Mango Brown Sugar Crockpot Spiral Ham
A fun follow-up to our Crockpot Root Beer Ham recipe, this Mango Brown Sugar Crockpot Spiral Ham is a fun and fruity alternative to a traditional spiral ham.
Crockpot Spiral Ham Recipe
I’ve only recently become acquainted with the delicious world of spiral hams, so I’m making up for lost time by including them at just about any occasion I can think of!
I love the ease of serving pre-cut spiral hams and how low-maintenance they are since they just need reheating (as they are already fully cooked). And when it comes to flavors, spiral hams are incredibly versatile! The sweet and salty, umami flavor of spiral ham lends itself perfectly to so many wonderful flavor combinations.
I personally prefer them to serving turkey at special occasions, but this crockpot ham recipe allows you to serve both by keeping the oven available. (And avoid the complaints of those family members who insist that a turkey at the holidays is non-negotiable…)
My daughter is not a huge fan of ham but is obsessed with all things mango, so I thought I’d use her love of mango to make our holiday ham a bit more inviting.
The sweet peachy-citrus flavor of mango brings out the natural sweetness in the spiral ham, while playing beautifully off of the salty, umami notes. The addition of a bit of brown sugar adds a bit of full-bodied caramel flavor that puts this recipe right over the top.
Ella enjoyed the mango spiral ham, especially when served with some of the pureed mango “gravy” made from the poached fruit and ham juices. You can alternatively make this recipe with apple or pineapple in place of the mango.
While I used mango preserves (mango jam) in my recipe, and recommend it for creating a delicious, sticky coating on the ham, it’s not completely necessary for creating a delicious ham. Mango chutney would be a great swap, too.
The mango is also optional (and again, can be swapped out for apple or pineapple), but I think it is a fun side dish to serve with this recipe – and they can be pureed to a flavorful mango sauce to serve with the ham. This also helps counter any residual saltiness in the ham from the curing process (which happens before you even buy your ham).
The BEST part about this recipe (beyond it’s amazing flavor) is that it takes literally 5 minutes to prepare, leaving you plenty of time to work on your other side dishes, or get back to enjoying the holiday with your loved ones. The crockpot braises the ham perfectly and doesn’t need any basting to result in melt-in-your-mouth tender ham. It’s perfection.
Do spiral hams need to be cooked? No, you do not have to “cook” a spiral ham since it is pre-cooked before it gets to you. You just need to warm it up to 140ºF. If you’re unsure if your ham is pre-cooked (most that you would buy at a grocery store are), check out this post.
What size spiral ham should I buy? I’ve personally had good luck squeezing a 10lb spiral ham into my 8qt crockpot, but you should aim for a 7-8lb spiral ham if you don’t want to have to trim any of the ham away. Also keep in mind how many people the ham needs to serve; I plan for about 1/3 lb of ham for each person since we always have a lot of side dishes.
How long is leftover cooked spiral ham good for? Cooked spiral ham can be kept in the fridge for up to one week or frozen for up to four months.
Why does this recipe call for juice? You need to add liquid to the crockpot to avoid the ham from burning, and it also helps ensure a succulent final product. You can alternatively use pineapple juice or apple juice. For a less sweet version, opt for broth or water.
While your crockpot is warming up your mango spiral ham, whip up these side dishes to accompany it:
- Irish Colcannon Mashed Potatoes
- Ginger Ale Glazed Carrots from the Soccer Mom Blog
- Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
- Pea Salad with Red Onions and Cheese from Salty Side Dish
- Honey Roasted Carrots from Sizzle and Salt
- Creamy Potato Pea Salad
- Brussel Sprout Salad
And, if you’re looking for recipes to use up that leftover ham in, check out:
- Breakfast Egg and Ham Sliders
- Ham Tetrazzini from Kylee Cooks
- Homemade Ham and Cheese Lunch Pockets
- Cheesy Ham Pot Pie from the Gunny Sack
- Ham and Cheese Sandwich Sliders
- Mason Jar Cobb Salad
For even more fun Easter Ideas, check out our Easter Planning eBook, featuring 32 of our favorite Easter crafts, recipes and decor ideas – it’s free for e-mail subscribers:
Mango Crockpot Ham Ingredients
- Spiral-cut ham – check out the capacity for your slow cooker before buying your ham. An 8qt slow cooker can accommodate about a 7-8lb spiral ham without difficulty. Worst case scenario, you’ll just have to trim a bit of your ham to fit it or use our tin foil trick (below)
- Brown sugar – if you are avoiding sugar, you can swap this for 1/2 cup of honey
- Mango juice – again, swap this for pineapple or apple, if desired
- Mango jam, optional – we normally stick to Sarabeth’s jam (it’s a slight obsession in our household), but she doesn’t have an exclusively mango jam – we will be trying her Pineapple Peach Mango Apricot jam next time we make this recipe!
- Fresh or frozen mango
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: try to find low-sodium ham, if possible.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Crockpot – for ease, I highly recommend a programmable crockpot so you don’t have to worry about turning it to warm at the right time
- Crockpot Liners – I haven’t used these but I have several friends who SWEAR by these for easy clean up
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pretty Serving Platter
How to Cook a Spiral Ham in the Crockpot
Place the spiral ham in your crockpot.
Sprinkle the brown sugar over the ham, and then dollop the mango preserves all over the ham. Add in the mango.
Pour the mango juice over the ham and then place the lid on the crockpot.
Set the crockpot on high for 1.5 hours, or low for 3-4 hours, until an inserted meat thermometer reads 140F. Low will render the best results.
Serve ham slices with the juices – you can puree the mango for a delicious mango chutney.
Grab your free printable for our mango brown sugar spiral ham recipe:
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Mango Brown Sugar Crockpot Spiral Ham
The BEST way to cook a spiral ham - in the slowcooker! Succulent, mouth-watering ham cooked in mango and brown sugar
Ingredients
- 1 large spiral-cut ham, approximately 7lb
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup mango juice
- 1/2 cup mango jam, optional
- 1 cup fresh or frozen mango
Instructions
- Place the spiral ham in your crockpot.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar over the ham, and then dollop the mango preserves all over the ham. Add in the mango.
- Pour the mango juice over the ham and then place the lid on the crockpot.
- Set the crockpot on high for 1.5 hours, or low for 3-4 hours, until an inserted meat thermometer reads 140F. Low will render the best results.
- Serve ham slices with the juices - you can puree the mango for a delicious mango chutney.
Notes
If the lid on your crockpot doesn't fit over your ham, securely cover the opening with tinfoil and place the lid on top to secure.
Note: Plan for 20 minutes of cooking time for every 1lb of ham. You are just warming the ham through to an internal temperature of 140F - it is pre-cooked.
If you can't find a spiral-cut ham, use an easy "hatch" pattern instead, cutting intersecting diagonal lines into the ham, as they are easier to get right.
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For more delicious crockpot recipes, check out our Crockpot Hot Chocolate or our Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings.
