This crockpot ham with Coke is a deliciously simple way to prepare a tender, flavorful holiday or Sunday dinner centerpiece. The sweet and savory glaze made with Coca-Cola, pineapple juice, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard transforms an ordinary ham into something truly special. You only need a few ingredients and your slow cooker to create a dish that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
If you’re looking for the best Coca-Cola ham recipe, this version checks all the boxes: it’s easy to make, full of bold flavor, and perfect for feeding a crowd. The soda helps break down the meat, locking in moisture and giving each slice a delicious caramelized finish.
The sweet and tangy Coke ham glaze balances perfectly with the savory richness of the meat, making it a popular choice for Easter, Christmas, or any family gathering. Plus, using a slow cooker frees up your oven space for side dishes and desserts—making holiday meal prep a whole lot easier.
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Why We Love This Coke Ham Glaze Recipe
- Uses the slow cooker instead of the oven-perfect for holiday prep!
For a super easy main course, this recipe uses pre-cooked ham heated in the slow cooker to free up oven space. Our honey mustard slow cooker chicken is also a perfect holiday dish. - Unique and delicious pineapple glaze
The pineapple glaze creates a mouthwatering and memorable dish that the entire family will love.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Pre-cooked ham: we recommend a spiral cut ham for its ease of serving and lovely table presentation. And a wet-cured provides the best flavor!
- Coca-Cola: If you prefer Dr. Pepper over Coca-Cola, you will love our Dr Pepper ham Crock Pot recipe!
Recipe Variations
- Dark brown sugar glaze: Swap out light brown sugar for dark brown sugar to deepen the flavor of your glaze. The extra molasses content adds a rich, almost smoky caramel note that pairs beautifully with the sweet cola base.
- Maple syrup twist: Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the Coke ham glaze for a slightly woodsy, richer sweetness. This variation brings a cozy twist to the classic and complements smoky or hickory-cured hams especially well.
- Holiday dinner upgrade: For a festive holiday dinner, stud the meat with whole cloves before adding the glaze. The cloves add a warm, spiced aroma that turns this dish into a stunning centerpiece for Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Microwave safe bowl
- Slow cooker
How to Make The Best Coca-Cola Ham Recipe
- Microwave glaze ingredients.
This helps everything to combine better. Be sure to stir the glaze after microwaving. - Coat the meat thoroughly in glaze.
Once the meat is in the slow cooker, pour the glaze over the entire meat to prevent it from drying out during the cooking process. - Allow to rest after cooking.
Remove the roast from the Crock-Pot and transfer it to a plate. Drizzle some of the cola pineapple glaze mixture from the crock over the meat. Cover loosely with foil while it rests for 10-15 minutes before serving. This helps the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For plenty of extra glazes to use on top of the meat, double the Coke and pineapple glaze mixture called for in this precooked meat in the Crockpot recipe. Use half of the glaze for cooking it, then save the rest to drizzle over before serving.
To make an extra glaze for the best coca-cola ham recipe: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the cold mixture. Then, heat in the microwave until it’s bubbly. Drizzle it right over before serving.
What are the Different Types of Ham?
Let’s start with “What are hams?“. Hams are legs of pork preserved through smoking or curing (or both!).
- Wet curing uses salt, nitrates, sugar, and seasonings to preserve it. Curing is what flavors the meat, gives it that reddish-pink coloring.
- Dry-cured hams are rubbed with a mixture of salt, spices, and other ingredients producing a saltier meat. Dry curing takes several months. This means it is usually drier and chewier – almost like a soft jerky. Probably not a good match with this recipe!
After curing, they are smoked in a smokehouse, adding flavor and color to the meat. Smoking also provides an added measure of preservation.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Find out what type of ham you have by checking the label on your ham. You’ll want the best for this crockpot ham with Coke recipe!
City vs. Country Ham
The primary difference between city and country ham is how the meat is cured. City hams are wet-cured and smoked. Country hams are dry-cured and smoked. Dry curing produces a saltier.
Shank End vs. Butt End
- Shank end is the type of ham often served for Christmas or Easter dinners. The shank comes from the lower end of the leg. This cut has more fat and tends to be less tender.
- The butt end is a leaner cut. However, its name is a little misleading. Butt end ham comes from the upper end of the leg. It’s easy to cut because it has one main bone through the meat.
Boneless vs Bone-In Ham
- A bone-in ham gets more flavoring from the bone and tends to be a more moist. Plus, the bone can be used in soups and beans as a flavoring.
- Boneless are processed with a uniform round, oval shape. These are slightly less flavorful but are easily sliced for serving.
- For this slow cooker recipe, you definitely want to use a wet cured – although the exact cut is up to you.
- You can also find bone-removed hams. These have the bone removed without the processing that boneless go through.
Fully cooked vs. Partially cooked
- Most are precooked or fully cooked (but check yours to be sure). Reheat them to an internal temperature of 145º Fahrenheit to avoid drying them out.
- Our favorite ham for this recipe is precooked spiral-cut. Not only is it the easiest to serve, but it looks lovely on the table.
- While it can be a challenge keeping pre-cooked hams from drying out, re-cooking them in the Crock Pot with this cola mixture and pineapple glaze is ideal. The result is a wonderfully moist, sweet, and tender that’s perfect for enjoying on any special occasion!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this sweet and smoky ham with how to make instant mashed potatoes, kale tahini salad recipe, or roasted or steamed veggies for a satisfying dinner.
Add a side of potato dinner rolls recipe or homemade biscuits with self rising flour, which are perfect for Sunday suppers or celebrating the holidays!
Recipe FAQs
For boneless, buy 1/4 to 1/3 pound per person. If purchasing a bone-in, you want 1/3 to 1/2 pounds per person. Certainly, it’s always better to have a bit too much than not enough!
Nearly any dark sugary soda is great for creating just the right caramelization… Therefore we recommend you try slow cooker ham with Dr. Pepper or root beer, Cherry Coke, or your favorite cola.
Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sliced pieces can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in bags in the freezer for up to 4 months.
More Slow Cooker Recipes To Love…
If you tried this crockpot ham with coke recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Crockpot Ham with Coke
Equipment
- microwave safe bowl
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- 5-8 pound bone-in fully cooked ham
- 10 ounces Coca Cola
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard, any brand
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
Instructions
- Stir together the sugar, cola, mustard, and pineapple juice in a small, microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes. (*see notes about doubling ham glaze for later use)
- Place ham in the pot of the slow cooker. Pour the the glaze over the ham. If your ham is spiral sliced, be sure the glaze gets between the slices.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until ham reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF.
- Remove ham from the slow cooker and tent with foil. Drizzle ham with leftover cola mixture. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For plenty of extra glazes to use on top of the ham, double the Coke and pineapple glaze mixture called for in this precooked ham in the Crockpot recipe. Use half of the glaze for cooking the ham, then save the rest to drizzle over the cooked ham before serving.
- To make an extra glaze for the Crock Pot Ham with Coke: Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the cold mixture. Then, heat in the microwave until it’s bubbly. Drizzle it right over the ham before serving.
- Find out what type of ham you have by checking the label on your ham. You’ll want the best ham for this Crockpot Ham with Coke recipe!
- Dark brown sugar glaze: Swap out light brown sugar for dark brown sugar to deepen the flavor of your glaze. The extra molasses content adds a rich, almost smoky caramel note that pairs beautifully with the sweet cola base.
- Maple syrup twist: Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the Coke glaze for a slightly woodsy, richer sweetness. This variation brings a cozy twist to the classic and complements smoky or hickory-cured hams especially well.
- Holiday dinner upgrade: For a festive holiday dinner, stud the ham with whole cloves before adding the glaze. The cloves add a warm, spiced aroma that turns this dish into a stunning centerpiece for Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving.
- Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Sliced pieces of ham can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in bags in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
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Linda says
I love this idea and it’s perfect for our next gathering. Plus, I just need to set it and forget it.
Renae says
Thanks, Linda. It is perfect for family gatherings and holidays. I’ll be serving this for Easter dinner.