This Traeger Smoked Ham is drizzled in a homemade honey, pineapple, and brown sugar glaze for ultimate flavor. Grab your bone-in or boneless spiral-sliced, cured, and pre-cooked ham. This can be made with any smoker or pellet grill for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or any occasion!
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We typically enjoy ham for any holiday but especially for Christmas and Easter. Move over Honey Baked Ham, because the smoky flavor here is so much better!
What Type of Ham to Use
Start with whether you plan to buy a fresh ham or a cured, smoked, and pre-cooked ham. Fresh hams aren’t that common. Most people prefer cured hams, so that’s what you will typically find in grocery stores, especially around the holidays. Once purchased all you need to do is reheat and add an amazing glaze!
I like to use bone-in hams because they have more flavor. You can also use the leftover ham bone can be used in other recipes to add flavor, like my Slow Cooker Crockpot Ham and Potato Soup.
If you aren’t a fan of carving, spiral-sliced hams work great! They are also a time saver. The smoked ham is placed on a spit and rotated against a blade while moving lengthwise so it’s sliced in a spiral, right to the bone. You will still have to cut along the bone to remove your slices, but the hard part is already done and the presentation is beautiful. The slices fall right off the bone.
When buying ham, be sure to read the labels. Some hams are artificially plumped up with water or solutions, but this dilutes the flavor. Look for one with no added water or juices. The label should just read “ham” — not Ham, water added or Ham with natural juices. Check out this complete guide to buying hams.
How to Score the Ham
Hams are really thick, so scoring a ham before you cook it is necessary in order to help the ham glaze penetrate into the meat. Scoring will also make the ham gorgeous and very presentable. You will make diagonal cuts into the ham.
I don’t score spiral sliced hams because they are already cut and you can baste the glaze into the cut sections of the meat.
While scoring, use a sharp knife and a cutting board. Start at one end of the ham, and near the bottom cut about 1/3 of an inch into the ham and in a complete line across.
Continue to make similar cuts and lines about an inch apart.
Turn the ham and repeat the diagonal lines to form a criss cross pattern.
How to Make the Glaze
I like to use a combination of the juices from the ham when it cooks, pineapple juice, brown sugar or brown sweetener, honey, cinnamon, ground cloves, and cornstarch (as a thickener) to make the glaze. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan on the stove until thick.
How to Make Traeger Smoked Ham
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Place the ham directly on the smoker, cut-side down.
- Smoke for 90 minutes to 2 hours.
- Adjust the heat on the smoker to 350 degrees.
- Glaze the ham with the homemade glaze.
- Continue to smoke the ham until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Double Smoking
Double-smoked ham is a ham that was purchased from the store and labeled smoked (so it’s already been pre-smoked) and then you smoke it again on your smoker or pellet grill. This is my preferred method mainly because the majority of the hams I see in stores and Costco are labeled smoked.
Double-smoked ham has so much flavor. When paired with my homemade glaze, the dish is out of this world.
Cook Time/How Long to Smoke
I like to start out smoking the ham low and slow so the smoky flavor really penetrates the meat. I smoke it first for 90 minutes to 2 hours and then turn up the heat a bit and smoke it until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Smoker Temperature
I like to start with the temperature low at 225 degrees for a couple of hours, which will allow the smoke flavor to penetrate the meat. Then I turn the temperature up to 350 degrees until the ham reaches 145 degrees internal temperature.
What Pellet Flavor to Use
Apple, cherry, maple, mesquite, or the Traeger Signature Blend will work great.
Let the Ham Rest Before Slicing
Let the turkey stand for 15-20 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to set.
How Much Ham Should You Estimate Per Person
Estimate about ½ pound per person.
Can You Make it Ahead?
You can make the ham up to 3-4 days in advance if preferred.
How to Store it
The ham can be stored in the fridge tightly sealed and covered for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer Tips
You can freeze leftovers (tightly sealed) for 1-2 months for optimal freshness. This is for quality only, as frozen hams remain safe to eat indefinitely.
More Ham Recipes
Southern Baked Ham with Pineapple
Ham Potato and Vegetable Soup
Ham and Cheese Panini
Air Fryer Honey Glazed Ham
Ham Hocks and Beans
More Traeger and Smoker Recipes
Traeger Smoked Bacon
Smoked Filet Mignon
Traeger Smoked Cornish Hens
Smoked Ribeye
Smoked Duck
Traeger Pulled Pork (Shoulder Butt)
Traeger Smoked Turkey Breast
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Traeger Smoked Salmon
Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast
Smoked Salsa
Traeger Smoked Ribs (3-2-1 Method)
Traeger Smoked Chicken Wings
Smoked Lobster Tail
Traeger Smoked Whole Chicken
Traeger Smoked Brisket
Traeger Smoked Glazed Ham
Ingredients
- 7-8 pounds fully cooked ham I prefer bone-in and spiral cut.
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup brown sweetener or sugar Dark or light.
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
- Place the ham directly on the smoker, cut-side down.7-8 pounds fully cooked ham
- Smoke for 90 minutes to 2 hours. I typically do 2 hours for ultimate flavor.
- Place a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar or sweetener, honey, all of the pineapple juice from the can, cinnamon, and ground cloves.3/4 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup brown sweetener or sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Stir for 3-4 minutes until the sweetener has melted.
- Add the cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir to combine.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water
- Add the cornstarch slurry mixture to the glaze. Stir as you pour and add it in slowly. Stir until the glaze thickens.
- Adjust the heat on the smoker to 350 degrees.
- Glaze the ham with the homemade glaze.
- Continue to smoke the ham until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Allow the ham to rest for at least 20 minutes prior to slicing. If you plan to serve it later, wrap it in foil.
Daryl
Thursday 27th of June 2024
The whole recipe is great but you didn't say what is the first temperature to set the first 2 hours before you adjust to 350 for the last bit to get it to 165degrees so I just had it on 225 super smoke
staysnatched
Friday 28th of June 2024
This is listed in step 1 of the recipe in the recipe card. I don't know how you missed it.
James
Sunday 24th of December 2023
I tried this recipe for Thanksgiving and carried it to the church social and everyone loved it even had few people take some home ,usely my friends don't like ham because they say it's to dry but I guess my cooking experience overwhelmed them .
staysnatched
Tuesday 2nd of January 2024
haha! Love that.
David Morrow
Thursday 21st of December 2023
I want to make this for Christmas but in the oven. I'm picking up a bone-in spiral cut ham. What time and temp do you suggest for an oven?
staysnatched
Thursday 21st of December 2023
Here is the oven recipe https://www.staysnatched.com/ham-with-pineapple/
Sue
Tuesday 21st of November 2023
The only spiral cut ham my meat market has is a honey glazed ham. Any ideas if I can still use the sauce? I was soooo looking forward to trying this
staysnatched
Tuesday 21st of November 2023
What sauce? The sauce in the recipe? Sure.
Justine
Thursday 8th of December 2022
I'm obsessed with my Traeger - always looking for new recipes to try in it. This is seriously one of the best tasting hams I've ever had. Can't wait to make it again for Christmas!
staysnatched
Thursday 8th of December 2022
Perfect for Christmas!