🐖 Ingredients
- Small ham – Fully cooked boneless quarter or half ham, about 2–4 pounds.
- Honey – Brushed on for moisture and sweetness.
- Brown sugar – Packs on to form the caramelized glaze.
- Crushed pineapple – Adds flavor and provides the cooking liquid in the crock pot.
- Pantry spices – Dry mustard, ground cloves, and cinnamon for warm, classic flavor.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Cook a Small Ham in a Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
So simple — just five steps to more flavorful, juicy ham. Full instructions are in the Recipe Card at the bottom.
1. Brush ham with honey.
2. Mix brown sugar with cloves, cinnamon, and dry mustard. Pack onto the ham.
3. Place on crushed pineapple in the crock pot. Cover and cook on low.
✅ Pro Tip: You can use almost any size crock pot. If it fits without touching the sides, it works.
4. Baste occasionally and cook until 140°–150°F, about 2–3 hours.
5. Rest briefly, then slice and serve. Garnish with some of the pineapple and juices.
⏰ How Long to Cook a Small Ham in a Slow Cooker
A 2-pound quarter ham will usually take 2–3 hours on low in the crock pot. A 4-pound half ham is closer to 3–4 hours. If your ham falls somewhere between, expect the time to land in the middle of that range.
The exact time depends more on the thickness of the ham than the weight — thicker cuts take longer to warm all the way through.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 140°–150°F for best results. We are simply reheating precooked ham in a slow cooker to enhance its flavor and texture.
Avoid the high setting — the outside will dry out before the center has time to heat through. Since crock pots vary, rely on your thermometer instead of just the clock.
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🤔 Ingredient Substitutes and Flavor Variations
- Honey – Swap in maple syrup, use Dijon mustard instead, or add a touch of balsamic vinegar for tang.
- Crushed pineapple – Pineapple juice works fine if you don’t want the fruit pieces.
- Spices – Ground cloves are optional, and a little garlic powder blends nicely with the brown sugar.
⬆️ How to Cook a Half Ham (4 lb) in a Crock Pot
When cooking a half ham in the crock pot, there are a few pointers beyond just time:
- Make sure the ham fits comfortably without pressing against the sides.
- There’s already enough pineapple, so no need to increase it.
- Since the surface area doesn’t double with the weight, increase the glaze ingredients by about 50% rather than doubling.
For a 4-pound half ham, plan on about 3–4 hours on low to reach an internal temperature of 140°–150°F. Thickness matters more than weight, so use a thermometer to be sure it’s heated through.
🍽️ Serving Glazed Ham
This small crock pot ham makes a holiday-worthy centerpiece for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. It’s sized for smaller households but also works well as a second meat for a larger feast, like a Small Prime Rib Roast or Roasted Turkey Breast.
If it’s the main dish, serve it with Cheesy Potato Casserole, Baked Parmesan Asparagus, or Green Beans with Bacon.
❄️ Make-Ahead and Leftovers
You can cook the ham a day ahead if needed — just cool, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Before serving, reheat gently in a 300°F oven, covered with foil, with a spoonful of the juices or pineapple to keep it moist.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
❓ FAQs
Plan on ½ pound of boneless ham per person. For a bone-in ham, allow ¾ to 1 pound per person. A quarter boneless ham (about 2–2¼ pounds) serves around four people with a little leftover; a half ham serves about eight.
Boneless ham comes in two forms. The first is pressed pieces, like canned or deli ham — that’s not what you want here. The second is a solid, oval-shaped ham that’s vacuum-sealed in plastic. These come fully cooked in whole, half, or quarter sizes and only need reheating for flavor and texture.
Yes. Crock-Pot is just a brand name that became a catch-all for slow cookers. Any slow cooker works fine — as long as the ham fits without touching the sides.
Yes, maple syrup works beautifully in place of honey and gives a slightly deeper flavor. Use the same amount — no other changes needed.
It’s better not to. Cooking on high tends to dry out the edges before the center warms through. Low and slow (2–4 hours to 140°–150°F) gives the best texture.
🐖 More Ham Recipes You’ll Love
Cooking for just one or two? Try a quick Ham Steak in a skillet or on the grill for the same glazed flavor in minutes.
Have leftovers? Use them in Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and Ham or toss into Fried Rice.
📖The Recipe Card
Crock Pot Small Ham with Brown Sugar-Honey Glaze
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless ham - quarter precooked
- 1–2 tablespoons honey
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves - optional
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 oz crushed pineapple
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep a small crock pot with a coat of PAM cooking spray. Pour 8 oz of crushed pineapple with juices into the bottom. Use any crock pot where the ham fits without touching the sides or lid.
- Brush a quarter boneless ham with 1–2 tablespoons of honey.
- Mix ½ cup brown sugar with ¼ teaspoon of dry mustard, cinnamon, and cloves (if using). Pack the brown sugar mixture onto the ham.
- Place the ham, cut side down, on top of the pineapple. Pile any extra sugar mixture on top. Cover and cook on low.
- Every hour, spoon some pineapple and juices over the ham and check the temperature. Cook to 140°–150°F, about 2–3 hours depending on crock pot and ham thickness. Your cooking time may vary due to differences in crock pots and the size and thickness of the ham.
- Remove, rest 5–10 minutes, slice, and garnish with pineapple and juices.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Plan about ½ pound of boneless ham per person.
- If you want a 4-pound half ham, keep the pineapple the same and up the other ingredients by about 50%. It should take about 3–4 hours to cook.
- You can use almost any size crock pot. If it fits without touching the sides, it works. Larger crock pots with small hams may cook a little faster.
- You can cut the amount of pineapple in half, but it makes a great topping at the end.
- Good refrigerated for 3–4 days, storing the pineapple and ham separately. Freezes well for up to 2 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published March 19, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
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