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posted March 22, 2022

Jalapeno Pomegranate Smoked Spiral Glazed Ham

This jalapeno pomegranate smoked spiral glazed ham is a much-needed update on the traditional holiday ham. Skip the classic brown sugar honey glaze and go with something that is a bit more punchy.

Jalapeno pomegranate smoked glazed ham on a serving platter with text overlay - Jalapeno Pomegranate Glazed Ham.

Smoked Spiral Glazed Ham

For those of you looking for a ham that is outside the ordinary honey-glazed variety, this ham DELIVERS. It’s anything but ordinary, but it will still give you all that warm comfort of a tasty spiral ham.

This ham has personality! It’s got zip. Pizazz! Not only that, but it is extremely good-looking and makes for a gorgeous centerpiece. The deep burgundy glaze coats the outside of this ham like a candy coating and the powerful flavors seep into each slice.

Whole cloves being studded into a spiral ham in a cast iron skillet.

Smoked Spiral Ham Glaze

I know if you hear jalapeno, you might be nervous to make this ham for the whole family (kids included). That is totally understood. I’ve got 3 kids and every single one of them devoured this ham without a single complaint of heat or it “tasting like peppers,” which is basically a miracle. Consider this glaze kid-friendly!

The jalapeno pomegranate glaze is infused with delicious jalapeno flavor but none of the heat because all of the jalapeno seeds and ribs have been removed before dicing. The jalapeno flavor is perfectly balanced by the tangy/sweet pomegranate and spices. It’s so good, this glaze will have you licking your fingers and your plate.

Chicken stock being poured over a spiral cut ham.

How to Smoke a Glazed Spiral Ham

This jalapeno pomegranate glazed ham is slow-roasted on a pellet smoker for a little extra smoky flavor (almost all store bought hams are already cured and smoked), but this recipe is adaptable to whatever indirect grill you have. Here’s how to make it.

  1. Make the glaze. Combine all ingredients for the jalapeno pomegranate glaze in a saucepan and simmer until the sauce thickens and the mixture reduces by half.
  2. Prep. Place the ham in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Pour the chicken stock over the meat and stud the entire ham with fresh cloves.
  3. Smoke. With your grill preheated to 325 degrees F, place the skillet on the grates, close the lid, and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Baste the ham with the cooking liquid in the skillet ever 15 minutes.
  4. Glaze. Turn the ham to its side and loosen the meat spirals. Baste the entire ham liberally with the jalapeno pomegranate glaze. Continue cooking for 30 minutes, continuing to spoon cooking liquid over the meat on occasion. Cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
  5. Serve. Remove the ham from the grill and drain the cooking liquid. Set the liquid aside. Remove the cloves from the ham, and serve the meat with additional glaze and cooking liquid.

Jalapeno pomegranate glaze being brushed on a smoked spiral cut ham.

How Long to Smoke a Glazed Ham

It takes approximately 2 hours to smoke this glazed ham from start to finish. Keep in mind, each cut of meat will cook a little differently, so time is not the best indicator if your meat is done.

Better than staring at the clock while this glazed ham cooks, invest in a good meat thermometer and gauge the doneness of the ham by temp instead. Spiral ham is done when the internal temp of the meat reaches 140 degrees F.

Tips for Making a Smoked Spiral Glazed Ham

Here are some tips for making this smoked spiral glazed ham the best of the best.

  • Don’t overcook. Ham from the grocery store comes pre-cooked, so you want to be extra careful that you don’t overcook the meat. Leaving the ham in the smoke for too long will result in dry meat.
  • Adjust the heat. This ham is not very spicy, but you can adjust the heat level to your liking. If you’re feeding a crowd that like a little extra spice, leave the jalapeno seeds in the glaze for an extra kick.
  • Cook in an oven. If you don’t feel like shoveling a path through the snow to your grill in December, this recipe also works in the oven. Just shoot for the same temperature listed in the recipe below and follow the rest of the steps. 

Jalapeno pomegranate smoked glazed ham on a serving platter.

More Smoked Ham Recipes

Looking for more awesome smoked ham recipes? Look no further! Hey Grill Hey has a handful of delicous smoked hams that come complete with awesome flavor and foolproof instructions.

Smoked Spiral Glazed Ham Recipe

Once you make this ham, be sure to return to this post and leave us a comment to let us know how it turned out. We love hearing from you!

Jalapeno pomegranate smoked glazed ham on a serving platter.

Jalapeno Pomegranate Smoked Spiral Glazed Ham

This Jalapeno Pomegranate Glazed Ham is a much-needed update on the traditional holiday ham. We can't celebrate Christmas without a spiral-cut ham, and this year I was determined to mix up the same old same old brown sugar glaze and go with something a little more punchy.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time : 30 mins
Cook Time : 2 hrs
Total Time : 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings : 12 people
Calories : 74kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 7-pound spiral cut smoked ham (bone in)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 teaspoons whole cloves (about 20-25)

Jalapeno Pomegranate Glaze

  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup jalapenos (seeded and finely diced)
  • 2 Tablespoons orange juice
  • 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon candied ginger
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat. Preheat your smoker (or oven) to 325 degrees F.
  • Make the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the glaze and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the mixture reduces by about half.
  • Prep. Place your ham cut side down in a cast iron grill pan. Pour the chicken stock into the bottom of the pan and stud the ham all over with the cloves.
  • Glaze and smoke. Brush the ham with half of the thickened glaze and place it on the preheated smoker. Smoke for an hour and a half, basting the ham with the cooking liquid every 15-20 minutes.
  • Finish cooking. Turn the ham onto its side and use a fork to loosen some of the spiral slices. Drizzle the whole ham with the remaining glaze and cook for an additional 30 minutes, spooning the cooking liquid over the ham occasionally. The internal temperature of the ham should read 140 degrees F.
  • Enjoy. Remove the cloves before serving. Reserve the cooking liquid and serve alongside the ham for drizzling and dipping.

Notes

Grill: CampChef Smoke Pro Lux
Pellets: Pacific Pellets Gourmet Blend (oak, alder, pecan, and cherry blend)

Nutrition

Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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