This smoked ham has so much flavor from the smoke and the glaze, it will be the best centerpiece for any celebration and special dinner. Coat the ham with a simple mixture of maple syrup and Dijon mustard and smoke it for a few hours. Finally, finish it off with sweet and tangy brown sugar ham glaze a couple of times and everyone will be in “awe.”
SMOKED HAM
When you’re buying ham, you may notice that it says “smoked” right on the label and the type of woods used for it, like “hickory” or “applewood.” That’s because most ham, whether it’s whole or half, comes already pre-smoked.
The process of smoking ham that already comes precooked is very similar to making it in the oven, but the smoker infuses it with so much more flavor. This ham is also known as “twice smoked” or “double smoked ham” because you will smoke the ham that was already pre-smoked at home. It’s very easy to make and there is so much flavor in it. (But don’t worry, if you choose the right wood, it will not be overwhelming.)
So get ready for some succulent, tender ham infused with delicious smoke flavor and coated in sweet and tangy glaze to finish off this great flavor pallet.
WHAT HAM TO GET?
There are several options for ham. Ham comes as fresh, cured, or smoked/cured. The term “ham” actually refers to the cured leg of pork and “fresh ham” would be an uncured leg of pork. This is not the ham that you want to get for this recipe of a baked ham recipe.
You want to get the ham that is labeled “fully cooked,” “ready to eat,” “smoked,” or “ready to serve.” This ham will be cured and have a distinct pinkish color. The better one to get is the ham that was wet cured, it’s called city ham. City ham is the fully cooked ham that you will find most commonly in the grocery stores. Besides that, you can choose one that is bone-in or boneless, spiral sliced or uncut.
Do note that bone-in ham is known to be more flavorful because the meat near the bone has a lot more flavor than outer meat.
Another decision you will need to make is whether you want shank or butt cut. Butt cut comes from the upper leg while shank will come from the lower leg. Butt cut is more tender and flavorful but the negative aspect is that it’s harder to cut. Shank is much easier to cut but it’s a little tougher meat. The flavor of the shank cut is just as good though.
If you’re trying to decide whether to get spiral cut or uncut, I will leave you with this tip:
I personally prefer to get spiral cut because I can get the glaze in between the slices and it does take slightly less time to cook.
QUICK SMOKING NOTES
What is the smoker temperature for ham? 225° is the temperature you should use for smoking on almost everything.
What type of wood for ham? This is where you have to make a decision based on your personal taste and the label on the package. Choose the pre-smoked ham and wood that is complimentary and not contradicting. Safest bet is to choose Applewood smoked ham and then use apple, maple, or cherry wood to smoke it at home. (If you do want strong smoke flavor, buy hickory-smoked ham and choose hickory wood.)
How long does it take to smoke ham? Estimate about 20 minutes per pound but note that this is just a guideline. Make sure to track the internal temperature to be more accurate.
What is the temperature of ham when it’s done? Ham that has a “ready to eat” label should be at 140° when done. You will glaze it for the first time at 130°.
How to insert digital read thermometer?
Insert a meat thermometer probe into the center of the thickest part of the ham without touching bone, about 1/2 inch away from the bone. You want thermometer to go parallel to the bone.
What Size ham to get? How much ham per person?
Estimate about 3/4 pound per person for bone-in ham and 1/2 pound per person for boneless ham. Don’t forget, there are many things you can make with leftovers, so aim for a couple extra pounds just in case.
An 8 lb. ham will feed 10 people or less.
11-12 lb. ham will feed about 15 people.
Get 15 lb. whole ham for about 20+ people.
HOW TO MAKE SMOKED HAM
Prepare Ham
Remove the ham from the packaging and discard whatever glaze it came with. Quickly rise it with cool running water and pat it dry.
For spiral cut ham, there is no need to score the top.
For the ham that is not cut, make sure to score the outside skin first, before adding the mustard mixture. Make cuts across the skin that are about 1/4-1/2 inch deep, forming diamond shapes.
Combine maple syrup and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and rub the ham all over with the mixture.
Prepare Smoker
Set up your smoker and get it to a steady 225°. Place a water pan either on the grate below the meat or next to it, depending on your smoker and your smoker set-up.
Insert digital meat thermometer probe into the ham and place it cut-side down directly on the grate. Make sure to place the ambient temperature thermometer on the grate, near the meat but not touching the meat. Close the lid right away so the temperature doesn’t get too low.
Prepare Ham Glaze
You can prepare the glaze when the ham is getting close to glazing temperature.
Preheat a sauce pot over medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted, add diced onion and sauté until softened. Add minced garlic and let it cook for a few seconds, until fragrant. Whisk in remaining glaze ingredients and bring the mixture to simmer. Lower the heat slightly and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
NOTE: the glaze will look thin while it’s hot but it thickens as it cools.
Smoke Ham
Smoke the ham until it reaches 130°. Take it off the smoker (and close the lid so the temperature doesn’t go down) and glaze it generously with about half of the glaze. For spiral-cut ham, you can get in between the layers to add more flavor inside.
Place the ham back into the smoker and let it cook until reaches 140°.
Take the ham off the smoker and tent it with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let it rest for about 20-30 minutes (depending of the size.)
OTHER HOLIDAY MEATS TO MAKE ON THE SMOKER
If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @grillingsmokingliving and #grillingsmokingliving so I can see all the things you tried!
Connect with Grilling Smoking Living!
Be sure to click below and follow me on my social media, so you never miss a recipe.
Smoked Ham with Mustard Brown Sugar Ham Glaze
Ingredients
Ham:
- 8-9 lb "ready to eat" bone-in ham
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
Ham Glaze:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar (or apple cider, or white wine vinegar)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
Prepare the ham:
- Remove the ham from the packaging and discard whatever glaze it came with. Quickly rise it with cool running water and pat it dry.
- TIP: For spiral cut ham, there is no need to score the top. For the ham that is not cut, make sure to score the outside skin first, before adding the mustard mixture. Make cuts across the skin that are about 1/4-1/2 inch deep, forming diamond shapes.
- Combine maple syrup and Dijon mustard in a small bowl and rub the ham all over with the mixture.
Prepare the smoker:
- Set up your smoker and get it to a steady 225°. Place a water pan either on the grate below the meat or next to it, depending on your smoker and your smoker set-up.
- Insert digital meat thermometer probe into the ham and place it cut-side down directly on the grate. Make sure to place the ambient temperature thermometer on the grate, near the meat but not touching the meat. Close the lid right away so the temperature doesn’t get too low.
Prepare Ham Glaze:
- TIP: You can prepare the glaze when the ham is getting close to glazing temperature.
- Preheat a sauce pot over medium heat and add butter. Once butter is melted, add diced onion and sauté until softened.
- Add minced garlic and let it cook for a few seconds, until fragrant.
- Whisk in remaining glaze ingredients and bring the mixture to simmer. Lower the heat slightly and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. NOTE: the glaze will look thin while it's hot but it thickens as it cools.
Smoke the ham:
- Smoke the ham until it reaches 130°. Take it off the smoker (and close the lid so the temperature doesn’t go down) and glaze it generously with about half of the glaze. TIP: For spiral-cut ham, you can get in between the layers to add more flavor inside.
- Place the ham back into the smoker and let it cook until reaches 140°.
- Take the ham off the smoker and tent it with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let it rest for about 20-30 minutes (depending of the size.)
Nutrition
Leave a Reply