A store-bought spiral ham is already cooked and smoked. A few hours in your own smoker adds a second layer of smoke flavor, and a sweet glaze gives it a sticky, shiny crust. It is an easy holiday main that frees up your oven.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 1 fully cooked, bone-in spiral-cut ham, 8–10 lb
- 2 tbsp all-purpose BBQ rub (optional)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup pineapple or orange juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves or cinnamon
- Apple, cherry or hickory wood
Steps
- Check the label to make sure the ham says fully cooked. Throw away any glaze packet if you plan to use this glaze.
- Set your smoker to 250°F with apple, cherry or hickory wood.
- Place the ham cut side down in a disposable foil pan. Sprinkle the outside lightly with rub if using.
- Insert a probe into the thickest part of the ham, away from the bone, and put the pan in the smoker.
- Smoke until the ham reaches about 120°F inside, usually 2 1/2–3 hours (about 15–20 minutes per pound).
- While it smokes, simmer the brown sugar, honey, mustard, juice, butter and cloves or cinnamon in a small pot for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until smooth and slightly thick.
- Brush the glaze over the ham, letting some run between the slices. Cook another 30–60 minutes, brushing again every 20 minutes, until the ham reaches 140°F.
- Rest the ham 15 minutes, then cut along the bone to release the slices and serve with the pan juices.
Why this works
Spiral hams are cured, cooked and smoked before you buy them. Your job is to warm them through without drying them out and add more flavor along the way. A 250°F smoker heats the ham gently, and the pan catches the juices so the slices stay moist. Placing it cut side down keeps the spiral slices from curling open and drying.
How hot does ham need to be?
The USDA says a fully cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant should be reheated to 140°F. If your ham has been repackaged, is a leftover, or does not say fully cooked, heat it to 165°F instead. A leave-in meat thermometer takes the guesswork out, since big hams vary a lot in how fast they heat.
Best wood
Ham is already smoked, so go easy. Apple and cherry add a sweet note and a nice color. Hickory gives a bolder, classic ham flavor. A few chunks or a normal load of pellets is plenty. The wood pairing chart has more ideas.
The glaze
Add the glaze in the last hour, not at the start. Sugar can burn if it cooks too long. If you'd like a smokier glaze, swap half the brown sugar for a sweet BBQ sauce like our Kansas City-style BBQ sauce.
Make ahead / storage
Cooked ham keeps 3–5 days in the fridge, or 1–2 months in the freezer. Save the bone for bean soup. Reheat slices in a covered pan with a splash of juice.
Variations
- Spicy glaze. Add 1 tbsp hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
- Maple glaze. Use maple syrup in place of the honey.
- Pineapple. Pin pineapple rings to the outside with toothpicks before glazing.
Keep reading
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