The holidays are upon us, and that means it’s officially ham season! If you’re inviting friends and family over to your house to partake in an epic feast, then I have the perfect recipe for you. It’s my Double Smoked Ham!
I cover this ham with a Bourbon Old Fashioned Glazed that is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. The sweetness from the brown sugar and cherry preserves, the tartness from the orange zest and juice, and the complexity of the bourbon are the perfect pairing for this salty, juicy protein.
Table of Contents
- OLD FASHIONED – THE DRINK
- WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
- INGREDIENTS
- HOW TO MAKE DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
- DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – THE PREP WORK
- DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – ROUND ONE
- BOURBON OLD FASHIONED GLAZE
- DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – ROUND TWO
- TIP
- For more Maple Bourbon Flavoring
- HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS AND REHEAT
- WHAT TO SERVE WITH DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
- RECIPE FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Double Smoked Spiral Ham Recipe
OLD FASHIONED – THE DRINK
It’s tough to beat an old fashioned bourbon. It’s a simple cocktail using bourbon, orange zest, high-quality maraschino cherries, angostura bitters, and bourbon. I felt this classic pairing of flavors would make for the perfect glaze for a ham. This is because of the sweet and tart fruitiness in the bourbon brown sugar glaze will compliment the salty pork perfectly.
While I did omit the bitters from the glaze, it still hits all the right notes and creates a deliciously sweet and savory glaze.
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
If you’re looking for a reason to adore a double-smoked ham recipe, you’re in for a treat. The wood chips add that extra kiss of hardwood smoke, enhancing the smoky flavor profile to perfection.
Plus, the sweet glaze, made from honey, brown sugar, and a hint of yellow mustard, caramelizes on top of the ham, creating an irresistible, shiny crust. It’s the best ham recipe for your next holiday meal.
INGREDIENTS
- Smoked cured ham: Its smoky flavor and juicy meat are what make this dish truly special.
- Yellow mustard: Yellow mustard acts as an adhesive, helping the rub adhere to the ham.
- Maple Bourbon Rub or Your Favorite BBQ Rub: The rub is crucial for adding that smoky, savory, and slightly sweet flavor to the ham. It creates the perfect crust and infuses the meat with rich, aromatic spices, highlighting the ham’s smokiness.
- Unsalted butter: Butter adds richness and a silky texture to the glaze. It helps balance the sweetness of other ingredients while providing a luscious, glossy finish to the ham.
- Light brown sugar: Brown sugar contributes a deep sweetness that complements the smoky undertones, forming a freakin’ delicious caramelized exterior on the ham.
- Cherry preserves: The cherry preserves bring a fruity twist, adding layers of flavor to your glaze. They introduce a sweet and tangy contrast to the richness of the ham.
- Zest from one orange: Orange zest provides a burst of citrus aroma and flavor, which cuts through the richness of the ham and glaze.
- Juice from one orange: The orange juice serves as a natural sweetener and a source of citrusy acidity, balancing the sweet and smoky flavors of the ham.
- Bourbon: Bourbon imparts its unique smoke flavor but also enhances the depth of the glaze. Its warmth and complexity infuse the ham with a mature flavor profile.
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HOW TO MAKE DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – THE PREP WORK
Start out by unwrapping your ham on a clean workspace. You’ll want to throw away the packet of glaze that generally comes with any store-bought ham. Seriously, throw it right in the garbage. Trust me, this Bourbon Old Fashioned Glaze is way better.
Dry off the exterior of the spiral ham with some paper towels. Then, remove any loose pieces or anything that might dry up and burn while cooking from the ham.
I suggest using a binder to help your rub adhere to the meat during the smoking process. Yellow mustard is always a good choice, and it helps create a great color without really adding any flavor to the finished product.
Mustard is also better than an oil-based product, as oil might cause the rub to not stick as well.
For more ham, check out my Cherry Chipotle Pineapple Glazed Ham, Smoked Pulled Ham Sandwiches, and Cherry Chipotle Ham Steak and Eggs.
DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – ROUND ONE
Once you have a thin coating of mustard on the entire ham, apply a nice heavy coating of your favorite BBQ rub. The Over the Fire Cooking: Maple Bourbon Rub from Spiceology is a perfect rub for this since it already has a sweet bourbon flavor.
Leave the meat to sit on the counter to let the rub sweat and adhere to the ham while you fire up your smoker to 275 degrees F.
The type of wood you use is completely your preference, but I suggest something more mild. Any fruit wood, or even pecan make a great choice for pork.
The cook time depends on the size of your ham. I would give yourself at least 4 hours on the smoker. If it’s done early, it’s easy to keep warm without drying out.
You’ll want to spritz the ham after about 2 hours to help prevent the exterior from drying out. Anything sweet will do, such as apple juice or apple cider vinegar. You could even add a little bourbon and cherry juice to a spray bottle and use that.
BOURBON OLD FASHIONED GLAZE
While the ham is smoking. You’ll want to assemble the ingredients for your glaze in a cast iron pan. Use a fair amount of bourbon as some will cook out, and you want those flavors to come through at the end.
Place the cast iron pan in your smoker to cook while your ham smokes. This can be in your smoker as long as you like, so long as it doesn’t render down too much and start to burn. I put mine in around the 2-hour mark.
DOUBLE SMOKED SPIRAL HAM – ROUND TWO
When your ham hits an internal temp of 130 degrees, take the ham and the glaze out of the smoker. Place your ham in a deep roasting pan and stir up the glaze to combine all the ingredients.
Pour about half of the glaze over the ham and then return the ham and the glaze to the smoker. This will allow that glaze to tack up and really penetrate deep into the meet.
You’ll let this go for about another 30 minutes until the internal temp of the ham hits 140 degrees.
TIP
- Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the ham reaches at least 130F.
For more Maple Bourbon Flavoring
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS AND REHEAT
Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months.
To reheat:
- Preheat your oven to around 325F.
- Place the cooked ham in an oven-safe dish or on a baking sheet.
- Add a little liquid, such as water, broth, or juice, to the dish to help keep the ham moist.
- Cover the ham with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
- Heat it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes per pound.
- Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer; it should reach 140F.
- Remove the ham from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, then slice and serve.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH DOUBLE SMOKED HAM
Once your Double Smoked Spiral Ham is done, remove it from the smoker and pour over the remaining glaze while it rests. There should be plenty of liquid at the bottom of the pan to pour over all the slices when you carve it up.
This recipe is guaranteed to impress each one of your guests sitting around the table this holiday season. I know that once you give this a try, you’ll be looking for ham in your local supermarket all year round.
RECIPE FAQs
Shopping for a ham can seem a little daunting when practically every supermarket has at least one brand. When looking for a ham for this recipe, you want a pre-cooked ham that has already been smoked and cured. Some come pre-sliced, and these are often called spiral cut ham. Some aren’t precut, which is perfectly fine. If you find yourself with a ham that is not precut, you can easily do this part yourself.
Take a sharp knife and make deep cuts in a diamond pattern on the outside of the ham. Make deep slices about 1/4’” apart into the ham going from one side to the other, then turn the ham 45 degrees and repeat. This will allow you to get some of the rub and the glaze deep into the ham, giving you full coverage flavor.
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Double Smoked Spiral Ham
Ingredients
- 6-8 lb smoked cured ham
- Yellow mustard
- Maple Bourbon Rub or Your Favorite BBQ Rub
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup cherry preserves
- Zest from one orange
- Juice from one orange
- ¾ cup bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat to 275 degrees. Remove ham from packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
- Rub a thin coating of yellow mustard all over the ham.
- Apply a heavy coating of your bbq rub and coat all surfaces.
- Place your ham on the smoker and smoke for about 3-4 hours.
- After the ham has been on the smoker for about 2 hours, place remaining ingredients in a cast iron pan and place inside your smoker. Let this cook down until the internal temp on the ham hits 130 degrees.
- Once the ham hits 130 degress remove the glaze and ham from the smoker.
- Place the ham in a deep roasting pan and cover the meat with about half of the glaze mixture. Return the glaze and the ham to the smoker for approximately another 30 minutes, or until the internal temp of the ham hits 140 degrees.
- Once the ham hits 140 degrees, remove from the smoker and pour over the remaining glaze.
- Let the ham rest for about 30 minutes before slicing.
- Reserve all the juice and glaze at the bottom of the pan and pour over all of the slices before serving.
- Then sit back enjoy all the smiles and praise this ham will surely bring each guest at your table. Enjoy!
Just gave this a try. Was very good. Wife said I will need to make it at Xmas
Does the ham go directly on the smoker grill or in shallow backing pan?
Either. Adding without the pan might get it more smoky while with the pan is easier to remove. Your preference