Whether you are preparing for the holidays or just looking for a great meal option, a smoked ham is the way to go! This affordable cut of meat is tender, packed with flavor, and so easy to prepare.
When most people think about ham, they think about a holiday meal. We are all used to seeing a beautifully displayed ham served up around Christmas or Easter.
While it does make for a great presentation on special occasions, it can also easily be enjoyed for your regular family meal. I usually make a ham on the weekend and use the leftovers in a variety of dishes throughout the rest of the week.
Smoking a ham is so easy! Most hams that you buy in the store are typically precooked on a smoker, so technically all you are doing is adding more flavor and heating it up. If you buy a pre-smoked ham and cook it in the oven, you might get a hint of smoky flavor, but it pales in comparison to the taste of one cooked using this method.
Let’s talk about a glaze. Some hams come with a packet of premade glaze. I am personally not a fan of these packets because I’d much rather make my own. While you can certainly use a premade glaze or a recipe you already have, I will share my recipe for a cherry preserve glaze that I absolutely love.
I am not typically a huge fan of cherries but this glaze is sweet, has a hint of tang, and pairs really well with the ham. This recipe is simple and made with few ingredients, which is all the more reason to love it. Here is all that you will need:
- Cherry Preserves – Any brand of cherry preserves can be purchased from your local supermarket.
- Honey – Adds a smooth sweet texture, I prefer to use local honey when I can.
- Brown Sugar – A dark brown sugar will give more of a molasses flavor, while a light brown sugar will just add sweetness. Either can be used.
- Dijon Mustard – This will add a hint of tang and balance out some of the sweetness in the glaze.
How To Prepare the Glaze
Making this glaze is very simple. All you need to do is whisk all of the ingredients together in a pot over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the heat. Allow it to cool slightly before applying it to the ham. There is usually enough glaze to coat the ham and have some left over for serving.
How To Smoke A Ham
Heat your grill or smoker to 250°F. Add wood chunks or chips to the hot coals. I used cherry wood to smoke my ham, but other woods like hickory or peach are great options as well.
While the grill is heating up, remove the ham from its original packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel. Unless I buy a spiral cut ham, I like to score the outside of the meat. Scoring the ham is not necessary, but it does help smoke penetrate the meat and make for a great presentation.
Next, drizzle the meat with a light coating of olive oil. This will help the seasoning adhere to the meat. Use your favorite pork rub and evenly season all sides of the ham. A sweet rub is usually a great pairing with ham, but salt and pepper can be used instead of a rub.
Once you have prepared the ham, place it cut side down directly on the grill grates and smoke it at 250°F for 1 and ½ hours.
After smoking the ham for the recommended time, remove it from the grill and place it in an aluminum pan. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the pan and tightly cover the ham with a heavy duty aluminum foil.
Increase the temperature of the grill to 325°F. Return the covered ham and continue cooking for an additional hour and a half, or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
When the ham is done, remove it from the gill and pour all the liquid from the pan into a separate container. If you decide to use a glaze, use a brush to coat the ham while it is still hot. Reserve any extra glaze for serving. Allow the glazed ham to rest for a few minutes before serving.
What To Do With Leftover Ham
If you are feeding a big crowd, ham is a delicious and affordable choice. I intentionally make a larger smoked ham when I cook for a gathering, to ensure I have some leftovers. I have seen some creative ways to incorporate ham into a dish, but below are some of my favorites.
- Add it to an omelet.
- Make ham and cheese sliders.
- Use the ham and bone in a pot of beans.
- Finely chop the ham and toss it on a salad.
- Mix it with other toppings and make a meat lovers pizza.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a sharp knife to score the outside of the ham. I prefer a crosshatch presentation and will cut shallow (about ¼” depth) diagonal lines in one direction of the ham spacing them about 1-2 inches apart. Then repeat the scoring going the opposite direction to create the crosshatch. Make sure to do this on both sides of the ham.
The time it takes to smoke a ham will depend mostly on the size you purchase. An average 8-10 pound ham will take about 3 hours to cook on a grill or smoker. Half of the cooking process is done with the ham directly on the grill grates at a low temperature, followed by braising the ham the remaining time, wrapped in foil and at an increased heat.
The ham may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, you may freeze it for 2 to 3 months and thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Side Dishes To Try
Smoked Ham
Ingredients
For The Ham
- 8-10 pound bone-in ham
- 2 cups chicken stock
- pork rub to taste
- olive oil for coating the ham
For the Cherry Glaze
- ½ cup cherry preserves
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Instructions
- Heat your grill or smoker to 250°F, add wood chunks or chips.
- Remove the ham from its packaging and discard any excess liquid. Place the ham on a cutting board and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Drizzle the meat with a light coating of olive oil to help the seasoning adhere to the ham and evenly season all sides of the ham with your favorite pork rub.
- Place the ham cut side down directly on the grill grates and smoke at 250°F for an hour and a half.
- After smoking the ham for an hour and a half, remove it from the grill and place it in an aluminum pan.
- Pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the pan and tightly cover the ham with a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Increase the temperature on the grill or smoker to 325°F and return the covered ham to the grill or smoker and continue cooking for an additional hour and a half or until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
- Remove the ham from the grill and let rest while making the glaze.
To Make The Glaze:
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a pot over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes and then remove it from the heat. Let it cool slightly before applying it to the ham.
- If using the glaze, use a brush to coat the ham while it is still hot. Reserve any extra glaze for serving.
- Allow the ham to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.