One of my all-time favourite things to cook in the slow cooker is a simple Irish ham fillet. While bacon and cabbage is a traditional staple here in Ireland, I much prefer ham in fresh sandwiches, salads, or with buttery mash and veg. I even cook our Christmas ham this way!

Why This Recipe Works So Well

For me, slow cooking a ham means less mess, less effort, and more flavour. It’s incredibly easy, comforting, and gives you tender, delicious slices without the stovetop splatter or hassle.

When I Make It

I often pop a ham into the slow cooker on a Friday afternoon. It means we’ve got a fresh joint of ham for dinners, sandwiches, snacks, or even packed lunches for horse shows over the weekend. And on cold evenings, few things beat a warm plate of ham, mash, and peas.

Ingredients

– 1kg Irish unsmoked ham fillet (or larger if feeding more)
– 1 apple (quartered)
– 1 orange (quartered)
– 1 onion (quartered)
– 1–2 carrots (chopped)
– 2 sticks celery (chopped)
– 1 tbsp whole cloves
– 2 bay leaves
– 1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 vegetable stock cube (or homemade stock)
– Boiling water (enough to half-cover the ham)

Method

1. Place all the chopped fruit and vegetables in the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Sit the ham fillet on top (remove any packaging first).
3. Add the cloves, bay leaves, garlic, and stock cube.
4. Pour in boiling water until it reaches about halfway up the ham.
5. Put the lid on and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
6. Reduce to LOW and cook for 5–6 hours until tender. (Internal temperature should reach 71°C/160°F.)

Optional Honey & Mustard Glaze

To finish your ham with a glaze:
1. Remove the ham from the slow cooker and place it in a roasting dish.
2. Score the fat lightly in a criss-cross pattern.
3. Mix 2 tbsp honey with 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (or more to taste).
4. Brush the glaze over the ham and roast in a hot oven (200°C/180°C fan) for 15–20 minutes until golden and sticky.

Serving Suggestions

• Sliced warm with buttery mashed potatoes and vegetables.
• Cold in fresh sandwiches with butter and mustard.
• In salads or picnic boxes for horse shows.
• As part of your Christmas dinner.

A Real Slow Living Staple

This slow cooker ham is a favourite in our house — easy to make, versatile, and full of flavour. It’s the kind of meal that gently bubbles away while you get on with your day, filling the kitchen with the most comforting smell.

Our Little House in the Country

Slow Cooker Ham Fillet

One of my all-time favourite things to cook in the slow cooker is a simple Irish ham fillet. While bacon and cabbage is a traditional staple here in Ireland, I much prefer ham in fresh sandwiches, salads, or with buttery mash and veg. I even cook our Christmas ham this way!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Comfort Food

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 –2 kg unsmoked Irish ham fillet I use this one from Aldi or a similar size from your local supermarket
• 1 apple quartered
• 1 orange quartered
• 1 onion peeled and halved
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 sticks of celery chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp garlic fresh, frozen, or garlic powder
• 1 vegetable stock cube or fresh stock if you have it
• Freshly boiled water to halfway cover ham in the slow cooker

Optional Glaze (for finishing in the oven):

• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Optional: a splash of orange juice or cider vinegar

Equipment

• Slow Cooker

Method

 

1. Add chopped apple, orange, onion, carrot, and celery to the base of your slow cooker.
2. Remove packaging from the ham fillet and place it on top of the vegetables.
3. Add the bay leaves, cloves, garlic, and crumbled stock cube.
4. Pour freshly boiled water into the slow cooker until the ham is halfway submerged.
5. Cover with the lid. Cook on High for 1 hour, then switch to Low for 5 more hours (or until fully cooked and tender).

For a glazed finish:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
2. Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl.
3. Transfer cooked ham to a roasting tin, score the fat layer, brush with glaze.
4. Roast for 15–20 minutes until golden and caramelised.
5. Rest the ham for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Serve hot or cold.

Notes

• I love to cook a slightly larger ham on a Friday to have fresh slices for weekend sandwiches, lunchboxes, or snacks.
• My favourite treat: a slice of fresh bread, a good slather of mustard, real butter, and warm sliced ham.
• This is how I cook our Christmas ham too — I just use a larger joint and finish with the glaze. I also cook it in apple cider at Christmas.

I’d love to hear how you get on if you try this slow-cooked ham — or if you have your own favourite slow cooker recipes, do share them in the comments below or over on Instagram. Tag me in your photos; I’m always looking for new ideas or fresh ways to cook a good ham!

Chat soon,
Ciara

Here’s a link to the slow cooker I use most often at home: My Slow Cooker on Amazon. Please note this is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through it — at no extra cost to you.