This Crock Pot ham with Coke makes the most tender, wonderfully sweet, and savory ham that’s perfect for serving as the centerpiece for any holiday or dinner celebration.
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Why We Love This 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 for its ease of serving and lovely table presentation. And a wet-cured ham provides the best flavor!
- Coca-Cola– If you prefer Dr. Pepper over Coca-Cola, you will love our Dr Pepper ham Crock Pot recipe!
Ham With Coke Glaze – Tips For Success
- 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 ham 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 the ham 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 ham, 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 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 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 ham 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 Coca-Cola pineapple ham glaze!
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.
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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 of ham. 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 hams are processed with a uniform round, oval shape. These are slightly less flavorful but are easily sliced for serving.
- For this Coca-Cola Ham in 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 hams 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 crock pot 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!
Crock Pot Ham with Coke
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.
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.