• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jerkyholic logo

  • Jerky Recipes
  • Smoked Meats
  • How to Make Jerky
    • Make Beef Jerky with a Dehydrator
    • Make Beef Jerky in a Smoker
    • Make Beef Jerky in the Oven
    • Make Ground Beef Jerky
  • Jerky Tips & Info
    • Best Meat for Beef Jerky
    • Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky
    • The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky [2021]
    • The BEST Pellet Smokers
    • Storing Beef Jerky
    • 6 Steps To Making Safe Jerky
  • Jerky Equipment
  • Top Pellet Smokers
  • Cookbook
  • FAQ’s
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • -Jerky Recipes / Marinades
  • -Smoked Meat Recipes
  • -How to Make Beef Jerky
  • -Best Meat for Jerky
  • -Slicing Meat for Jerky
  • -Best Dehydrator for Jerky
  • -Top Pellet Smokers
  • -Jerky Cookbook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Smoked Meats

    Smoked Ham w/Sweet Apricot Glaze

    Published: Mar 15, 2023 by Will · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Pin1
    Tweet
    Share
    Reddit
    Yum
    1 Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.

    A spiral ham is the perfect meal for a family Easter or Christmas gathering, everyone loves ham! Don't serve the same bland ham that you've reheated in the oven for the past decade.

    Kick it up a notch by slathering a GREAT tasting glaze all over and throw it in the smoker for an INTENSE flavor!

    Smoked spiral ham on black platter with biscuits on white plate and jam.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Video - How to smoke ham (1 minute)
    • Prepping for smoke
    • Apricot glaze
    • Smoking the ham
    • Serving the Ham
    • The smoker / Pellet grill
    • FAQ
    • Old Pro Tips
    • Smoke these recipes next!
    • Smoked Ham w/Sweet Apricot Glaze

    Ingredients

    Everything you need can be found at your local grocery store for this smoked ham. Buy a fully cooked spiral ham and let's make it 10x better.

    • Spiral cooked/smoked bone-in ham (10-14lb)
    • Pineapple juice
    • Star anise
    • Cloves
    • Apricot preserve
    • Brown sugar
    • Riesling wine
    • Dijon Mustard
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
    Uncooked ham on cutting board with bottle of wine, mustard, and pineapple juice surrounding ham.

    Video - How to smoke ham (1 minute)

    Prepping for smoke

    Take the ham out of the plastic or foil it comes in when purchased and place in an aluminum pan. Pour 2 cups of pineapple juice over the ham and add the star anise, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to the bottom of the pan.

    I like to place the ham on it's side when I pour the pineapple juice so it seeps down into the middle of the ham. Leaving the ham on it's side for the first 30 minutes to an hour of smoking before placing cut side down for the remaining of the cook.

    Apricot glaze

    The perfect fruity and sweet glaze for this ham starts with a great tasting apricot preserve. Add some sugar, wine, and spices and we have our spiral ham glaze.

    Apricot glaze in pan with wooden spoon heating over a hot plate.

    Glaze ingredients

    • Apricot preserves
    • Brown sugar
    • Riesling wine
    • Dijon mustard
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg

    Add all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it begins to boil. Make sure to stir occasionally while heating. Once the sugar has dissolved and the ingredients are well mixed, remove from heat and set aside.

    Smoking the ham

    This recipe is for an already pre-cooked ham, we are adding more flavor and smoke to it rather than just simply reheating. First we need choose the best wood and pre-heat the smoker.

    Best wood for ham

    Pick a nice mild fruit wood when smoking ham, applewood and cherry wood work great. The goal is not to overpower the ham with a strong wood such as mesquite or hickory. I like to use applewood when making my smoked pork butt as well.

    Applewood pellets in red bag

    Applewood pellets / chips are going to be the best bet when making this smoked ham recipe. The nice subtle fruit flavor goes great with the sweet apricot glaze.

    Initial smoke

    Pre-heat smoker to 225°F with applewood chips / pellets while getting the ham ready. Place the aluminum pan with ham, pineapple juice, and spices directly on the grill racks.

    Pouring pineapple juice from a can over a ham that is on a smoker.

    Start basting the ham with the pineapple juice from the pan every 30-45 minutes to keep the outside nice and moist. If you have the ham on it's side, place cut side down after 30 minutes to 1 hour of smoking to prevent sliced ham from separating and drying out.

    Smoke for about 3-4 hours until the internal temperature reaches 115° Fahrenheit.

    Slather with apricot glaze

    Once the ham hits 115°F when measured with a meat thermometer, using a basting brush, generously glaze the ham with the apricot glaze. Continue smoking at 225°F - 250°F until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

    While smoking, re-apply glaze every hour until the ham is finished. You might not use all the glaze, that's okay.

    Using a brush to paint apricot glaze on ham that is in an aluminum pan atop a grill.

    It took about 5 hours to finish this smoked ham recipe. The ham was heated to 145° and the glaze was perfectly coated on the outside.

    Serving the Ham

    Remove the ham from the aluminum pan and place on a serving platter when serving. Calculate about ½ pound of ham per person. A 10lb ham should serve 16-20 people depending on your guests.

    There are unlimited ways and side dishes to serve with this smoked ham. Simply slice the ham off the bone and serve with your favorite sides. Mashed potatoes and buttermilk biscuits with jam and honey are my favorite.

    Spiral ham on black plate with biscuits and jam in background.

    This ham has such an incredible flavor. The double smoke flavor combined with the sweet apricot glaze of this smoked ham recipe turns a normal ham into a masterpiece!

    Smoking a ham or smoked turkey during the holidays creates the perfect dinner that everyone can enjoy and remember for years to come. You will not be dissapointed serving this recipe at your next big gathering.

    Side dishes

    • Green bean casserole - Dude that cookz
    • Buttermilk biscuits - Always eat dessert
    • Mashed potatoes - Preppy kitchen
    • Smoked mac and cheese - Jerkyholic
    • Creamed spinach - Mighty Mrs.

    The smoker / Pellet grill

    I'm smoking this spiral ham on my pellet smoker, just like the Camp Chef 36 smoker or my Traeger 780. Pellet smokers are an easy and great way to impart fantastic smoke flavor on the ham, and other meats for that matter, without having to babysit a firebox all day.

    Three types of pellet smokers

    As I mentioned above, using applewood chips or pellets with these smokers are my go to when smoking ham.

    FAQ

    Is the ham already cooked?

    Yes. The ham is previously cooked/smoked, this recipe is to enhance the flavor while heating to be served.

    How long goes it take to smoke a ham?

    It takes about 5 hours to smoke a 12lb ham at 225° - 250°F. The ham needs to reach an internal temperature of 145°F to be done.

    How do you smoke a ham without drying it out?

    Baste the ham with pineapple juice every 30-45 minutes. This keeps the ham nice and moist while smoking.

    Can you overcook a smoked ham?

    You can heat it too much to where it does dry out and is not juicy. We are simply heating the ham, not cooking it. Heat to 145°F, a good temperature to serve the ham.

    Old Pro Tips

    • Keep about 1-2" of pineapple juice in bottom of roasting pan. Remove any excess juice if needed.
    • Use applewood pellets / chips for the best smoke flavor
    • Don't skip boiling the glaze ingredients, it's important to dissolve the sugar in the glaze.

    Smoke these recipes next!

    • Homemade Smoked Salmon Dip
    • Pork egg foo young on white plate with gravy being poured on top.
      Pork Egg Foo Young (Wagner style)
    • Toast with smoked salmon, cucumbers, dill, and shallots.
      Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast
    • Smoked corned beef sliced on white platter.
      Smoked Corned Beef
    Spiral ham on black plate with biscuits and jam in background.

    Smoked Ham w/Sweet Apricot Glaze

    Don't serve the same bland ham heated in the oven, kick it up a notch by slathering a GREAT tasting glaze all over & smoke it some more!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 20 servings
    Calories: 717kcal
    Author: Will
    Cost: 40

    Ingredients
     

    • 12 pound spiral ham (cooked/smoked)
    • 2 cups pineapple juice
    • 2 whole star anise
    • 1 stick cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon cloves (whole)

    Apricot Glaze

    • 8 oz apricot preserves
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup riesling wine
    • ¼ cup dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)

    Equipment

    Pellet Grill
    Pellet Smoker
    aluminum pans for cooking
    Aluminum Pan

    Instructions

    • Remove ham from packaging and place in an aluminum pan on it's side.
    • Pour 2 cups of pineapple juice over the ham and place the cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks in bottom of pan.
    • Place aluminum pan with ham in pre-heated smoker at 225°F. Smoke for 30 minutes and then turn ham cut side down to prevent it from drying out. Continue to smoke until an internal temperature of 115°F, about 3-4 hours.
    • Baste with pineapple juice every 30-45 minutes while smoking.
    • Prepare apricot glaze by adding all glaze ingredients to a pan and heat over medium heat until it begins to boil, mixing frequently. Once sugar has dissolved and the marinade is mixed well, remove from heat.
    • Cover ham with ½ of apricot glaze when the meat reaches 115°F and continue to smoke at 225°F - 250°F until an internal temp of 145°F. Re-apply glaze every hour while smoking. (All marinade might not be used)
    • Once the internal temp reaches 145°F, remove from smoker and place ham on serving plate. Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
    • Leave a comment and rate this recipe after smoking your ham! Thanks!

    Pro Tips

    • Keep about 1-2" of pineapple juice in bottom of roasting pan. Remove any excess juice if needed.
    • Use applewood pellets / chips for the best smoke flavor
    • Don't skip boiling the glaze ingredients, it's important to dissolve the sugar in the glaze.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 717kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 3271mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Smoked Ham w/Sweet Apricot Glaze
    « Homemade Smoked Salmon Dip

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    The Guy Behind the Jerky

    Will standing with grill in front of trees

    Hi! My name is Will and I live in Colorado with my beautiful wife. I love to hunt, fish, & make jerky. After making homemade jerky for over two decades, I started this website and published a Recipe Book to share some of my favorite recipes with you! Learn more →

    How to Make Beef Jerky

    • Dehydrator on counter with cutting board and knives
      How to Make Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator
    • Smoker grill with smoke coming out
      How to Make Beef Jerky in a Smoker
    • oven with door open
      How to Make Beef Jerky in the Oven
    • Ground meat on slate with seasonings
      How to Make Ground Beef Jerky

    Beef Jerky Recipes

    jerky in bowls on black slate
    100+ Beef Jerky Recipes →

    Popular Recipes

    • Beef jerky in a glass bowl on wood background
      The Ultimate Beef Jerky Recipe
    • Jerky in jar with red pepper flakes on wood
      Rig Hand Beef Jerky
    • Ground beef jerky with jerky cannon and spices
      Jerkyholic's Original Ground Beef Jerky
    • beef jerky on tray with lemons and spices
      Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

    Jerkyholic Recipe Book

    Jerkyholic Cookbook
    Jerkyholic Recipe Book - Now available on Amazon

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Also Seen On

    jerkyholic featured on websites

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Jerkyholic