Country Ham and its history as a patriotic staple. Country ham is almost as American as apple pie and baseball, and it’s been around almost as long as America itself. By the 17th century, most American farmers raised pigs, and the long shelf life of pork and salt made ham a staple in most kitchens nationwide.
Our Twice Smoked Ham is a twist on that classic holiday favorite. An extra kiss of smoke adds so much flavor to a spiral-cut ham, and the glaze is a sweet and savory shiny candy coating to tie everything together!
A few easy-to-follow steps are all it takes to make a Twice Smoked Ham for the holidays. The extra smoke and the classic glaze make this ham an authentic centerpiece of any holiday table. By the way, it also takes near minimal effort for the cook to bring this recipe to life.
Why is this called Twice Smoked Ham?
Since most hams are pre-cured and smoked, smoking them at home makes them twice-smoked or double-smoked ham. I have had some readers concerned that twice smoking a ham will cause it to taste overly smoky, but I’ve never found that to be the case. The process for this recipe is designed to add just the right amount of smoke flavor, level up the moisture content of the ham itself, and create a delicious glazed bark on the outside.
Equipment
Smoker
Cast Iron Skillet (Alternative: Foil Roasting Pan)
Ingredients
Twice Smoked Cured Ham
8 lb - Ham cured, bone-in
1 cup - Apple Juice
4 slices - Oranges
Glaze
1 cup - Brown Sugar
¼ cup - Orange Juice
¼ cup - Honey
1 ¼ tsp - Apple Shrapnel
1 tsp - Orange Zest
Directions
Heat the smoker up to 225 degrees. Choose the smoking wood of your choice. We recommend using a mild fruit wood for smoking.
Slice oranges and lay them in the bottom of the cast iron skillet. Pour the apple juice over the top of the ham. Keeping the exterior of the ham moist allows smoke to penetrate the meat.
Crosshatch slice the ham about two inches deep to allow more smoke inside. If your ham is spiral sliced, skip this step. Place ham on top of orange slices to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Pour the apple juice over top of the ham. Keeping the exterior of the ham moist allows smoke to penetrate the meat.
Place the entire cast iron inside the smoker, and smoke uncovered for about two hours.
To make the glaze combine the brown sugar, honey, orange juice, Apple Shrapnel, and orange zest in a bowl and stir. If you want it thicker, heat it over medium heat on the stove to allow it to thicken even more.
Near the 2-hour mark, check the internal temperature to ensure you are near 115-120 degrees. Once you are in this window of internal temperature, start brushing the glaze on the ham. Feel free to reapply the glaze several times and continue to smoke until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees.
Remove, tent in foil for 10-15 minutes allowing the glaze to solidify further. Make sure your foil doesn't touch the ham, or it will remove your delicious glazed bark.
Technical Notes:
Thicker Glaze: Consider heating the glaze on the stove for about 8-10 minutes over medium heat to make a thicker and heavier glaze.
More About Smoked Bros
Offering Veteran Spices and BBQ Rubs, Smoked Bros is a SOF veteran-owned spices & seasoning company serving craft flavors to people who love the All-America pastime of BBQ. We develop our kinetic flavor profiles with the same surgical precision as our military missions, defending the greatest country on the planet.
At Smoked Bros, we use the highest quality ingredients ethically sourced from around the globe and deliver them to your front door. The quality of our craft seasonings at our price point is unmatched. We give back to America’s warfighters, first responders, and underserved communities with every purchase.
