This slow cooker 3-ingredient Amish pineapple ham is the kind of sweet holiday dinner my Midwestern grandmother would proudly serve—and she’d be done with the work before noon. It’s based on the simple, thrifty style of Amish church suppers: minimal ingredients, long, slow cooking, and a big emphasis on comforting sweetness. A cured ham simmers all afternoon in its own juices with canned pineapple and brown sugar until it’s fall-apart tender, bathed in a sticky golden glaze with visible pineapple bits. If you’re looking for a nearly hands-off main dish that makes the whole house smell like a holiday, this is it.
Serve thick slices of the pineapple-glazed ham with classic holiday sides: buttery mashed potatoes or scalloped potatoes, green beans or a simple roasted vegetable medley, and warm dinner rolls to soak up the sweet, tangy juices. A crisp green salad with a bright vinaigrette helps balance the richness, and leftover ham is fantastic in next-day omelets, sandwiches on soft white bread, or diced into a pot of bean soup. For a true Midwestern-style spread, set the slow cooker right on the buffet and let guests help themselves to seconds.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Amish Pineapple HamServings: 8-10
Ingredients
1 fully cooked bone-in half ham (7–9 pounds), not spiral-sliced
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
Directions
Place the ham, cut side down, into a large slow cooker. If the lid doesn’t close completely, trim a little off the thick end of the ham so it fits snugly; keeping it fairly intact helps it stay moist while it cooks.
In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed pineapple with all of its juice and the brown sugar until the mixture looks like a loose, grainy sauce.
Pour the pineapple–brown sugar mixture evenly over the ham, making sure some of the pineapple and sugar settle into the crevices and around the sides. Spoon a bit over the top so the exposed surface is coated.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or until the ham is very tender and heated through, and the pineapple juices have turned into a thick, golden, bubbling glaze. Baste the ham with the juices once or twice during cooking if you’re nearby, but it will still turn out well if you simply let it go.
When the ham is done, carefully transfer it to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10–15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the pineapple glaze in the slow cooker so the juices and fruit chunks are evenly combined and slightly thickened.
Slice the ham into thick slices. Return the slices to the slow cooker, nestling them back into the warm pineapple glaze so they’re coated and stay moist until serving.
To serve, spoon the sticky pineapple glaze and fruit chunks generously over each slice of ham. Set the slow cooker on the warm setting so guests can help themselves and enjoy every last bite of the sweet, tangy juices.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly tangier finish, you can swap half of the pineapple juice in the can with orange juice or apple cider, still keeping the total liquid to what’s in the 20-ounce can. If you prefer a deeper caramel flavor, use dark brown sugar and let the ham cook on LOW closer to the 8-hour mark so the sugars have time to darken and thicken. For a bit of spice that still feels traditional, add a pinch of ground cloves or cinnamon to the pineapple and brown sugar mixture before pouring it over the ham—Amish cooks often use warm spices sparingly to complement sweet glazes. If your ham is smaller (around 4–5 pounds), reduce the brown sugar to 3/4 cup and check for doneness around 4–5 hours. To create a more concentrated, sticky glaze for presentation, you can transfer 1–2 cups of the cooking liquid and pineapple chunks to a saucepan and simmer on the stovetop for 5–10 minutes until syrupy, then spoon it over the sliced ham just before serving. Leftovers keep well and can be diced into casseroles, fried rice, or simple ham and cheese sandwiches, with the extra pineapple juices used as a flavorful cooking liquid or brushed over reheated slices to keep them moist.
