Twice Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze

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My Twice Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze is a backyard twist on that holiday classic. An extra kiss of hardwood smoke adds so much flavor to a spiral cut ham and the glaze is almost like a sweet and savory shiny candy coating to tie everything together.

A spiral-cut ham on a cutting board being drizzled with glaze. The text overlay and the top reads "Twice Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze," and the small one at the bottom reads "Hey Grill Hey."
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What is a Twice Smoked Ham?

All pork products that you purchase that are labeled “ham” have been cured with a nitrate curing solution to give them their characteristic pink color and awesomely tender texture. They are all also pre-smoked, and you’ll often see them labeled as apple or hickory wood smoked. This wood smoke will be indicative of the smoke flavor your ham will have. Hickory typically has a stronger smoke flavor than apple.

Whole cooked pork leg smoking on grill grates.

Why is this called Twice Smoked Ham?

Since ham is pre-cured and smoked, what we are making is called a twice smoked or double smoked ham. I have had some readers concerned that twice smoking a ham will cause it to taste overly smoky, but I’ve never found that to be the case. The process for this recipe is designed to add just the right amount of smoke flavor, and then pump up the moisture content in the ham itself and create a delicious crust on the outside edges of the ham.

Ham in cast iron skillet with glass pouring braising liquid.

Ingredients and Equipment Needed for Twice Smoked Ham:

Sometimes it is super nice to have a list of ingredients at a glance, so you can make sure you have everything you need before you get started. Most of the ingredients for this recipe are pantry staples and might already be in your cupboard and ready to go.

  • 1 8-pound spiral sliced ham
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 Tablespoon Signature Sweet Rub (homemade recipe here, or purchase it pre-made from my store)

As far as equipment needed for this recipe, I tried to keep things pretty simple. I’ll include links to any items I have that you may want to add to your kitchen cabinets, but you should be able to make this ham without needing any super specialty equiment.

  • A smoker. If you’re in the market for a smoker, check out my backyard BBQ grill guide
  • 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet. Perfect for this recipe because you will be going from low temperature smoking, to higher temperature grilling, and then transitioning into the oven to broil. Cast iron is incredible versatile and durable. 
  • Meat thermometer. A handheld, instant read thermometer is my most used kitchen tool, especially when working with meat. 
A foil packet on smoker grates.

How to Cook Twice Smoked Ham

Now that you know what you’re cooking and the ingredients and equipment you’ll need to have on hand, let’s walk through the steps.

  1. Smoke the ham. The first step is to apply low heat with the ham exposed to allow that smoke flavor to work on the meat.
  2. Braise with liquid. The second step is to braise with chicken stock and cover tightly to keep in as much moisture as possible.
  3. Glaze the ham. Third, we add our homemade brown sugar and honey glaze.
  4. Broil the glaze. Finally, the whole ham gets a high heat broil to crisp and caramelize the glaze on the ham before serving. 
Brown sugar honey glaze pouring onto meat.

FAQ’s About Twice Smoked Ham

Most people make this twice smoked ham for holidays and other special family gatherings. I know how important it is to get those family meals just right. They are so special and create so many great memories. I’m here to help you get this ham right the first time by answering some FAQ’s that I see in the comments section. If your questions isn’t answered in here, then feel free to leave a comment below and I’m happy to help you out.

What type of ham should I buy?

This recipe was developed for a spiral, sliced, pre-smoked ham that weighs about 8 pounds. That’s because this is the most common type and size of ham available in grocery stores. 

The cook times in the recipe account for around an 8 pound ham. If your ham weighs more or less, the total time will likely change during step number 4 in the recipe below. Smaller hams will reach 140 degrees F in less time and larger hams will take longer. A 10-12 pound ham will need 2.5-3 hours in the braising step. This is why a meat thermometer is a useful piece of equipment for this recipe. You can check your progress often. 

Can I use a non-spiral sliced ham?

You can absolutely use a non-spiral sliced ham for this recipe. The time and temperature guidelines in the recipe should follow pretty similarly for a non-sliced ham, but it may take a little bit longer to come up to temperature without the slices in the ham. 

Can I cook a twice smoked ham in my oven?

The process for this ham is the same, whether you cook this ham in the oven or outside on your smoker. However, it won’t be a twice smoked ham and you’ll be missing out on some of the extra smoky flavor you get during the first phase of the recipe.

 If using your oven, just follow the time and temperature guidelines written in the printable recipe below.

What can I use instead of chicken stock in the braise?

There are a lot of options instead of chicken stock in the braise, it just depends on your flavor preferences. I’ve heard of people using apple juice, beer, hard cider, white wine, bourbon, and soda. Lots of creative options to add specific and unique flavors to their hams.

What if I don’t have a cast iron pan?

A cast iron pan is awesome in this recipe for the ease of transitioning the ham from the smoker to the oven. If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you can use a disposable aluminum baking pan, just be cautious when moving it off of the smoker to the oven. The ham is heavy and there will be a lot of liquid in the pan. Transfer the pan to a rimmed baking sheet if possible to avoid the aluminum pan from folding up on you and spilling hot ham liquid everywhere. 

Can I use a different glaze (or the glaze packet that came with the ham?)

Absolutely. The glaze recipe that comes with this ham is a delicious brown sugar and honey glaze, but if you have a favorite glaze… feel free to use it. I have a couple of other glazed ham recipes also that you may want to check out if you like to experiment with your ham glaze flavors:

Can I make a gravy using the braising liquid?

Most definitely. If you like gravy with your ham, then you’ve got plenty of braising liquid to use. Drain the fat and liquid from the ham and then strain it. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and then whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to form a roux. Slowly whisk in the strained braising liquid and bring to a boil until thickened. Voila! Ham gravy.

Sliced ham in skillet surrounded by biscuit, asparagus, and side dishes.

Side Dishes to Serve with Twice Smoked Ham

Twice Smoked Ham Recipe

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Twice Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze

By: Susie Bulloch (heygrillhey.com)
4.93 from 39 votes
My Twice Smoked Ham with Brown Sugar Honey Glaze is a backyard twist on a holiday classic. Smoking the ham adds so much flavor and moisture.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Servings15 people

Video

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Ingredients
 

  • 1 8 pound spiral sliced ham
  • 1 cup chicken stock

Brown Sugar Honey Glaze

Instructions
 

  • Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees f.
  • Smoke ham. Place the ham, cut side down, directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke the ham for 1.5 hours.
    1 8 pound spiral sliced ham
  • Braise ham. Place the ham in a large 12 inch cast iron skillet. Pour 1 cup of chicken stock over the ham and then cover the ham and the top of the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Close the lid, increase the temperature on your smoker to 300 degrees F and continue cooking for an additional 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reads 140 degrees F.
    1 cup chicken stock
  • Make Glaze. When the ham is almost done cooking, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine all of the glaze ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a whisk, just until the glaze comes to a boil. Remove from the heat immediately.
    1 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 Tablespoon Signature Sweet Rub
  • Glaze ham. Remove the ham from the smoker and open up the foil. Drain off any excess cooking liquid and set aside for serving. Turn the ham over onto its side and brush liberally with the brown sugar honey glaze.
  • Broil ham. Place the glazed ham into your oven on High broil. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the glaze is bubbling and caramelized.
  • Server and enjoy. Serve immediately with the drippings from the cast iron skillet on the side, if desired. 

Nutrition

Calories: 84kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 26IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

 **I originally published this post in March 2018, but recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. However, the recipe remains the same.

About

FOUNDER/BBQ BOSS LADY

Susie is the BBQ Brain behind the Hey Grill Hey website. Her passion for smoked meats and developing fun, new recipes have landed her on the Food Network, cooking turkeys with Shaq, and on a couple of Guinness World Records. When she’s not grilling, she is hanging out with Todd and their three kids, preferably outdoors!

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Recipe Rating




Reader Reviews

121 Reviews

  1. Ron Reyns says:

    Looking at this in anticipation. Question though.Is it really only 84 calories per serving?Looking forward to making this!

  2. James Muir says:

    Fantastic. I followed the recipe and it turned out perfect. I will never cook a ham any other way again.

  3. David says:

    Found recipe right before I started to smoke a ham for Christmas. The glaze makes it a 5 star lights out recipe!

  4. G. Green says:

    My family used to hate ham. Now they love it (if it is twice smoked). This recipe is ridiculously easy and during family gatherings, the oven is still free to cook or heat other dishes.

  5. chris says:

    i don’t know what made me throw a ham on the grill some years ago, but i was a life-changing eating experience. weather permitting, that’s the only way i cook it now (i live in chicago, sub freezing temps aren’t conducive for grilling/smoking). this glaze though…takes it to another level. a maple-ish flavor on top of the smoke (i used cherry chips on kingsford coals in my weber 26″) with the saltiness of the ham itself is awesome. thanks!

  6. Tommy says:

    Started smoking meats about a year ago and your site has been my go to guarantee for a good main dish, side, and desserts. This Easter Sunday will be our 3rd time doing this ham because it’s that good! It has quickly become our holiday tradition! We did it last Easter and Christmas and can’t wait for it this Sunday! Thank you for this and all the other great recipes!

  7. Rebecca says:

    My husband and I started smoking about 1.5 years ago, and you have quickly become our “go-to” guide! We are planning on making this for Easter brunch, but we wanted to smoke it the day before. Would it be okay to cook and glaze the ham fully on Saturday and then place under the broiler again to re-crisp on Sunday? Or should we stop after the smoking portion on Saturday and wait until Sunday to glaze and broil?
    Thank you!

    1. Hey Grill Hey says:

      Either way will work fine! If it were me and I had the time, I’d wait to glaze and broil on Sunday!

  8. Kent says:

    I love this site! I’m guessing I can use any pre-cooked ham-like from Costco? Then follow the steps?

  9. PapaChef says:

    Used regular ham, scored ham surface, rubbed with yellow mustard, packed on rub (probably used 1/2 of rub). Smoked @ 250 for 2 1/2 hours with cherry wood chunks. Finished in a foil covered 12″ sauté’ pan in oven. Glazed as directed Defatted liquid added leftover glaze (~ 1/4 C) and remaining rub. Absolutely amazing! Great and very versatile recipe!

  10. Steve Blickley says:

    Hi Susie, I’ve been doing twice cooked ham for years at Christmas. I got a new CampChef last year and used your recipe. BEST ham ever. And freed up the oven for all the other dishes. Thanks