Crock Pot Ham!

A few weeks ago, I asked my friend and her husband what they were having for Christmas dinner.  The husband replied that he was fixing a ham--in the crock pot.  I was surprised.  Really?  The crock pot?  I have a few recipes I really like with the crock pot, but I wouldn't have expected a Christmas meal from it.  

I was wrong!

On Friday, I put a ham in my large crock pot.  This ham was a bone in shank ham (not a spiral sliced).  It was quite large and I had to cut off the sides, turn the bone sideways, and then squeeze the cut parts around it.  I put 1 cup of water in the bottom of the crock pot and nothing else.  I turned the crock pot on high and hoped for the best.  High on this crock pot is like low on my smaller one.  For some reason, it takes a lot more to heat it up and cook well.  In any case, the smell started creeping around the house by 3 p.m.  I was afraid to check on it or touch it.  I hadn't asked my friend any specifics about the ham so I was really winging this.

At 6:20 p.m., my husband called from the road and asked what we were having for dinner.  I replied that we were having ham, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a veggie.  I knew he wasn't excited about ham.  Honestly, none of my family would have been except for Autumn.  Periodically, I'll fix a ham steak on the stove and though it's cooked perfectly fine it has not been a big favorite.  But, he was looking forward to being with us after a week away for seminary.

Back to the ham...  The kids and I fixed all of the sides and got the table set.  When everything was out, I knew it was time--for better or for worse--to take out the ham.  I took it out and found that it separated like corned beef.  I put a heaping portion on a serving plate and sat down to dinner.  

Within minutes my family wanted nothing but the ham!  It was so delicious!  It was extremely tender and yummy.  Autumn is my little girl who will stop eating dessert when she is full.  She went back for thirds on the ham!

I am definitely going to be doing this again! (I think this will be our new Easter dinner.)

So, here are my directions:

Crock Pot Ham

Ingredients:  Bone in Shank ham (these are less expensive than spiral cuts, too!), water

Place ham in crock pot.  If you need to, cut portions off the sides to fit the ham in the crock pot.  You will need a large crock pot.  Add up to a cup of water to the bottom of the pot.  Cook on high for 6-7 hours.  

Serve with potatoes and a veggie!