Want to know the secret to make the best crockpot ham? Add some soda pop!! Cooking ham in the crockpot has never been better than this Dr. Pepper ham recipe.
It adds a tasty twist and cooks up this classic dish perfectly in the slower cooker or oven. You are going to LOVE the Dr. Pepper ham glaze making your ham superb in taste and flavor!
When my husband smells the ham and knows I'm making this Dr. Pepper crock pot pineapple ham recipe, he gives me a certain kind of look. His face lights up because he's been down this road before, and knows he's in for a hearty, satisfying meal.
Ham is delicious. Pineapple is delicious. Dr. Pepper is delicious. Roll them all into one, and you've got a ham that even the pickiest of eaters won't shy away from.
No matter the occasion, this crockpot ham recipe is a serious crowd-pleaser!! It’s perfect for potlucks, a quiet weeknight, and a weekend family dinner. But it’s also special enough for the holidays! This will be the BEST Thanksgiving ham recipe you’ve ever had!
This delicious ham recipe was inspired by this pulled pork cooked with soda pop and it goes great with a serving of this cheesy potato casserole and air fryer hasselback zucchini.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple ingredients. Requires a handful of ingredients in order to make one of the most delicious hams on the planet!
- More than one way to cook. It’s mostly hands-off cooking in the slow cooker or oven!
- Comfort food classic. Crockpot ham is a classic dish and is known for being hearty and satisfying. It feels like home and making Dr. Pepper ham is going to make it even better!
Ham and Dr Pepper?
I know what some of you are thinking...Dr Pepper and ham? What can these two possibly have in common?
I'll admit I was skeptical at first. One bite and I was convinced that Dr Pepper really enhances the flavor of ham.
When you discover what's in Dr Pepper, marrying it with ham is not far-fetched. There are 23 flavors in Dr Pepper like cherry, almond, vanilla, blackberry, and orange just to name a few. Throw in crushed pineapple and the flavors are explosive!
Smoky ham with the sweetness of pineapple and a kick of Dr Pepper melds together beautifully, resulting in the most tender ham with intense flavors.
Ingredients
Five simple ingredients are all it takes to make a delicious oven or slow cooker Dr Pepper ham. Aside from the ham and Dr Pepper, more than likely you have the other ingredients at your fingertips.
- Ham: This recipe works best with a boneless, spiral sliced ham which you can find at the meat counter in most grocery stores.
- Pineapple: Crockpot pineapple ham uses a canned crushed pineapple with juice. brown sugar or brown sugar and honey
- Soda pop: This crockpot spiral ham recipe uses Dr Pepper to infuse the ham with sweet and fruit flavors.
- Mustard: For the best flavor choose Dijon or grainy mustard. These varieties of mustard have a bold flavor that works well with the sweet flavors of Dr. Pepper and pineapple juice.
How to Make Dr. Pepper Ham
If the ingredients sound a bit funky, let me assure you just how well they all go together.
Let's look at how easy it is to use Dr Pepper to add unique, fun flavor and taste to this ham recipe.
If you want to make Dr Pepper ham in the oven, see the recipe card at the end of the page for the instructions!
Step 1: Make the Dr Pepper Ham Glaze
The glaze is the finishing touch to an already delicious ham. I've experimented with glazes over the years and have discovered Dr Pepper ham glaze to be one of the absolute best!
TOP TIP: Make the glaze a day or two in advance. Letting it sit in your fridge for up to two days, gives it time for the flavors to blend really well together.
When it's time to put the ham in the oven, remove the glaze from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, so it will be easy to spread over the ham!
If spreading is difficult, simply heat it in the microwave, or in a small saucepan on your stove. Easy peasy!
How to Cook a Ham in a Crock Pot
- Use a brush to coat half the glaze mixture over the spiral ham.
- The glaze should cover the outside skin but also drip into the slices.
- Place ham into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Carefully remove the ham from the slow cooker and onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Pour the remaining glaze over the ham.
- Set the oven to broil and place ham in the oven for about five to seven minutes. Watch closely as you want the sugar to caramelize, but not burn.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pineapple: You can swap out the crushed pineapple with juice using apple juice or orange juice.
- Soda pop: Any dark soda pop will do just fine. Root beer is the top choice as an alternative because it, like Dr. Pepper, is sweeter than other sodas. However, Coke or Pepsi will work in a pinch. Just be sure to use a dark soda rather than lighter colored sodas.
- Brown sugar: You can use maple syrup or honey instead.
What to Serve with Ham
Smoky ham partners perfectly with the sweetness of brown sugar, pineapple, and Dr Pepper, creating a delightfully sweet, tender ham that pairs perfectly with all the classic holiday sides.
- Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole
- Rosemary Macaroni and Cheese
- Corn Casserole
- Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
By serving this fabulous ham with a helping of mashed potatoes or twice stuffed potatoes, and veggies like green beans, broccoli, or asparagus, you can make an easy, well-rounded meal that satisfies everyone around the table.
What Can I Make With Already Cooked Ham?
Ham is so versatile and reheating it all by itself is lovely, but there are countless ways of using it in other recipes.
Ham salad is always a great choice. Finely chop up the ham and mix it with other delicious ingredients. Dice it up and add it to ham soups, casseroles, or add it to an omelet for a delicious breakfast.
Pan-fried ham for breakfast is such a delight. Toss it onto a hot skillet and allow it to get hot and crispy on the outside. Mmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Don't forget the classic ham sandwich, too. This sweet, delicious crock pot pineapple ham is extra tasty with as little mayo on the bread.
Whatever way you decide to use leftover ham, it's going to turn out well as it goes with just about anything you can think of.
Expert Tips
Dr Pepper slow cooker ham isn't hard to do, but there are a few things to keep in mind. In my opinion, if you want delicious ham, it's all about the process.
- Choosing the soda. Dark soda tenderizes and caramelizes the ham and gives it a little bit of a richer color too.
- Follow the instructions. Boiling the brown sugar, pineapple, honey, and Dr Pepper to make the glaze for the ham is the key to helping it form into that beautiful glaze. This step melds the flavor setting the stage for a delicious glaze that's going to make the slow cooker Dr. Pepper ham taste so darn good.
- Let the glaze rest and thicken up. The glaze needs to thicken before adding it to the ham. It usually takes about 15 minutes, but if it's still runny, give it a little more time. It thickens the longer it sits and cools.
- Cover the ham in the slow cooker. Covering the ham traps moisture, sealing in flavor while keeping it nice and moist at the same time so make sure the lid is on to keep things nice and hot.
- Broil the ham: After the ham cooks in the crockpot, you will add another layer of glaze, and pop it into the oven to crisp up the top! Just be sure to watch it closely as ham and the glaze can burn easily.
Video
FAQ
You can cook a boneless ham in the crockpot on low for four hours or in the oven for roughly 2-2.5 hours allowing about 17 minutes per pound.
Low and slow is the key. If the heat is too high, you end up with a dry ham that's crispy on the outside and mealy in the middle. Kinda gross, huh?
Heating crock pot pineapple ham on low heat allows it to thoroughly heat through without cooking it further, giving you a tender, juicy ham that's just as good as it was the day you made it.
To heat leftover ham, adding a bit of liquid creates steam and ensures it doesn't dry out.
The slow cooker is the ultimate way to keep it moist. However, in the oven, wrapping the ham in aluminum foil helps keep it moist. It's a simple way of deepening the flavor and keeping the glaze and liquid intact while cooking. Steam is produced as the meat heats up resulting in a tender, juicy ham.
The answer is a definite YES! I can almost guarantee using a crock pot will be your new favorite way of cooking ham. To start with, it frees up your oven for other things. The crock pot is like your best babysitter. It can be like having grandma and mom all rolled into one!
This slow cooker Dr Pepper ham recipe takes minimal effort, but brings out the flavors to the max! If you want to "wow" your family and friends, this ham dish will definitely do the trick!
You bet! I freeze ham all the time and it's such a great way of making fabulous food last longer, giving me something delicious and wonderful to look forward to later on.
Just remember, once adding ham to the freezer, it will need to be consumed within a reasonable amount of time. To keep track, put a date on the outside of the resealable bag.
Also, write the "best by" date as well. Let's be honest—so many things get added to the freezer, and it can be hard to keep them all straight!
More Easy Ham Recipes
Ham recipes are not in short supply. Here are a few of my specialties.
- Easy Ham Side Dishes That'll Have You Hungry For More
- Hambone Bean Soup—A Hearty Winter Classic
- Easy Cream Cheese Corn Casserole with Bacon and Ham
- Instant Pot Ham
Dr Pepper Glazed Ham (Crockpot or Oven)
Equipment
- 13 x 9 inch cake pan or roasting pan
Ingredients
- 8-11 pound ham boneless, spiral sliced
- ¾ cup crushed pineapple with pineapple juice, if desired
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar or 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup of honey
- 1 cup Dr. Pepper or Root Beer.
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard grainy mustard
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice apple juice or orange juice
Instructions
Make the Ham Glaze
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine juice, pineapple, brown sugar and/or honey, mustard, and Dr. Pepper.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mixture is reduced, thickened and syrupy; about 10-15 minutes.
- Discard all plastic packaging that surrounds your ham, including plastic covering the bone.
Slow Cooker
- Place ham into the slow cooker and coat with half of the glaze mixture.
- Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 4 hours.
- Carefully remove ham from the slow cooker and onto a foil-lined sheet pan.
- Pour the rest of the glaze over the top of the ham.
- Place under the broiler in oven for about 5-7 minutes, watching closely that it doesn't burn. You want the sugar to caramelize, not burn.
Oven Instructions
- Wrap your ham tightly with tinfoil.
- Place ham, cut side down, in your prepared pan.
- Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- First, adjust the rack inside your oven to lower middle and preheat it to 275 degrees.
- Bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours or ham is hotter than 100 degrees at its core. When using this foil method calculate about 17 minutes per pound of ham.
- Once hot, remove all tinfoil and add about a third of the glaze to your ham.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, drench in remaining glaze and tent loosely with foil.
- Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes, if not 40 minutes, before slicing and serving to your guests. Enjoy every bite!
Notes
- Choosing the soda. Dark soda tenderizes and caramelizes the ham and gives it a little bit of a richer color too.
- Follow the instructions. Boiling the brown sugar, pineapple, honey, and Dr Pepper to make the glaze for the ham is the key to helping it form into that beautiful glaze. This step melds the flavor setting the stage for a delicious glaze that's going to make the slow cooker Dr. Pepper ham taste so darn good.
- Let the glaze rest and thicken up. The glaze needs to thicken before adding it to the ham. It usually takes about 15 minutes, but if it's still runny, give it a little more time. It thickens the longer it sits and cools.
- Cover the ham in the slow cooker. Covering the ham traps moisture, sealing in flavor while keeping it nice and moist at the same time so make sure the lid is on to keep things nice and hot.
- Broil the ham: After the ham cooks in the crockpot, you will add another layer of glaze, and pop it into the oven to crisp up the top! Just be sure to watch it closely as ham and the glaze can burn easily.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March 2021. It has been republished in August 2022 with new images and content.
Vicki
FYI ...there is no .(period) in Dr Pepper.
Karin and Ken
I apologize. My mom is in hospital and I am making errors all over the place. I know there is no period but I put one anyways! I can't thank you enough for telling me. Take care and hope you try the ham. It's so good. Be well. Patrick