Pulled Ham
This pulled ham recipe transforms an inexpensive bone-in ham into tender, smoky, fall-apart shredded meat with minimal effort. Seasoned with a brown sugar and smoked paprika spice rub, slow-cooked for hours until the meat practically melts off the bone, then finished with your favorite BBQ sauce, it is the ultimate crowd-pleasing sandwich filling that tastes like it took all day — because it did, while you did absolutely nothing.
Equipment
- 6-quart or larger slow cooker - 7–8 quart recommended for large hams
- Large cutting board - For shredding the ham after cooking
- Meat thermometer - To check internal temperature of 200–205°F (93–96°C)
- Bear claw meat shredders - Optional; two large forks can be used instead
- Small mixing bowl - For whisking together the spice rub
- Tongs - For transferring hot ham from slow cooker to cutting board
- Aluminum foil - Optional; for tenting the ham while it rests before shredding
- Airtight storage containers - For storing and freezing leftovers
Ingredients
For the Ham and Rub
- 1 bone-in picnic ham or shank-end ham - 6–8 lbs / 2.7–3.6 kg, fully cooked and unsliced — do NOT use spiral-cut or pre-sliced ham
- 1/2 cup water - 120 ml; added to the slow cooker to prevent scorching
- 1/2 cup brown sugar - 110 g, packed; light or dark both work
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp stone ground mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For Serving
- 1 cup BBQ sauce - 240 ml, or more to taste; your favorite brand or homemade
- 12 hamburger buns or brioche buns - toasted
- sliced pickles - for topping
- diced white onion - for topping
Instructions
- Pat the ham dry with paper towels, remove any rind or skin if present, and score around the bone at the narrow end. Place the ham flat side down in the slow cooker insert, trimming the narrow end if needed to fit.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper, then stir in the stone ground mustard to form a thick, paste-like rub.
- Spread the spice rub all over the exposed surface of the ham, pressing it into any crevices, then drizzle the apple cider vinegar directly over the top.
- Pour the water into the bottom of the slow cooker around the ham, cover with the lid, and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours — 7 hours for a 6 lb ham, up to 9 hours for an 8 lb ham — without lifting the lid during cooking.
- Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the ham, avoiding the bone — it is ready to shred when the internal temperature reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C). If it has not reached temperature, continue cooking in 30-minute increments.
- Using tongs, carefully transfer the ham to a large cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. While it rests, skim excess fat from the braising liquid and reserve the liquid.
- Using two large forks or bear claw shredders, pull the meat apart along the grain into long shreds, discarding any large pieces of fat, cartilage, or bone as you go. Return the shredded ham to the slow cooker and toss with the reserved braising liquid.
- Stir in 1 cup (240 ml) of BBQ sauce, set the slow cooker to WARM, and let the meat absorb the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes before piling onto toasted buns with pickles and diced onion.
Notes
- Always use a bone-in, unsliced ham — the bone adds rich flavor to the braising liquid and an unsliced cut holds together long enough to produce proper shredded strands. Never use spiral-cut ham for this recipe.
- Do not add extra salt. Ham is a cured meat and is already quite salty; the rub, mustard, and BBQ sauce provide all the flavor balance you need.
- Cook on LOW only. Cooking on HIGH drives out moisture and results in dry, stringy meat. Low and slow is non-negotiable for the best texture.
- Taste the braising liquid before stirring it back into the shredded meat — if it tastes very salty, use only a small amount or skip it and rely on the BBQ sauce alone.
- If the finished pulled ham is too salty, rinse the shredded meat briefly under cool water, pat dry, and re-sauce with a slightly sweeter BBQ sauce to balance.
- Add a splash of apple juice or pineapple juice to the cooking liquid for a subtle fruity sweetness that pairs beautifully with the savory ham.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container with some braising liquid or extra BBQ sauce for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, warm the pulled ham in a covered saucepan over medium-low with a splash of water or broth, or microwave covered with a damp paper towel in 60-second increments.
- For an oven method, place the seasoned ham in a roasting pan, cover tightly with heavy-duty foil, and cook at 250°F (120°C) for 5 to 7 hours until fork-tender and pull-apart.
- The spice rub can be mixed the night before and stored in a small jar to cut down on morning prep time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 33gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1800mgPotassium: 540mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 10mg
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