Cook a small shank end ham in a crockpot and then glaze it in the oven while you cook some easy potatoes au gratin and steam some marble sized brussels sprouts- and voila you have an easy and comfortingly great dinner!
Ham in the Crockpot
You’ll need 1 smallish bone in, shank end, fully cooked ham, small enough to fit in your crockpot with the lid on. Since crockpots work by slow heat it is important that the lid hold in the heat so if your ham is too large to close the pot you’ll have to cut it so it fits or it won’t work.
I admit that I cheated a bit and made a foil tent to extend the space since my lid was resting on the thin end of the ham and I was off of closing the lid by about an inch and a half . I’m sure that this is not recommended by the crockpot manufacturer so I’m not recommending it to you even though I did it. Safety first you know!
Put the crockpot on low and cook a few hours – the ham will be moist and tender. If you have a removable crock you can make the glaze and glaze the ham in place in the crock and finish in a 350F oven for a half hour or until the glaze is bubbly. If not remove it to a roasting pan and finish off as above.
Glaze:
•1 cup brown sugar
•2 Tablespoon whole grain mustard (I like Emeril’s with horseradish)
•approximately 2 Tablespoons orange juice and 1/4 cup Whiskey of choice or Orange Brandy-or just enough to moisten the sugar and mustard to a paste
Pat all over the top and sides of the ham and cook in the oven at 350F until bubbly.
Potatoes Au Gratin
- 6 potatoes, baked and pared or pared, boiled and drained well
- bechamel sauce to coat (see recipe below)
- grated aged gouda or gryere
- salt and pepper
- snipped fresh chives
Butter a shallow baking dish. Toss the potatoes in the bechamel sauce and layer in the dish with the grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven with the ham until bubbling and finish under the broiler to brown the top. Top with the chives.
for the Bechamel:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 small bay leaves
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon season/garlic salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 Tablespoons half and half cream
Heat the milk with the bay leaves until just coming to the boil. I do this in a 2 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup in the microwave for ease. In a medium heavy bottomed (preferably copper clad) sauce pan heat the butter until melted and bubbling. Add the flour and season salt and stir until a paste forms. Remove the bay leaves from the hot milk and add the milk to the flour paste in the sauce pan. Stir constantly with a whisk until slightly thickened. Mix the egg yolk with the half and half and add to the mixture in the pan stirring as you add to incorporate it without making scrambled eggs. Cook until thickened.
You’ll end up with moist and flavourful ham, browned and creamy potatoes and bite sized al dente brussels sprouts- perfect. Mmmm.
Thank you!
🙂
That ham looks absolutely spectacular! I love the crust on it. So beautiful.
why did i not buy that house a few doors down from you when i had the chance? i could be loafing comfortably in your living room with regularity and full tummy—oh the folly of youth!
Oh drool…and yum! This seems like the perfect comfort meal.
the ham on the crockpot sounds so easy and yet sooo delicious!! eveything made me drool 🙂
This is my kind of dinner; especially the scallops:D
oh how I wish my husband craved ham the way I do. but I bet I wouldn’t have any problem getting him to eat the potatoes au gratin. Everything looks fantastic
I’m drooling over this whole dinner! Next time I make a ham I’m doing it in the crockpot. Another brilliant idea from Gabi!
I’ve made rotisserie style chicken in the slow cooker, but not a ham. Some day soon. Your whole dinner is making me hungry!!