Smoked Ham makes a wonderful centerpiece for holiday meals like Christmas or Easter, and it’s equally delicious sliced for sandwiches. A rich brown sugar and honey glaze elevates the natural flavor of a pre-cooked smoked ham.
Vindulge Highlights
- This recipe works with bone-in, spiral, or boneless pre-cured ham and is ideal for a first-time holiday cook.
- Because most hams are sold pre-cooked, the goal is gently reheating and finishing with a flavorful glaze.
- Low-and-slow cooking lets you add subtle smoke. If your ham is already smoked and you want more smoke and complexity, consider a double-smoked approach.
Smoking a pre-cooked ham is straightforward. A buttery brown sugar–honey glaze brings sweetness, tang, and a hint of heat that caramelizes beautifully. This is one of the best ham preparations for holiday tables or leftovers.
Table of Contents
- Vindulge Highlights
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Smoke a Ham
- How Long to Smoke a Ham
- Best Tool For Monitoring Temperature
- How to Make Brown Sugar Glaze
- Wine Pairing for your Holiday Smoked Ham Dinner
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Expert Tip
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- What To Serve With Smoked Ham
- More Holiday Recipes
- Smoked Ham Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
- Ham – Use a pre-cured, pre-cooked ham: whole bone-in, half, spiral cut, or boneless.
- Glaze – Prepare the glaze and brush it on toward the end of cooking:
- Unsalted butter
- Diced shallots and garlic, softened in butter
- Brown sugar (light or dark)
- Apple cider vinegar for balance
- Honey to add body and sweetness
- Dijon mustard for tang (avoid swapping for yellow mustard)
- Cayenne pepper for gentle heat
- Kosher salt to taste
What is Ham?
Ham is pork from the rear leg (the shank). It’s usually leaner than shoulder cuts and is commonly cured and often cooked or smoked before sale. This recipe assumes a pre-cooked, cured ham rather than a fresh (raw) ham.
Common store labels:
- Spiral Cut – Machine-sliced around the bone for easy serving.
- Whole Bone-In – Large and ideal for big gatherings.
- Half Bone-In – A good option for medium-sized groups.
- Boneless – Shaped and cured without a bone; great for smaller dinners.
How to Smoke a Ham
For pre-cooked ham, you’re aiming to heat it through and finish with glaze. No brining is necessary.
- Pat the ham dry before smoking.
- Maintain smoker temperature between 225–250°F to prevent drying.
- Make the glaze while the ham warms.
- Brush on glaze when the internal temp reaches about 130°F and allow it to caramelize.
- Remove the ham when the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Apply a final glaze as the ham rests, tent loosely with foil for up to 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
Low, steady heat keeps the ham moist and allows the glaze to set without burning.
How to Smoke on a Traeger or Pellet Grill?
Follow the same low-heat steps rather than the low “smoke” setting, which can prolong cook time with little added flavor. A water pan can help maintain humidity in the cooking chamber.
How to Smoke Ham on a Charcoal Grill?
Use an indirect heat setup on a kettle grill with wood chips added to the charcoal. Keep vents mostly closed to limit airflow and place the ham away from direct heat.
How to Smoke on a Big Green Egg or Kamado Grill?
Same method applies. These grills are efficient, so no water pan is usually needed. Keep vents mostly closed to hold 225–250°F.
How to Smoke on a Yoder or Offset Smoker?
Begin with lump charcoal to build heat, then use wood chunks or split logs to maintain temperature and impart smoky flavor. A water pan is recommended and keep vents open for airflow.
How Long to Smoke a Ham
- Estimate roughly 20 minutes per pound for most half or whole hams to reach 140°F.
- Spiral-cut hams cook more quickly — plan about 15 minutes per pound because more surface area is exposed.
Best Tool For Monitoring Temperature
Use a reliable leave-in digital thermometer to monitor the ham’s internal temperature and the smoker’s ambient temp. An instant-read probe is helpful to spot-check different parts of the ham to ensure even heating.
How to Make Brown Sugar Glaze
This brown sugar–honey glaze pairs perfectly with the smoky, savory notes of ham and removes the need for a dry rub.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add diced shallots and sauté until softened but not browned, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, cayenne, and kosher salt. Gently increase heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it reduce and thicken for up to 10 minutes, taking care not to boil. If the glaze becomes too thick, thin it with a tablespoon of warm water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Wine Pairing for your Holiday Smoked Ham Dinner
This ham combines smoky, savory meat with a sweet, caramelized glaze, so you have flexible pairing options. Off-dry or fruity whites like Riesling, Pinot Gris (Grigio), or a crisp Rosé complement the sweetness. For richer whites, an oaked Chardonnay can be interesting with caramel notes. Among reds, Pinot Noir or Gamay (Beaujolais) pair well for their bright fruit and moderate tannins; a jammy Zinfandel works if you prefer bolder, fruit-forward wines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Plan on about 3/4 pound of raw (pre-smoke) ham per person. With sides, that typically provides a couple of slices per guest.
Avoid overcooking. Use a leave-in thermometer to monitor internal temperature and remove the ham when it reaches 140°F.
No. Pre-brined, pre-cooked hams do not need soaking; they only require gentle reheating.
Estimate about 20 minutes per pound, so roughly 90–100 minutes for a 5-pound ham.
At 20 minutes per pound, plan for about 3 hours 20 minutes, but rely on internal temperature rather than time alone.
If the ham reaches target temperature early, remove and loosely wrap it in foil or parchment and keep it warm. Apply the final glaze just before serving to prevent sticking.
Expert Tip
Apply the glaze near the end of cooking to avoid burning and bitter flavors.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftover ham slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or vacuum-freeze for up to a year. The glaze can be made up to one week ahead and refrigerated.
Reheating options:
- Pan Sear – Sear slices in a cast-iron skillet with butter or olive oil over medium heat until warmed and browned; add glaze off the heat.
- Oven – Preheat oven to 325°F, wrap ham in foil, and warm for about 15 minutes or until heated through. Glaze before serving.
What To Serve With Smoked Ham
Classic accompaniments include roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, and glazed carrots. Choose bright or creamy sides to balance the ham’s sweetness.
- Perfect roasted potatoes
- Grilled broccolini
- Grilled Brussels sprouts
- Glazed carrots
- Grilled green beans with lemon
More Holiday Recipes
If you want additional main course ideas, smoked prime rib, smoked turkey, or grilled pork options work well for special occasions. Leftover ham is excellent in sandwiches, breakfast hashes, quiches, or sliders.
Leftover Ideas
Use leftovers for smoked ham sandwiches, Cuban-style sandwiches, ham and potato hash, grilled ham-and-cheese sliders, or ham quiche for a tasty second meal.
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Smoked Ham Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 pound bone-in ham
Brown Sugar Honey Glaze
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons diced shallots
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
How to Smoke Ham
- Preheat smoker to 250°F and use a mild fruit wood such as apple or cherry.
- Pat the ham dry and insert a leave-in probe into the center (avoid touching the bone). Place the ham flat-side down on the smoker.
- Smoke for about 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130°F, then brush on one layer of glaze. Continue smoking until the ham reaches 140°F, then remove.
- Brush on a final glaze and loosely tent with foil. Let rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
For the Brown Sugar Honey Glaze
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened (6–8 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, cayenne, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce for up to 10 minutes without boiling. If too thick, thin with warm water a tablespoon at a time.
- Make the glaze while the ham approaches its final temperature and brush on as directed above.
Notes
About the glaze: If it becomes overly thick, stir in warm water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
If the ham finishes early: Wrap the ham in foil or parchment and keep warm in a covered cooler for up to four hours; apply the final glaze just before serving to prevent sticking.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 50 g |
Protein: 1 g
Nutrition information is an estimate.