smoke a holiday ham

How To Smoke A Holiday Ham

Smoke A Holiday Ham

I love smoking holiday hams. Hams are one of the easiest things to smoke and incredibly delicious… when you do it the right way. When I was a kid growing up, we always had a baked ham or a ham bought from Honey Baked Hams… and I always thought those two hams were good. But they are nothing like a slow-smoked ham. I’ve been smoking hams for different holidays for years… Thanksgiving, Christmas and especially Easter. Now my family isn’t happy around the holidays unless I smoke a ham. So, over the years and I have gotten the recipe down. It just takes about 4 hours and you have the best tasting ham you will ever try. Its just something about the slow-smoking process that always produces a better-tasting meat. Smoked Holiday Hams Now, if you have never smoked a Holiday Ham before, don’t worry. Just follow this Smoked Ham Recipe, stick to the steps and you will have perfectly smoked ham that your friends and family will be bragging about for a long time.

My Holiday Smoked Ham Recipe:

Step #1. First you’ll need to purchase your ham. When I refer to ham I’m not talking about a “green ham” (one that’s not cured). I’m actually referring to a sugar cured ham that you can find in most all grocery stores – especially around the holidays. If you smoked a “green ham” it will turn out more like BBQ or pulled pork… and that is not what you want for your Holiday Ham. The ham you will purchase will have already been smoked and cured somewhat. Traditionally, most people purchase these hams and then cook them in the oven slowly for several hours. This method of cooking a holiday ham in the oven with a sweet glaze is good… but once you’ve tried it on the smoker, you’ll never put one in the oven again. One brand that I like to cook is Mash’s brand sugar cured ham. I find them at grocery store in my hometown and they usually run around $15-20 bucks depending on the sale price. These hams will keep in the freezer, so if you catch them on sale you can go ahead and purchase it and throw it in the freezer until you are ready to smoke. I have personally had a holiday ham last for 9 months in the freezer… and once I thawed it and smoked it, it turned out just fine. Step #2. Other items you’ll need to smoke a ham include:
  • Smoker for indirect cooking
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Cherry or Your Favorite Fruit Wood
  • Honey Dijon Mustard – 1 bottle
  • Brown Sugar – 1 lb
  • Pineapple Juice
Step #3. Bring Your Smoker Up To Temp Now that you have all of the necessary ingredients, set up the smoker for indirect cooking and bring the temp up to 225. While the smoker is climbing up to temperature, unwrap your thawed Ham and use paper towel to remove excess moisture. Dry Rub For A Holiday Ham Step #4. Rub Your Ham Next you want to coat the outside of your ham with the Honey Dijon Mustard and then lightly dust your ham with Brown Sugar. (don’t go too heavy here, you will come back and add another, heavier coating of brown sugar later). This will create almost a “paste” on your ham. (you can also use a light dusting of Killer Hog’s The BBQ Rub to add to your brown sugar if you like) Step #5. Smoke Your Ham Once your smoker has reached 225 degrees, I always add a few chunks of wood to your smoker’s coals. All that’s left now is to put your ham on the smoker. After smoking the ham for two (2) hours at 225 degrees, take it off the smoker and wrap in aluminum foil. But before you close the aluminum foil completely, you want to baste the ham with your pineapple juice. I have found it is easiest to pour the juice into a spray bottle then just hit the ham with a few squirts. Once I have basted my ham with pineapple juice and wrapped it in aluminum foil, I place it back on the smoker and allow it to cook for 1 hour at 225 degrees. After 1 hour, check the internal temperature of your holiday ham. You are looking for an internal temp of 145 degrees, and at this point your ham should be close. Smoked Holiday Ham Recipe When your ham reaches 140 degrees internal, it’s time to glaze. Unwrap the top of the ham, but keep it setting in the foil. I try and make a “boat” to keep the juices from spilling. Now that the ham is exposed, sprinkle brown sugar over the entire outside again. Once your ham is covered in brown sugar, spray it really well with pineapple juice. This will cause the brown sugar to dissolve and the heat from the smoker will create a beautiful, delicious glaze that goes perfectly with the taste of your smoked ham. Your holiday ham will stay on the smoker for 1 hour while you allow the sugar and juice to create your glaze. Step #7. Rest Your Ham At the 4 hour mark your ham is ready to come off the smoker. But you always want to check your internal temp just to be sure. Your ham should be at least 145 degrees internal. If it’s a little higher than that, don’t worry… as long as you haven’t kept it on the smoker for more than 4 hours it shouldn’t be overly done. Now you will remove your ham from the smoker and loosely tent it with the foil while you allow it to rest. I recommend letting it rest for around 20 – 30 minutes… then it’s ready to eat. When cutting your ham, I suggest a really good meat carving knife… but an electric filet knife works great too. I promise you that once your family and friends try this ham that you’ll never cook it any other way. Malcom Reed Connect on Facebook Follow me on Twitter Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Find me on Google+ Follow me on Instagram Buy Killer Hogs Products Here

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51 responses to “How To Smoke A Holiday Ham”

  1. mike says:

    need more BBQ recipes

    • Scott Alexander says:

      Great article. Question: Can you smoke a HoneyBaked Ham? I ordered one for Christmas, and thought I’d smoke it. What are your thoughts or suggestions.

  2. Carl Mahala says:

    MALCOM HAVE YOU EVER SMOKED A BOURBON MAPLE HICKORY HAM?
    I HAVE I BOUGHT THEM FROM PUBLIX HERE IN THE ORLANDO FLA AREA AND I AM GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE FOR THIS EASTER IT COMES WITH A PACKET OF THE BOURBON MAPLE SAUSE BUT I JUST ADD MORE MAPLE SYRUP, BROWN SUGAR AND MORE BOURBON AND I ADD MORE HICKORY OR APPLE CHUNKS OR BOTH TO MY WEBER WATER SMOKER AND I TAKES JUST UNDER 2 HRS COMES OUT GREAT. THIS TIMEI AM GOING TO WRAP IT IN FOIL LIKE YOU SUGGEST AND I THEN HAVE A GREAT SUPPLY OF LUNCH MEAT SAVE ME A LOT OF MONEY SINCE HAM LIKE THAT IN THE DELI COST ABOUT 10.00 A LB SO A 15LB TO 18LB COST ME JUST 26.00 AND THAT IS A LOT OF SAVINGS AND IT CAN BE FROZEN FOR LATER SANDWICHES LAST A LONG TIME.

  3. Glenn says:

    The issue on Easter Sunday is that there’s not enough time between the Easter Service and the company coming over. What would you say about smoking the ham on Saturday and then warm up the next day? My main concern is the ham becoming dry after 2 ‘cooks’.

  4. Tom Biver says:

    I will be smoking a 10 lb butt portion sliced ham on saturday for Easter using an electric smoke. I will be following your recipe directions, but I’m confused with your pictures as to placing the ham directly on the metal racks or placing it in an aluminum pan? Maybe it doesn’t matter, but I want to do it right.
    Can you advise me before I get started on Saturday…
    Thank you,
    Tom Biver
    [email protected]

    • Malcom Reed says:

      You can place them directly on the rack or place them in a shallow pan. If you place them directly on the rack the entire time, the bottom piece isn’t very good – but if you place it in the shallow pan the entire time, you don’t get as much smoke flavor. It’s just what you want to do that day…

  5. Sam Arnold says:

    This ham is outstanding, my whole family is begging me to do another one this year for Thanksgiving.

    • nick says:

      i followed this recipe to a T with a 1200 smoker that holds temperature beautifully. im 3 hours 45 minutes in and my hams still only at 111 degrees. spiral sliced. the recipe may be good but the cook time is way off i have temp jacked up trying to compete at the 4 hours kid of a bummer id have started way earier id have known

  6. Joel says:

    Malcom
    I have a family member that is allergic to pineapple. Can you suggest a substitute?

  7. Vicky says:

    I’m also smoking a turkey overnight at 170 degrees. Is there any way to modify your recipe so that I could cook them at the same time? I have a 14 lb turkey and two 10 lb spiral sliced ham halves. Any suggestions on how to do all at the same time? This recipe sounds wonderful!

  8. Ryan Porter says:

    What size hams are you using in this recipe?

  9. Peter says:

    What would be the best way to re-heat it? because I will need to cook it the day before.

  10. Matthew Davis says:

    Could I just smoke the spiral ham until it reaches 140 and then use the glaze from your whole ham video until it reaches 145? Thanks for all the videos!

  11. Corey says:

    Where did the original recipe go? The one with orange juice, apple juice, honey, turbinado, etc… That’s my go to for Christmas and have made it for years and now I can’t find it!

  12. Rick says:

    Hey Malcom, thanks for the tips.

    As a guy who really enjoys doing everything from scratch, can you elaborate more on what it would take to turn a “green ham” into a holiday ham, for those of us who like doing it all from scratch?

  13. Jaak says:

    Malcolm, would the time and tempo true translate to use on the BGE as well?

  14. Craig says:

    Malcom

    Do I need to pre-soak my shank/butt before I put it on the smoker? The last one I did a few years ago was extremely salty.

    Thank you for all that you do to help us.

  15. Kelly Welch says:

    Is a brown sugar cured ham the same thing you are talking about? Having trouble finding just a sugar cured ham. Plan on doing it on Christmas Day. Gonna blast it with killer hogs too

    Thanks,
    Kelly

  16. Andy Richardson says:

    After basting and coating it the second time with brown sugar, should i then rewrap it in foil for the last hour or leave the foil open ?

  17. Andrew Richardson says:

    Should the ham be covered in foil for the last hour after hitting it with sugar and juice again, or left uncovered?

  18. Joe Cresgy says:

    I made this ham recipe for Easter dinner on the BGE and it turned out to be the most delicious ham ever. Thanks for all the great recipes and videos.

  19. Bill says:

    At what temp. do I set the oven at to reheat the Ham and Turkey? and for how much time? Thanks

  20. Melanie McCormick says:

    For the last hour, when you say to leave it on the smoker so the glaze forms, the smoker is still on right?

  21. Rachael Mayall says:

    Wow gonna do this for xmas, do you think that if I marinate the ham in pineapple juice the night before it will increase the flavour or will it just run it?

    • Malcom Reed says:

      Pineapple juice will break down meat – and since the ham is already cooked it won’t absorb as much flavor. I think it might give you problems if you try to soak it overnight. But you can use the pineapple in your glaze to get that flavor

  22. Christian Y says:

    Do you use a bone in ham or boneless? Going to try this for Christmas this year. Thanks for the help!

  23. Billy Harp says:

    What size Ham do you recommend??

  24. Kelly Van Kooten says:

    Getting up at 4 am on Christmas, made an ordinary ham a game changer for Christmas brunch loved by all! Thanks Malcom, now to get ready for the comps ribs for this evening

  25. Steve wood says:

    Hi Malcolm,
    I just wanted to say that you have made me local hero with friends and family. We have enjoyed many of your recipes and everything we’ve made has been outstanding! Thank you for what you do.

  26. Judy Braun says:

    I can use a ham butt not spiral?

  27. Easy cook! Thanks for this recipe, was a big hit at our family’s early Thanksgiving. The Dijon, brown sugar, pineapple juice, and salty ham fat was an awesome baste. Instead of wrapping in tinfoil, I put it in an aluminum steam pan and covered it with tinfoil. Will do it again, maybe add some spicy honey to the final glaze!

  28. Jim Nelligan says:

    I made this at Easter and now again for Thanksgiving, just awesome!

  29. Cathy says:

    We love a savory ham so I was thinking of using a spicy pork rub over the mustard and spray with maybe bourbon? Your thoughts?

  30. Steve says:

    Hi, Malcom,

    Is butcher paper acceptable to use in place of foil? Or is foil the best option when wrapping the ham.

    Thanks!

  31. Steve says:

    Hi, do you cut the skin off the ham and score the fat? Also I have a bullet smoker, would that work the same?

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