How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (2024)

Looking to add some extra flavor to your ham? You need to try my family’s favorite smoked ham recipe. It is perfect for the holidays, a dish to impress at a cookout, or a weeknight meal to ensure you have leftovers for days.

Plus, no Christmas table feels complete without a big, juicy smoked ham taking center stage. If you are new to smoking, you may be a little nervous about cooking a ham. But the cooking process to smoke ham on a Pit Boss couldn’t be easier with my simple steps below.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (1)

Table of contents

Pit Boss Smoked Ham

What could be more delicious than smoked ham with a brown sugar glaze? It’s perfect for holidays or a weeknight meal that can feed you for the week.

Whether you decide to glaze with honey, bourbon, maple, brown sugar, or one of the other delicious flavors, the process is the same.

The grill does most of the work. All you need to do is load it up with your favorite wood pellet, (I like to use applewood or cherry wood with ham) prep the meat and let it do its thing.

This ham recipe gives you everything you need for the perfect holiday Christmas ham to keep your guests fed and happy. Looking for an Easter ham recipe? I have you covered here.

Your Shopping List

Ham of choice
Honey
Brown Sugar
Apple Juice
Cinnamon
Cloves
Black Pepper

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (2)

How to Smoke Ham in A Pit Boss Smoker

Step 1: Prepare the Ham For Smoking

Pat dry the ham with a paper towel. Score the surface with a criss-cross diamond pattern 1/2 inch deep every 1/2 inch in both directions.

This will help the glaze penetrate the ham and make it more flavorful. Then, I push the cloves into the cut, as I did in the photo below.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (3)

Step 2: Preheat The Grill and Cook

Pick your wood chips and preheat your smoker to 225°F. Flavors like apple, maple, or cherry wood pellets go very well with ham, giving a lovely smoky flavor without overpowering the natural flavors.

Once the smoker reaches the temperature, place the ham straight onto the grates. For it to be cooked, it must reach an internal temperature of 145°F. At 225°F, it will take around 20 minutes to smoke per pound, so my ham took around four hours.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (4)

Step 3: Prepare The Glaze

Mix all the glaze ingredients in a bowl, stirring frequently until the glaze becomes the consistency of syrup. If needed, add more apple juice to achieve the right consistency.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (5)

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (6)

Step 4: Glazing the Ham

Remove the ham from the grill and place it in an aluminum foil roasting pan. Brush the glaze on the ham every 30 minutes after it has hit 120°F. Brush over evenly with the glaze and return it to the grill. Re-glaze every 10-20 minutes in the final stages of cooking.

There’s a wide variety of glaze options to try. For example, maple glaze, apricot glaze, apple glaze, brown sugar honey glaze, cherry glaze, Coca-Cola glaze, or even a delicious maple champagne glaze.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (7)

Step 5: Rest and Serve

Once the ham reaches 145°F, remove it from the smoker and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Then, slice it and serve.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (8)

What Temperature to Smoke At?

To cook the ham, set the temperature to 225°F. Keep the temperature low to avoid drying the meat during cooking.

How Long to Smoke Ham For?

The average time for smoking ham is 10-15 minutes per pound. The cooking times will vary depending on the size and the grill’s temperature. However, the most effective way to monitor the internal temperature is to use a digital meat thermometer.

How to Know When It Is Cooked?

Once the internal temperature reaches a proper temperature of 145°F, the ham is ready to remove.Remove from the grill and let it rest under aluminum foil for about 15 minutes before serving.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (10)

Storing Leftovers

To store your leftovers, remove the ham from the bone and trim off any excess fat. Then, place the ham in a ziplock or airtight container. You can store the ham in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it for three months.

Want to Serve With Smoked Ham

Here are some of my favorite things to serve with ham

Smoked Brussel Sprouts

Wasabi Slaw

Hassel back Beetroot

Smoked Cabbage

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (11)

Looking for More Holiday Recipes?

Looking for more holiday recipes to wow your guests? Here are some of my favorites

Smoked Spatchco*ck Turkey

Smoked Spiral Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze

Smoked Brisket

Smoked Tomahawks Steak

Smoked Prime Rib

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (12)

Print Recipe

Pit Boss Smoked Ham

This simple yet delicious smoked ham is perfect for holidays meals, a cookout or a weeknight meal that will last you all week, but that best part? It simple and guranteed to impress.

Prep Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Cook Time4 hours hrs

Equipment

1 pellet grill

Ingredients

7 lbs Ham
100 ml Honey
200 g Brown Sugar
200 ml Apple Juice
1 tsp Cinnamon
20 whole Cloves
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Pat dry the ham with a paper towel.
Score the surface with a criss-cross diamond pattern 1/2 inch deep every 1/2 inch in both directions.
Then push the cloves into the cut as I have done in the photo below.
Once placed on the grill, close the lid and cook the ham at 200°F for the first six hours then increase the temperature to 230°F for the next six hours.
Keep the temperature low to avoid drying out the meat during the cooking time.
Preheat your smoker to 225°F and get the white smoke rolling. Once the smoker reaches the temperature place it straight onto the grates. You need to reach an internal temperature of 145°F for it to be cooked. At 225°F it will take around 20 minutes to smoke per pound. So my ham took around fours hours.
Mix all the glaze ingredients in a bowl stirring frequently until the glaze becomes the consistency of a syrup. If needed, add more apple juice to achieve the right consistency.
Remove from the grill and place in an aluminum foil roasting pan. Brush the glaze on the ham from each 30 minutes after the ham has hit 120°F. Brush over evenly with the glaze and return to the grill. Re-glaze every 10-20 minutes in the final stages of cooking.
Once the ham has reached 145°F remove it from the smoker and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Then slice it and serve.

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (13)

Smoke On!

Charlie

How to Smoke a Ham on a Pit Boss Smoker - Simply Meat Smoking (14)

Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).

I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.

You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!

You can read more about me on our About Us page.

Hungry For More?

Pit Boss Smoked Hearty Beef Stew

Whole Smoked Chicken

Pit Boss Smoked Pork Belly

Traeger Cuban Sandwich