Slow Cooker Chipotle Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham

5 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Chipotle Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham

Chipotle maple bourbon glazed ham in the slow cooker is the juiciest ham you’ll ever eat — and the easiest one you’ll ever make. The maple bourbon brown sugar mixture creates a flavorful cooking liquid in the slow cooker, then gets boiled down to a gorgeous lacquer-like glaze with a touch of spicy sweetness.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 599kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

8 lb bone-in ham
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 chipotle peppers, chopped

Instructions

Place the ham flat side down on a cutting board. Trim the “rind” from the top of the ham. The rind is the thick, leathery skin that can easily be removed. You can cut it off, or run your knife underneath it and gently pull it off with your hands.
You want to have a layer of at least ¼” of fat on your ham. If it is very thick in places, you can trim it down. Otherwise, just leave it. All this fatty goodness will baste the ham as it cooks.
With a sharp knife, score the ham into diamonds. Do this by making diagonal cuts all the way from top to bottom of the ham. This will allow the glaze to penetrate under the fat layer and flavor the meat.
Make the chipotle maple bourbon glaze. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, bourbon, and chipotle peppers.
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Set the ham in the slow cooker and spread ½ of the glaze over the ham.
Cook for 1 ½ hours on low, then baste the ham with the juices and place remaining glaze over the ham.
Cook for another 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
If you have an older slow cooker, it may take longer to cook.
Remove the ham and set it on a cutting board.
Carefully pour the juices out of the slow cooker and into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat to a boil and reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
Spoon the glaze over the ham before serving.

Notes

Remove the rind from the ham by cutting it off or pulling it off with your hands.
Keep a layer of fat on the ham to baste the meat as it cooks.
Scoring the fat will allow the bourbon glaze to penetrate the fat layer and flavor the meat.
Baste the ham halfway through cooking. I know you’re “not supposed to” open a Crock Pot while cooking, but it’s okay.
While the ham rests, boil the juices down until it creates a thick and glossy glaze to slather all over the ham.
These cooking times are based on my 6-quart Crock Pot, which is fairly new. If you have an older slow cooker, it may take longer for the ham to reach 145 degrees.

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