Double Smoked Ham on Pellet Grill

This easy and delicious Double-Smoked Ham is smoked low and slow on a pellet grill and then glazed with a sweet, sticky brown sugar glaze. It is the perfect centerpiece for your next holiday meal or whenever you want something extra delicious.

This double-smoked ham (or twice-smoked ham) is one of my favorite things to make. It's simple to make and always turns out amazing. This ham will be the star of any holiday meal - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any summer BBQ.

You can make this ham on a Traeger pellet grill, Pit Boss pellet grill, or any pellet smoker - even an electric smoker. Serve it with Cheesy Air Fryer Scalloped Potatoes or Smoked Cheesy Potatoes and Slow Cooker Red Cabbage with Apples.

Double Smoked Ham

This recipe takes an ordinary store-bought ham from boring to amazing. The already smoked ham gets an extra layer of smoke flavor, and it is topped off with a delicious brown sugar maple glaze.

This ham is moist, tender, and full of flavor. I love using leftovers in my Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup, Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes And Ham, Creamy Split Pea Soup With ham, and my Oven-Baked Western Omelet Casserole. There really is no comparison between regular ham and double-smoked ham!

Ingredients For Double Smoked Ham and Glaze

• Pre-cooked ham. I used a pre-cooked bone-in ham (the butt portion). It doesn't matter what type of ham you get, this recipe will work for any previously cooked ham or spiral ham. The ham is already smoked and just needs to be heated up.
• BBQ rub. Use your favorite spice rub or my homemade BBQ Rub For Pork Or Chicken. It contains brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, roasted garlic and peppers, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper. My Best Pork Rub Recipe is also delicious.
• Orange juice. I used prepared orange juice to keep the ham moist, but you could also use pineapple juice.
• Ham Glaze: I used pure maple syrup, light brown sugar (you could also use dark brown sugar, cane sugar, or raw sugar), ketchup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and ground cinnamon. You could also use dark brown sugar, cane sugar, raw sugar, or honey instead, and yellow mustard instead of Dijon.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities and a complete list of ingredients.

How To Cook Double Smoked Ham On Pellet Grill

Preheat your pellet grill/smoker to 225 degrees F. While it heats up, prepare your ham for smoking.

Rinse the ham with cold water and dry it with a paper towel. If not using a spiral-cut ham, score the outside of the ham to help the rub and glaze sink into the meat. With a sharp knife, cut long cuts from the top of the ham down to the bottom. Make a second set of perpendicular cuts to form a diamond pattern all over the outside, about ½-inch deep and 1-½ inches apart.

Place the whole ham cut side down in an aluminum roasting pan or sturdy heavy-duty pan. Coat the outside of the ham with olive oil.

Mix the ingredients for the homemade spice rub in a small bowl. Coat all sides of the ham with the spice rub. Do not worry about doing the bottom (cut side down) of the ham.

Pour the orange juice into the aluminum pan around the ham.

Place the foil pan with the ham into the preheated grill. Close the lid and smoke the ham, uncovered, for about 2 hours until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F.

Make The Brown Sugar Maple Glaze

When the ham nears 130 degrees F, make the ham glaze. Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately turn off the heat. Reserve ½ to ¾ cup of glaze for serving with the ham. Set aside.

Once the ham reaches 130 to 135 degrees F, brush on the glaze with a pastry brush and coat the ham on all sides. Reapply the glaze every 30 minutes. Continue to smoke it until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees F, about 1-2 more hours. The disposable pan will catch all of the drippings in the bottom of the pan.

Once the ham reaches an internal temp of 140 degrees F, it should be nicely caramelized. Remove it from the smoker, tent it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Serve with the reserved glaze and your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Recipe FAQ's

Expert Tips

• You can use any pellet grill/smoker, even a charcoal grill. Just smoke the ham over indirect heat. If using an electric smoker, fill the water pan with apple juice.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the ham reaches a safe internal temperature of 140 degrees F (according to the USDA).
• Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Double-Smoked Ham

This double-smoked ham is the perfect holiday ham for Christmas or Easter dinner. Serve it with Creamy Coleslaw With Miracle Whip, Oven-Baked Beans, Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, Campbell's Green Bean Casserole, Mustard Bean Pickles, and Homemade Air Buns.

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