Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
This smoked ham recipe takes a pre-cooked spiral cut ham and gives it a second pass on the smoker at low heat, building a deep, complex smoky flavor that you simply can't get from the oven alone. Finished with a homemade brown sugar honey glaze made with butter, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar, it caramelizes into a stunning lacquered crust that's sweet, sticky, and absolutely irresistible. Perfect for holiday gatherings, Easter, or any special occasion dinner, this ham is mostly hands-off and serves a crowd beautifully.
Equipment
- Pellet smoker or charcoal smoker - Must maintain a steady 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C)
- Disposable aluminum roasting pan - Large size to hold the full ham
- Leave-in meat thermometer - For monitoring internal temperature throughout the cook
- Instant-read thermometer - For spot-checking temperature near end of cook
- Small saucepan - For making the glaze on the stovetop
- Silicone basting brush - For applying apple cider baste and glaze
- Large cutting board - For resting and slicing the finished ham
- Sharp carving knife - For slicing around the bone and serving
- Large mixing bowl - For mixing the spice rub
- Aluminum foil - For tenting if ham browns too quickly
- Apple wood chips or cherry wood chips - Apple wood recommended; hickory is a good alternative
- 12-inch cast iron skillet - (optional) For finishing under the broiler to set the glaze
Ingredients
- 1 bone-in spiral cut ham - 7 to 9 lbs (3.2 to 4 kg), pre-cooked and pre-smoked; applewood or hickory smoked variety recommended
- 2 cups apple cider - 480 ml; sweet drinking cider, NOT apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp yellow or Dijon mustard - 30 ml; used as a binder for the spice rub
For the Spice Rub
- 2 tbsp brown sugar - 24 g, packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika - 3 g
- 1 tsp garlic powder - 3 g
- 1/2 tsp onion powder - 1.5 g
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper - 1 g
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon - 0.5 g
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves - 0.5 g
For the Brown Sugar Honey Glaze
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar - 100 g
- 1/4 cup pure honey - 60 ml
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter - 42 g
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - 30 ml
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard - 15 ml
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper - optional but recommended
Instructions
- Load your smoker with apple, cherry, or hickory wood chips and preheat to 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C). Allow 20 to 30 minutes for it to fully come to temperature and produce clean, thin smoke before adding the ham.
- Remove the ham from packaging, pat it dry with paper towels, then brush the entire surface with 2 tablespoons of mustard as a binder. Mix all spice rub ingredients together in a bowl, then sprinkle generously over the entire ham, pressing it into the mustard to adhere, including between the spiral slices.
- Set the ham cut-side down in a large disposable aluminum roasting pan and place it on the smoker grates. Insert your leave-in thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone, and close the lid.
- After the first hour, begin basting the ham generously with apple cider using a silicone basting brush, working it into the spiral cut slices. Continue basting every 30 to 45 minutes throughout the cook; tent with foil if the surface browns too quickly.
- When the ham reaches 120°F to 130°F (49°C to 54°C) internally (around the 2.5 to 3 hour mark), combine the brown sugar, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and glossy, then remove from heat.
- Once the ham hits 130°F (54°C), brush a generous coat of glaze all over the surface including between the spiral slices. Apply another coat every 15 to 20 minutes until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C), building 2 to 3 layers total.
- Remove the ham from the smoker at 140°F (60°C) and transfer to a large cutting board. Rest uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice along the bone to release the spiral cut pieces, drizzle with pan drippings or extra glaze, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Always cook to internal temperature (140°F / 60°C), not just time. A leave-in wireless thermometer takes all the guesswork out of the cook.
- Use sweet apple cider (the kind you drink) for basting, not apple cider vinegar. They are very different products and the mistake will make the ham too tart.
- Build the glaze in 2 to 3 thin coats rather than one thick application at the end. Layering creates a much more impressive caramelized crust.
- Do not push past 145°F (63°C) or the ham will start to dry out significantly. Pull it at 140°F (60°C) and let carryover cooking do the rest.
- Save the pan drippings. Pour them into a small pitcher and drizzle over the sliced ham at the table, or use as the base for a quick ham gravy.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat slices in a covered skillet with a splash of broth over medium-low heat.
- For a bourbon maple variation, replace the honey with pure maple syrup and add 2 tablespoons of bourbon to the glaze.
- Cherry wood chips give the ham a beautiful deep reddish exterior and a slightly sweeter smoke flavor than apple wood.
- If you only have an oven, you can still use this glaze recipe on a spiral ham baked at 325°F (163°C), covered with foil for most of the cook and glazed in the final 30 minutes.
- The ham can be smoked up to 2 days ahead, refrigerated, and reheated covered at 325°F (163°C) with a fresh glaze application at the end for easy holiday entertaining.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 28gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1380mgPotassium: 420mgSugar: 20gVitamin A: 4IUCalcium: 2mgIron: 10mg
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