This Double Smoked Ham Recipe makes the perfect ham, complete with a sweet and sticky brown sugar maple glaze. It is out of this world delicious and perfect for any occasion, any time of year. Impress your guests with this succulent sweet and savory smoked ham; everyone will be wondering how you created such a masterpiece! The beautiful glaze is so enticing; you'll want to eat it by the spoonful!
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This double smoked ham is one of the best things I have ever made in my life....it is SO good!
There are just so many amazing things about this ham. It is easy to make, and is perfect for Christmas, Easter, or anytime, even a summer BBQ. The glaze is so good you could eat it with a spoon. (I did that, and I am not ashamed).
You don't need to buy expensive hams to get the perfect ham. Just a kiss of additional smoke is all you need.
Another great pellet grill recipe is Smoked Turkey, a fantastic recipe that you should try.
This smoked ham will be the star of any holiday meal, served alongside Oven-Roasted Potatoes, Roast Buttercup Squash, Carrot Salad, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, and topped off with Smoked Pumpkin Pie or Easter Egg Cheesecake.
Check out more holiday recipes.
Jump to:
- What is double smoked ham?
- What are the best wood pellets to smoke ham?
- Why a pellet grill?
- How long to cook twice smoked ham on pellet grill?
- How much ham do I need per person?
- Is bone-in ham or boneless ham better?
- Why you will LOVE this twice-smoked ham
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- How to cook double smoked ham on the pellet grill
- Variations
- Equipment
- Storage
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Top tips for twice smoked ham on pellet grill
- What is a good side dish to serve with double smoked ham?
- What to serve with leftover double-smoked ham?
- Related Recipes
- 📋 Recipe
- Food safety
- More Recipes
- 💬 Comments
What is double smoked ham?
When you purchase a ham, it is already pre-cured and smoked. It is thus "double smoked" by cooking it on the smoker. It is also known as "twice-smoked" ham.
Double smoking the ham gives it a nice smoked flavor, not overpowering in the slightest. I was expecting a robust smoke flavor, but that wasn't the case.
The ham is cooked on low heat, so the moisture level increases. In addition, the ham has a delicious crusty exterior covered with a sweet glaze. In my opinion, this is the BEST way to cook a ham.
What are the best wood pellets to smoke ham?
Maple, apple, hickory, and cherry wood are the best wood pellets to smoke ham. Some people like fruit wood the best.
The Competitions Blend has a mixture of maple, hickory, and cherry, also a good blend.
Why a pellet grill?
We had heard fantastic reviews about wood pellet grills for the past couple of years, but we didn't think it was worth the added expense. We already had a natural gas BBQ; why buy something else that would do the same thing?
When our gas grill quit working, we decided to buy a pellet grill. We looked at Traeger grills and Pit Boss grills. The Pit Boss smoker happened to be on sale, so that's what we decided to buy.
We purchased a Pit Boss 8-1 grill that uses 100% wood pellets as fuel instead of gas and propane.
From the first time we used it, we loved it! It added so much flavor and was so easy to use! The best part was that it was electric, you just set your temperature dial, and that's where the temperature stayed. It was so cool! (BTW, this is not a sponsored post; we loved it that much.)
Every piece of meat I have made on this pellet grill has turned out fantastic! Actually, everything I have made has turned out great, not just the meat!
You can make a smoked ham on any grill, a pellet grill, gas grill, Big Green Egg, or charcoal grill. This smoker recipe for how to cook a ham on a pellet grill is my favorite recipe that always turns out 100% of the time 🙂
How long to cook twice smoked ham on pellet grill?
I like to smoke a ham low and slow for optimal juiciness. At a temperature of 225 degrees F, the cook time will be about 3-4 hours to cook, depending on the size of your ham, if it has a bone, and how hot your smoker is. It takes about 20-30 minutes per pound to cook a smoked ham.
If you are cooking a half ham, you will reduce the time. So use an instant read thermometer to know when it is cooked.
How much ham do I need per person?
If you figure about ½ pound per person with a bone-in ham and ⅓ pound per person if it is a boneless ham, you will have enough to feed everyone and some leftovers if you are lucky.
Is bone-in ham or boneless ham better?
I prefer a bone-in ham ALL the time. The bone gives the meat so much more flavor. The boneless is easier to cut, but the bone-in will have SO much flavor.
Why you will LOVE this twice-smoked ham
EASY: The whole smoking process is so easy. It is almost hands-off cooking. No turning or flipping is required, just glazing near the end of the cooking time. The entire process is so easy and will give you time to visit with your guests. You can even kick back and enjoy a glass of your favorite chardonnay. 🙂
DELICIOUS: The delicate smoke flavor is infused in each incredibly tender bite of ham. Double smoking the ham is a great way to get great flavor into the meat, and it takes the flavor of ham to the next level!
SUPER MOIST: I am not kidding when I tell you the ham is MOIST! It was SO juicy and tender when I took my first bite, OMG! So good!!
FREE OVEN: Your oven is free to cook other dishes.
FANTASTIC GLAZE: This glaze recipe is so tasty, make sure to reserve some to spoon on the ham when you serve it. I was eating it with a spoon!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You can prepare this delicious, juicy, flavorful smoked ham recipe with basic ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
- Pre-cooked cured ham or spiral cut ham. I used a frozen ham that I defrosted, and it was not seasoned. You can pick up a fresh ham at the grocery store.
- Olive oil. You can also use butter or avocado oil.
- BBQ rub. Use your favorite spice rub, or use my homemade BBQ rub. It contains brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, roasted garlic and peppers, chili powder, seasoning salt, and black pepper.
- Orange juice. I used prepared orange juice. You could also use pineapple juice. This keeps the ham super moist the entire time it is smoking. DO NOT skip this ingredient.
For the Sweet Glaze:
- Pure maple syrup. I used pure maple syrup, imitation just doesn't have the same depth of flavor.
- Brown sugar. I used light brown sugar, you could also use dark brown sugar, cane sugar, or raw sugar.
- Ketchup. I used organic tomato ketchup.
- Dijon mustard. I used Dijon mustard. It has so much more flavor than prepared mustard.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Just a little will do. It packs a real flavorful punch!
- Ground Cinnamon. This adds fantastic flavor to the glaze.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to cook double smoked ham on the pellet grill
Preheat your smoker. Set the temperature to 225 degrees F. Make sure you top up the pellet grill with wood pellets.
First thing, remove your ham from the package. Next, rinse the ham with cold water and dry the ham with a paper towel.
If your ham is not spiral-cut, score the outside of the ham, which helps the rub and glaze sink into the meat. First off, score the ham with a sharp knife, and cut long cuts from the top of the ham down to the bottom. Next, make a second set of perpendicular cuts to form a diamond pattern all over the outside, about ½-inch deep, 1-½-inches apart.
Next, 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
If using a homemade dry spice rub, mix the ingredients in a bowl with a spoon.
Cover all sides of the ham with the spice rub. Do not worry about doing the bottom (cut side down) of the ham.
Next, add the orange juice to the aluminum pan around the ham.
Place the foil pan with the ham into the preheated grill when it comes up to the correct temperature, directly onto the cooking grid.
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.
When the ham is near the correct internal temperature, prepare the glaze. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately shut off the heat. Reserve ½ to ¾ cup of glaze for serving with the ham. Set aside.
After the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F 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, and let the ham cook until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 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 has reached an internal temperature of 140 degrees F on the digital instant-read meat thermometer, it should be nice and caramelized. Remove the ham from the smoker, tent it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Spoon the reserved glaze over the ham for a stunning presentation before you slice it and serve.
Enjoy!
Variations
Change the flavor of the ham by changing the spice rub ingredients. So go ahead, have some fun with it!
- Spicy - add cayenne pepper or chili pepper flakes
- Sweet - Add extra brown sugar to the spice rub.
- Less Sweet - Decrease the amount of brown sugar in the BBQ rub and the glaze.
- Thick maple bourbon glaze: Make a savory glaze by adding in a bit of bourbon for great flavor!
Note: Sugar will turn a dark color on the ham as it cooks. If you don't want a dark color, leave the sugar out.
Check out my Baked Ham with Pineapple Brown Sugar Glaze recipe too!
Equipment
Smoker: Our smoker is an electric smoker, a Pit Boss smoker 8-1 grill that uses 100% wood pellets as fuel instead of gas or propane.
Wood pellets: We like the Competition Blend, Hickory Blend, and Applewood Blend.
High-quality temperature probe: This is a must-have item if you own a smoker. We invested in this ThermoPro Wireless Digital Cooking Food Meat Thermometer with Dual Probes as soon as we bought the smoker; it's an absolute necessity!
Storage
Fridge: Leftover smoked ham can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Leftover smoked ham can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. We love using a Foodsaver to freeze our food; it keeps longer!
If you have lots of leftovers, slice up the ham and place it in a Ziploc bag, and pop it in the freezer for meal prep for school or work lunches.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The cooking temperature for smoking a ham on a pellet grill is 225 degrees F until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.
Of all the meats out there, a double-smoked ham is in a league of its own. It delivers a unique smoky flavor that you cannot find anywhere else. Some people liken the two kinds of smoked hams to different flavors. You have got to try it!
Top tips for twice smoked ham on pellet grill
- Invest in a reliable meat thermometer. We use the ThermPro-Wireless Digital Meat Thermometer. For instance, you just set the probes in the meat, set what kind of meat it's for, and it will let you know when it reaches that temperature. In fact, it is not advisable to open the lid during the cooking process, so you don't need to until the meat is cooked if you use a temperature probe.
- Cook with the thermometer, not the clock. All grills cook differently, and there are so many variables that play a part in the cooking time, such as weather, different types of grills, etc.
- Make sure you add your wood pellets before you start the grill. Check during the cooking time to make sure you don't run out.
- Use a disposable aluminum pan to make cleanup a breeze!
What is a good side dish to serve with double smoked ham?
This double smoked ham is the perfect holiday ham for Christmas or Easter. Our favorite side dishes to eat with double-smoked ham are Extra Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes, Carrot Salad, Coleslaw, Baked Beans, Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, peas and carrots, Mustard Beans, and of course, a fresh green salad with homemade dinner buns.
Don't forget dessert! Try Easy Crustless Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free) or Smoked Pumpkin Pie!
What to serve with leftover double-smoked ham?
If you are lucky enough to have leftover ham, use it for breakfast the next day in Oven-Baked Omelet Casserole, an easy recipe that feeds a crowd.
Leftover double smoked ham is excellent in Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup, Spinach And Mushroom Omelet, or breakfast sandwiches served with fried eggs on my popular Air Buns the next day.
Related Recipes
A double smoked ham is a must-have during the holidays. Whether hosting a Christmas party or just a family gathering, this dish will be a hit!
I hope you enjoyed this Double Smoked Ham Recipe with Brown Sugar Maple Glaze. If you try it out and like it, I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a star rating below. Also, please leave a comment below saying how much you enjoyed it and what other types of recipes/ingredients would be interesting for me to write about in the future.
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📋 Recipe
Double Smoked Ham Recipe with Brown Sugar Maple Glaze
Equipment
- Electric Pellet Grill
- ThermPro Wireless Remote Digital Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 pre-cooked ham 5-10 pounds
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup BBQ rub link for homemade rub is below in the Notes.
- 1 cup orange juice
For The Glaze
- ¾ cup Pure maple syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F. Remove pre-cooked ham from packaging. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. If your ham is not spiral-cut, score the outside. This will help the glaze to sink into the meat. Score the ham with a knife, and cut long cuts from the top of the ham down to the bottom. Next, make a second set of perpendicular cuts to form a diamond pattern all over the outside, about ¼-inch deep, 1½-inches apart.
- Place the ham cut side down in an aluminum pan. Brush the exterior of the ham with olive oil and apply a spice rub, covering the exterior. Add orange juice to the pan. Close the lid and smoke the ham, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130° to 135°F.
- When your ham is near the correct internal temperature, prepare your glaze. Combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat. Reserve ½ cup to ¾ cup of the glaze to serve with the ham.
- After the meat reaches that 130° to 135°F internal temperature, brush on the glaze and coat the ham on all sides. Re-apply the glaze every 30 minutes and continue smoking until you reach an internal temperature of 140°F, about 1 more hour.
- Once your ham has reached an internal temperature of 140°F, the exterior should be nice and caramelized. Remove the ham from the smoker, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Spoon leftover glaze over top of the ham for a stunning presentation before you slice it and serve, or serve reserved glaze alongside the ham for extra sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 140 °F
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Travis Umphrey
THIS RECIPE WAS SOOOO GOOD! The glaze is out of this world!!
Jeri
Thank you so much for trying out this smoked ham recipe, Travis; I'm thrilled you like the brown sugar maple glaze as much as I do! Thanks for taking the time to come back and write a review! 🙂
Ramona
This is a great smoked ham recipe and the glaze sounds amazing! I’m definitely going to make this delicious recipe for Christmas thanks for sharing. .
Jeannie
My mom always prepare ham during Holidays. sharing this to her to complete the menu.
Raquel
This is a great smoked ham recipe and that glaze! Will definitely make this delicious recipe again.
nancy
super delicious! we didn't even have leftovers and we usually make extra!
Natalie
Wow, what a lovely ham. Meat looks perfectly cooked and so flavorful. I will save this recipe and make it for our NY dinner
Oscar
Great recipe. I made this for thanksgiving instead of a turkey and it turned out so well, I think I will make it again for Christmas. Thank you.
Kayla DiMaggio
This double smoked ham recipe was delicious! We ate it all and didn't have any leftovers! We did save the ham bone for some soup though! 100/100!
Linda
Traveling to the in-laws for Christmas, but I'm still in charge of holiday dinner! Just so happens they have a smoker and this is going on the menu! Think I'll try your bourbon variation because that sounds absolutely amazing!
Jeri
Sounds fabulous, Linda! Let me know how it turns out!
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
I love this even for a non-holiday meal because the leftovers are so great for sandwiches! Fabulous recipe.
Jeri
Thanks, Lindsay! Your right, it is good any time of the year! The leftovers are so good!
Andréa Janssen
This is such a great idea for Christmas dinner. Love the combination of all spices and the glaze. Yummie!!
Jeri
Thanks, Andréa! It is so delicious!