Easter Centerpiece: Just 4 ingredients. I make it when I want the holiday dinner handled hours ahead so I can spend time with family.
This slow cooker root beer glazed ham is the kind of Easter centerpiece that practically takes care of itself while you enjoy your family. It uses just four simple ingredients, but the long, gentle cooking turns the ham’s fibrous protein into tender, pull-apart slices under a bubbling, dark amber caramelized glaze. Around here in the rural Midwest, hams like this have anchored holiday tables for generations, but using the slow cooker and a bottle of root beer is a newer shortcut that still feels old-fashioned at heart. You put it on in the late morning, let the house fill with that sweet, smoky aroma, and when everyone’s ready to sit down, the ham is ready too—no last-minute fussing at the stove.
Serve this ham thickly sliced with buttery mashed potatoes or cheesy scalloped potatoes, a simple green bean casserole or steamed green beans, and warm dinner rolls to catch every bit of that sticky glaze. A bright, crunchy salad—something with cabbage or broccoli—helps cut through the richness. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches on soft white bread with a swipe of mustard, or can be chopped into omelets, breakfast hash, or a pot of bean soup later in the week.
4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Root Beer Glazed Ham
Servings: 10-12
Ingredients
1 fully cooked bone-in ham, 7–9 pounds (not spiral-sliced) 2 cups root beer (not diet) 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Unwrap the ham and pat it dry with paper towels. If there is a thick rind or excess skin, trim it away, leaving a good layer of fat so it can baste and caramelize during cooking.
Score the surface fat of the ham in a shallow crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife, making cuts about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. This helps the glaze soak into the fibrous protein and gives you that pretty, old-fashioned look once it’s browned.
Nestle the ham, cut side down, into a large slow cooker. If the lid doesn’t quite fit, you can shave a little off the thicker end of the ham, or cover tightly with a double layer of heavy foil before placing the lid on top.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the root beer, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth. It should smell sweet and a little tangy.
Pour the root beer mixture evenly over and around the ham in the slow cooker, making sure some runs into the scored cuts on top.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5–7 hours, or until the ham is heated through (140°F in the center) and very tender. Baste the top of the ham with the cooking juices 2 or 3 times during cooking if you’re nearby, but it will still turn out well if you just let it be.
Once the ham is tender, carefully lift it out of the slow cooker and transfer it to a roasting pan or a broiler-safe baking dish, keeping it upright. Tent loosely with foil to rest while you make the glaze.
Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan, skimming off excess fat if you like. Bring it to a lively simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, glossy, dark amber glaze that coats the back of a spoon, about 10–15 minutes.
Preheat the broiler on high and adjust the oven rack so the ham will sit 6–8 inches below the heat source. Remove the foil from the ham.
Brush the reduced root beer glaze all over the ham, working it into the scored cuts so it clings to the fibrous surface. The ham should be generously coated and glistening.
Place the glazed ham under the broiler for 3–6 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze is bubbling, deeply caramelized, and slightly charred at the edges. Rotate the pan as needed so it browns evenly but does not burn.
Let the ham rest for 10–15 minutes before carving. Slice thickly along the bone, spooning any extra glaze from the pan over the meat so each serving is glossy and moist.
Variations & Tips
If your crowd prefers a milder sweetness, you can swap half of the root beer for apple juice while keeping the rest of the recipe the same; it will still reduce into a lovely caramelized glaze. For a deeper, smokier flavor, use a smoked ham and add 1–2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to the glaze mixture before cooking. If you only have spiral-sliced ham, reduce the slow cooker time to 3–4 hours on LOW and keep a closer eye on it so the pre-sliced fibrous protein doesn’t dry out; broil just until the glaze bubbles. You can also make this with a smaller 4–5 pound ham by cutting the root beer to 1 1/2 cups and the brown sugar to 3/4 cup, then checking for doneness around 4–5 hours on LOW. For those who like a little heat with their sweet, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a teaspoon of prepared horseradish to the glaze before reducing. Leftover ham freezes well in slices or chunks; portion it out with a bit of the glaze in freezer bags so you can quickly recreate that sticky, caramelized finish when reheating.
