Double Smoked Holiday Ham Glazed with Maple Syrup
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There's a very good chance that this double smoked ham will be the best holiday ham you've ever tasted. How do I know this? I've been making this ham for a number of years now and everyone– YES EVERYONE– goes gaga over it.
I would like to say it's this good because I cooked it but in reality it's this good because it's smoked and because the maple syrup and my original rub work REALLY well together on ham.
Don't skip ANYTHING in this recipe.. it is all important and SO worth it!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Smoker Temp: 225°F (107°C)
- Meat Finish Temp: 120°F (49°C)
- Recommended Wood: Pecan
- Spiral sliced ham (mine was a 10 pounder)
- REAL maple syrup (you can get this cheap at club stores like Costco)
- Jeff's original rub (Purchase formulas | Purchase bottled product)
- Toothpicks
I get this question a lot so I figured I'd tackle it right up front– the company that produces the hams have their own process for adding smoked flavor to ham and it's not bad but what we can do in our own smoker is far superior to what they can do on the production line.
Thus when an already smoked or smoke flavored ham is smoked again by you, it's smoked twice or double-smoked.
I recommend sitting the ham in a shallow pan.
Peel back each slice and douse it with maple syrup.. go ahead, be generous and live a little!
Don't worry about the waste.. that maple syrup that runs down to the pan will mix with the rub and we'll pour that over the ham slices later.
Once every slice is nice and sticky, go back through and peel back every slice giving it a good application of my original rub (Purchase formulas | Purchase bottled product).
Don't forget to get that very front piece and the sides and back of the ham as well.
As the ham cooks, the slices will sometimes fall over so it's a great idea to pin them in place with some toothpicks.
The ham is now ready for the smoker.
Any smoker will work for this and it only takes about 3 to 4 hours depending on what temperature you are running.
Remember you are not cooking the ham, only warming it through and letting the smoke kiss the ham for a few hours.
Setup you smoker for indirect cooking at about 225°F (107°C) and my recommendation is to use pecan wood for smoke if you have that available. Otherwise, any smoking wood will work.
If your smoker has a water pan, fill it up.
Place the pan with the ham on the smoker grate and let it go for about 3 to 4 hours.
About once every hour, or more often if you desire, go out there and glaze the outside of the ham with the maple syrup and rub drippings down in the pan. You don't need to peel back the slices, just the outside will do.
If you don't have enough dripping in the bottom of the. pan, you can make up a batch of ham glaze as follows:
- ½ cup of maple syrup
- 2 TBS of Jeff's original rub (Purchase formulas | Purchase bottled product)
About once every hour, go out there and glaze the outside of the ham with this stuff. You don't need to peel back the slices, just the outside will do.
When the ham starts to get some nice crispiness to the edges or when you can no longer stand the amazing smell without taking a bite, call it done.
Remove the toothpicks and tear the slices off into a serving plate.
See that smaller piece right in the front middle? Tear that off and share it with your honey.. it's the best piece in the whole ham!
All those sweet and smoky juices in the pan can now be poured over the top of the slices.
Serve and enjoy!
I've had people ask if you can use honey on this.. the answer is YES. Also very good!
Another question I have received when talking about this method is “can you lay the ham flat side down?”. Well you can but in my opinion the smoke is not able to get in between the slices as well and you can tell it in the finished product.
Double Smoked Holiday Ham Glazed with Maple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 Spiral sliced ham (mine was a 10 pounder)
- 2 cups REAL maple syrup (you can get this cheap at club stores like Costco)
- ¼ cup Jeff's original rub
- 10 Toothpicks
Instructions
Step 1: Maple Syrup and Rub
- Sit the ham into a shallow pan.
- Peel back each slice and douse it with maple syrup.
- Now, go back through and peel back every slice giving it a good application of my original rub.
- Don't forget to get that very front piece and the sides and back of the ham as well.
- Pin the very front slice in place with some toothpicks around the perimeter so it doesn't fall over during cooking.
- The ham is now ready for the smoker.
Step 2: Smoke It
- Setup you smoker for indirect cooking at about 225°F (107°C) and my recommendation is to use pecan wood for smoke if you have that available. Otherwise, any smoking wood will work.
- If your smoker has a water pan, fill it up.
- Place the pan with the ham on the smoker grate and let it go for about 3 to 4 hours.
- Make up a batch of ham glaze using ½ cup of maple syrup and 2 TBS of Jeff's original rub.
- About once every hour, glaze the outside of the ham with this stuff. You don't need to peel back the slices, just the outside will do.
Step 3: Slice and Serve
- When the ham starts to get some nice crispiness to the edges or when you can no longer stand the amazing smell without taking a bite, call it done.
- Remove the toothpicks and tear the slices off into a serving plate.
- All those sweet and smoky juices in the pan can now be poured over the top of the slices.
- Serve and enjoy!
An outstanding piece of work! I’ve done this ham nearly every Christmas and it’s so very tasty and smokey. My guests rave on it and always ask how I prepared it. This year’s ham comes from the Missouri Ozarks, a bone-in hickory-smoked spiral-sliced ham (8# approx.) from Kansas City Steak Company.
My wife and I will be serving at least 4 guests.
I cooked this last year for Thanksgiving and was told instantly that this is what I am to bring to the Thanksgiving Family Feast from then on.
I bet molasses would be the bomb on this as well!
How do you like your cutco knives ? How long have you been using them ?
Charlie, I received these as a gift from my sister in law probably 5 or 6 years ago and really like them. I’m hoping she’ll keep gifting them so I can eventually have an entire set😁
I am married to a woman that is allergic to garlic so I have taken the liberty to use your recipe and omit garlic from the rub and the sauce. Hope that’s okay with you.
I have made this a few ties as has my son-in- law and everyone does agree that this is the best ham they have ever tasted with that extra smoke and the goodness of the maple/Jeff’s rub.
The bonus is when you use the ham bone to make a split pea soup that is definitely kicked up a notch with the extra smoke.
Absolutely the best ham I ever smoked and that’s according to my guests. It was consumed and loved by all. It was flavorful, moist, tender and both sweet and salty. Used a Traeger pellet smoker to get it done. Thank you!!!
Jeff is the MAN!!
Love it, thanks for your expertise, it makes me look like I know what I am doing.
Hi Jeff, Great recipe on the double smoked country ham. A month ago I tried to make a few changes to everyones delight. I used Sorghum instead of honey or syrup and your Texas rub. This seemed to make it a little more smoky and a little less sweet, at least to my taste. Just put another in the smoker. Have a great day. Bruce
Jeff, have you ever done it with your BBQ sauce instead of the maple syrup? That turns out amazing as well. I’ve both and in my opinion, its better with the bbq sauce.
Just a question …. Have you ever tried this without pinning the slices back together with toothpicks? Seems like you would have more surface area exposed, therefore more opportunity for smoke entrainment if the slices were left “loose”, maybe even fanned out a little.
I have done it without toothpicks and it’s definitely an option. The ham pieces tend to flop over so the presentation is not as good, in my opinion, but you’re right that it probably does get more smoke between the slices that way.
The third year in a row everyone is begging me for this on the table.
Last year I pinched in a little Cayenne Pepper on the finish glaze. Amazing 👏
Hi I’ve tried this recipe now twice and it took much longer to get temp to 120. I had to turn up smoker to 325 to get it to finish I four hours. The ham tasted awesome but most of the outside pieces were tough and over cooked. Any suggestion on what I am doing wrong?
Most of Jeff’s recipes that I have tried were “winners” in the taste category. However, I’m sorry to say that this spiraled smoked ham recipe with maple syrup was way too sweet for me. All I could taste was the syrup and not the ham! I can see where children would love this recipe, but as a grandma, I did not. This is just my personal opinion, I’m sure others would love this recipe.
Hello Jeff and thanks for all you do for us!
I inadvertently bought a non-sliced ham by mistake… what do you recommend! Thank you!
Kevin, If it’s not sliced, then I recommend injecting it like I did with this ham. It will still be very good.
Jeff,
Is there an internal temp we should be looking for or just smoking for 3-4 hours ?
Thanks
Sean, Usually 3-4 hours does the trick depending on the size but just a good eating temperature..usually around 120°F to 130°F is perfect.
Thanks Jeff ! Do you think I could prep this the night before or would it be better to wait until right before it goes on the smoker ?
Sean, I always do the maple/rub right before it goes on the smoker since it’s so quick and easy to do but I don’t think there would be any problem with doing it ahead of time if you wanted or needed to.
I made this recipe for my husband and our grandson. They both raved about how delicious it was. But for me honestly I think that it was too sweet. I’m glad they loved it, but I couldn’t taste the ham! All I could taste was a syrupy rub! Oh well at least it was a hit for my company!
Great recipe, I used sourgum as it was all I had instead of maple syrup turned out great, added a little more smoke taste to my liking
I do this every year. The big difference for me is that I add dark muscovado sugar between the slices, along with the rub and don’t use maple syrup. And my glaze has mustard in it.
In my my spiral ham, I mixed 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 1 cup of Jack Daniel, 1/4 cup of real maple syrup and 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard and Jeff’ rub. It was really good.
I am going to transporting the finished ham. smoke for 2 hours the 1 hour in oven at the final destination? How about using cast iron to retain heat? Will it take longer because of the heavier pan?
Received positive reactions and haven’t served yet
Thanks
Don
Cast iron pan is not a back idea.. I would place the pan in the smoker during the preheat so it can be heating up, then once the ham is ready to cook you can place it into the pan that’s already in the smoker. Once the cast iron is heated up, it should cook as normal.
I cook the ham or Turkey, to temp. Then put into foil pan, cover in foil, rap in Beach towel, and put into a Yeti. Still warm and ready to serve after a 2 hr drive. I’ve done this twice a yr for 10 yr now…… because it’s NEVER dried out!!😁😁
Bone in best?
Yes, I always do spiral-sliced, bone in.
Any recommendations for a non cooked, non spiral sliced ham? Can you use the same glaze? What is the finished temp?
Hi Jeff,
I know it’s not “holiday” time, but just picked up a spiral cut, hickory smoked ham, and I would like to do the reheat in my smoker. Trouble is, I don’t like the real sweet, sticky stuff on ham. Your thoughts on doing this without the syrup and just spritzing now and then? Maybe with OJ or apple juice? Maybe a Honey Brown Lager beer? Maybe no “spritz” at all? Appreciate all you do for us novices! :-)
C. Nelson
Cheryl, this will be good even if you do nothing at all. I think it does benefit from something liquid being applied to it during the cook time so something like beer, juice, oil/vinegar, melted butter, etc. would probably all do a great job without making it sticky and sweet.
I did this a couple of years ago and DAMMMMMMMMMN it was good going to do it for Christmas this year
We’ve made this twice in the past month, and will do it again this weekend. The response from guests has been overwhelmingly positive, and we love having some left over for snacking & sandwiches. Great recipe!
Ok Jeff I have an Oklahoma Joe offset smoker and I just purchased your sampler pack. I’m excited about trying your Double Smoked Maple Glazed Spiral Ham recipe for Christmas. To be honest I’m a little nervous about this one because I’ve never smoked a precooked meat before and don’t want to dry it out. Got any first timer tips ie. Meat, water pan placement in reference to firebox.
I would place a pan of water right on the grate on the firebox side.. that is typically the hottest end. Lay the ham on a shallow pan like it shows in the recipe and glaze it several times during the cook from the juices that drip down into the pan. Mine is never dry and that outside piece is the best one so eat half of it yourself and give the other half to someone you love ;-)
Remember you are not cooking it, just re-heating it so when it gets to a good eating temperature in the center, it is ready to eat. I shoot for anywhere from 115 to 120°F.
So my spiral sliced ham came with a glaze mix (sugar, brown sugar, spices and honey). I assume I’m NOT using that since this recipe calls for a maple syrup glaze with Jeff’s Original Rub instead, correct?
As always Jeff, you amaze me. Your recipes never let us down. Tried both ham recipes and turkey one also. They both turned out just like you said they would.
Please keep it up. Your the best.
Why is it called “double smoked”? Did I miss something?
“Double smoked” just means that it’s already “sort of” smoked at the factory but it’s nothing compared to what you can do at home in your own smoker.
You purchase this ready-to-eat ham and smoke it again– it’s been smoked twice😋
How much smoke/wood will this require? Should there be smoke for the entire 3 hour cooking time?
Nick,
Every smoker is different and uses wood at different rates. In a charcoal smoker, you can usually add a new batch of 3-4 wood chunks every 45-60 minutes. In an electric smoker such as the Masterbuilt, you’ll be adding woodchips every 20 minutes or so.
For a ham like this to become all it can be, I recommend keeping the smoke going for the entire 3 hours whatever that takes.
I followed the recipe exactly and produced pecan smoke for the entire 3 hours and everything turned out great. Thank you.
I used this recipe last Saturday and it was a hit!! I followed the recipe step by step but used a different rub (Sorry Jeff!) . Mine was done within 3.5-4 hrs . I also ended up using the hambone for hambone soup needless to say the smokey flavor from the hambone and ham made it that much better!
Back again to state that I have now made this recipe quite a few times over the last years and it always turns out great. This ham is now a family favorite. We like to pan fry up the left over slices, they are delicious.
Thanks again Jeff.
I’ve done this recipe at least 4 times during different holidays and all our guests rave about it. Highly recommended for you to try as everybody loves it.