This Double Smoked Ham with Honey Glaze takes a store-bought spiral ham, gives it a second round of smoke, and finishes it with a sticky homemade honey glaze. It's smoky, salty, and sweet all at once, and it makes a show-stopping centerpiece for Christmas, Easter, or any holiday dinner!
I smoke mine on my Recteq pellet smoker, and the best part is how hands-off it is. The smoker does most of the work while you get the sides ready, and the two-step glaze gives you that glossy, caramelized finish everyone reaches for first.
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Quick Look
- Time: About 20 minutes per pound at 250°F (2½ to 3 hours for an 8 lb spiral ham), plus about 35 minutes to glaze
- Key ingredients: A fully cooked spiral-sliced ham, Dijon and yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, orange juice, and warm spices
- Flavor: Smoky, salty, and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon and clove
- Method: Smoke at 250°F to 125°F, glaze, then finish at 375°F to 140-145°F
- Serve it with: Scalloped potatoes, green beans, and sweet potato soufflé
- Make-ahead: The honey glaze can be made ahead and rewarmed
Since store-bought hams are already fully cooked, you're really just warming the ham through and layering on flavor. That makes it hard to mess up, and it's a great first holiday cook if you're new to your smoker! If you're just getting started, check out my beginner's guide to smoking meat for smoker types, accessories, and more recipes.
If you make this ham, please leave a star rating and a comment below. It helps other readers find the recipe, and I'd love to hear how your holiday ham turned out!
Why this Recipe Works
- A gentle second smoke. Smoking at 250°F adds a layer of smoke flavor that isn't overwhelming. It's just enough to take an ordinary supermarket ham to the next level.
- A mustard base coat. A thin layer of Dijon, yellow mustard, and honey adds savory flavor and helps keep the outside of the ham from drying out.
- Two rounds of glaze. Brushing on half the glaze, cranking up the heat, then adding the rest builds a sticky, caramelized coating without burning the sugar.
- Cut side down in a foil pan. Setting the ham cut side down protects the slices on that end from drying out, and the pan catches every drop of the drippings.
What is Double Smoked Ham?
Most hams you buy at the grocery store are already cured, smoked, and fully cooked. At home, they're usually baked just to warm them up before serving.
A double smoked ham, also called a twice smoked ham, skips the oven and goes back into the smoker instead. That second smoke warms the ham through while adding even more smoky flavor. Then the honey glaze goes on at the end for a sweet, glossy finish.
Ingredient Notes
- Ham: I like a fully cooked, bone-in spiral-sliced ham because it's the easiest to serve. This recipe also works with an unsliced bone-in ham or a boneless ham. Just cook to the same internal temperatures.
- Mustard: A mix of yellow and Dijon mustard adds savory flavor under the glaze. You can use all yellow or all Dijon if that's what you have.
- Honey: It goes in both the mustard coat and the glaze.
Ham Glaze Ingredients
- Brown sugar, honey, orange juice, and butter: These make up the body of the glaze. The orange juice adds a little brightness to balance all that sweetness.
- Cinnamon and cloves: I use Spice Islands. Cloves are strong, so a small amount goes a long way.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and mix the mustard coat. Preheat your smoker to 250°F. While it heats, stir together the yellow mustard, Dijon, and honey.
- Coat the ham. Set the ham, cut side down, in a large disposable foil pan and spread a thin layer of the mustard mixture over the outside.
- Smoke to 125°F. Put the pan in the smoker and insert a leave-in probe into the thickest part of the ham, away from the bone. If you're using a charcoal or wood smoker, add your wood when the ham goes in. Smoke until the ham reaches 125°F.
- Make the glaze. While the ham smokes, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a low simmer and stir until the sugar and butter melt, then let it cool slightly. It thickens as it cools.
- Glaze and turn up the heat. Once the ham hits 125°F, brush on about a third to half of the glaze. Raise the smoker to 375°F and cook for 15 minutes so the glaze starts to set.
- Finish and rest. Spread on the rest of the glaze and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the ham reaches 140-145°F and the glaze is bubbly and glossy. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Recipe Tips
- What I use: I've made this with an 8 lb spiral-sliced ham on my Recteq pellet smoker using Pit Boss Competition Blend pellets, and applewood pellets work great too. The 20-minutes-per-pound guideline has held up for me, but I always pull the ham by temperature, not the clock.
- Use a leave-in probe thermometer. It's the easiest way to hit 125°F for the first glaze without opening the lid over and over. I recommend ThermoWorks digital thermometers like the RFX probe or the affordable Dot thermometer.
- Go easy on strong woods. Pellet smokers give off a lighter smoke than traditional smokers, so most pellet flavors work fine, but I'd skip mesquite. On a charcoal smoker, I use applewood chunks for a milder smoke that doesn't overpower the ham.
Recipe Variations
You can switch up the rub or the glaze to change the flavor of your smoked ham.
- BBQ rub: After coating the ham with mustard, sprinkle on a generous layer of your favorite barbecue rub for more smoky BBQ flavor.
- Maple glaze: Swap the honey for an equal amount of maple syrup.
- Apricot glaze: Reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup and the cinnamon to ¼ teaspoon, then add 1 cup of apricot preserves to the glaze.
- Pineapple glaze: Leave out the orange juice and honey, and add an 8-ounce can of crushed pineapple with its juice.
What to Serve with Smoked Ham
This ham goes with just about every holiday classic. Pair it with something creamy, something green, and something a little sweet:
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Instant Pot Southern-Style Green Beans
- Sweet Potato Soufflé
My creamy broccoli salad or baked macaroni and cheese are also excellent options.
Make-Ahead Tips
The honey glaze can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge. It thickens as it cools, so warm it gently on the stove before using to thin it out and make it easier to spread. The same goes for glaze that sits while the ham smokes.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat larger portions, place the ham in a shallow baking dish, cover with foil, and warm in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. Individual portions reheat well in the microwave.
Leftover Ham
Save the ham bone and any scraps for a batch of my Instant Pot split pea soup. Leftover slices also make an easy weeknight dinner with Southern-style green beans and scalloped potatoes on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not if you go by temperature. Since the ham is already cooked, you only need to warm it to 140-145°F. Cooking it much past that is what dries it out.
Plan on about ½ to ¾ pound per person for a bone-in ham, or ⅓ to ½ pound for boneless. An 8 lb spiral ham serves about 10 people.
This recipe is written for a fully cooked, store-bought ham. A fresh ham is raw and needs a much longer cook to a safe 145°F, so it's a different recipe.
More Holiday Recipes
📖 Recipe
Double Smoked Ham with Honey Glaze
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 8 pound fully cooked spiral-sliced ham
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
Honey Glaze
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 250°F. While it heats, combine the Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, and honey in a small bowl.
- Set the ham cut side down in a large foil pan and spread a thin layer of the mustard mixture over the outside.
- Transfer the pan to the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 125°F, about 20 minutes per pound. For an 8 lb spiral ham, this is usually 2½ to 3 hours.
- While the ham smokes, combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the sugar and butter have melted, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Once the ham reaches 125°F, pour about one-third to half of the glaze over the ham and spread it over the outside with a brush or spatula. Raise the smoker temperature to 375°F and cook for 15 minutes.
- Spread the remaining glaze over the ham and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140-145°F.
- Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Notes
- Timing: Plan on about 20 minutes per pound at 250°F, but always go by internal temperature.
- Other hams: An unsliced bone-in ham or a boneless ham works too. Cook to the same temperatures.
- Smoke: On a pellet smoker, Pit Boss Competition Blend or applewood pellets work well. On a charcoal or wood smoker, add applewood chunks when the ham goes in.
- Glaze: The glaze can be made ahead, but it thickens as it cools. Warm it slightly before using so it spreads easily.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat covered in a 325°F oven for about 10 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
Leslie Hunt says
Do you cook it directly on the grates or keep it in the metal pan the entire time?
Scott says
Hi Leslie,
It cooks in the pan the entire time.