Regular cola produces the best glaze because its full sugar content caramelizes more effectively. Diet cola works in a pinch but the glaze will be thinner and less glossy, since artificial sweeteners don’t caramelize the same way natural sugars do.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Beyond the flavor, the primary appeal is pure practicality. A 6 to 8 pound ham cooked in the crockpot frees up the oven entirely for side dishes — a significant advantage on holiday days when oven space is at a premium. Prep takes about 10 minutes: mix the glaze, pour the cola, position the ham, done. After that, the crockpot takes over for 4 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high, requiring almost no attention.
The result is a ham that’s consistently more moist and tender than oven-roasted versions, because the moist heat of slow cooking prevents the exterior from drying out the way dry oven heat can. Spiral-cut ham is particularly well-suited to this method — the glaze seeps between every pre-cut slice, flavoring the ham all the way through rather than just coating the outside. Leftover ham, which there will be from a joint this size, is versatile and keeps well, making this recipe one of the most practical investments of cooking time you can make.
ADVERTISEMENT
