How to Smoke a Ham

By Corey Wood

Here at Lane’s BBQ, we love our classic double-smoked ham. It's shockingly simple to make and saves some time compared to a traditional ham. As its name suggests, it is a ham that is smoked twice, which gives the ham its unique flavor profile and texture. Unlike traditional hams, double-smoked ham has a more intense flavor due to the length of time the meat is smoked, giving it a richer, smokier taste.

The Method

Let’s face it, there isn’t a lot of oven space to go around while making a holiday feast, so fire up your grill or smoker and save some of that precious oven space. The process for this is really simple and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. We sell the Ultimate Ham Kit with everything you’ll need to make this type of ham. Let’s go over the steps to making this unique and delicious ham.

Picking the right piece of Pig: A spiral cut or boneless ham will be the best option for this method. Try to stay away from whole bone-in or raw hams. As far as size is concerned, a basic rule of thumb is 1/2 a pound per person.
Toss the Glaze pack: Seriously, what we have is lightyears better than the pack that comes with the spiral hams. If you don’t want to be wasteful, use it to glaze some almonds or pecans.
Layer the Flavor: Use some duck fat spray or any type of oil to make a base layer, then season generously with either Sweet Heat Rub or Apple Pie Rub.
Smoke it up!: On a preheated grill or smoker at 275°F, place the ham cut side down and smoke until the internal temp reaches 140-145°F. It should take 1-2 hours depending on the size of the ham you are using. The types of wood that will best pair with ham are hickory, oak, cherry, apple, and pecan.
The Ultimate Glaze: While the ham is smoking, make your glaze. In a small pot over medium heat, Melt 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Add in 1-2 jars of the Unicoi Salted Caramel Peach Spread until combined thoroughly. Once the ham has reached 140 degrees, pour this glaze all over the ham and smoke for another 10-20 minutes until the glaze is slightly darker in color and sticky.

Overall, this double-smoked ham is a staple holiday dish with a unique and complex flavor profile. It’s intense smoky flavor makes it a great addition to any meal and its convenient, time-saving properties make this type of ham a great choice for busier families. This is a true crowd-pleaser for any holiday gathering and will make you the star of your backyard! Try out the other recipes we have below for even more options!