Words & Images by Kerren (Kezza) Packer – The BBQ Hut, Mangawhai
This year, take your holiday feast to the next level with a smoked Christmas ham that’s a true culinary centrepiece. This recipe combines the gentle, sweet smoke of cherry wood with a flavourful rum glaze, creating a show-stopping dish with a beautiful pineapple and cherry garnish. It’s a project that’s well worth the effort, resulting in a ham that’s both visually stunning and incredibly delicious.
Ham Preparation
The foundation of a great smoked ham begins with the right ham. Choose a fully cooked bone-in ham, as it retains moisture and flavour better than a boneless one IMHO. Before you begin, you’ll need to score the ham. Using a sharp knife, remove the skin if present and then carefully cut a diamond pattern into the ham’s fat cap, making sure not to cut too deep into the meat. This scoring allows the smoke and glaze to penetrate the surface and creates a beautiful texture.
Next, apply a dry rub to the ham. A simple but effective blend-to-taste of brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a touch of cayenne pepper will create a flavourful crust. Pat this mixture evenly all over the ham, ensuring it adheres well to the scored fat cap.
The Smoking Process
For this recipe, we’ll use cherry wood (apple or feijoa are also good parings to ham). Its mild, fruity smoke complements the pork without overpowering it. Set up your smoker for an indirect-heat cooking method. Maintain a consistent temperature of around 150°C (300°F). Since the ham is already cooked, the goal is to simply infuse a sweet, smoky flavour and put a deep mahogany colour on it.
Place the prepared ham on the grates away from any direct heat and smoke it for approximately 1-2 hours. Monitor the temperature and smoke levels throughout this period to ensure a clean and consistent smoke.
The Glaze and Garnish
While the ham is smoking, prepare the rum glaze. I have never really followed specific measure here, but in a saucepan, combine a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar or honey, a cup or so of pineapple juice, a couple of decent nips of dark rum (into a glass as well), a splash of apple cider vinegar, and a few whole cloves. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the glaze thickens into a syrup-like consistency.
Once the ham has been smoked, it’s time to apply the glaze and garnish.
Liberally brush the entire surface of the ham with the warm rum glaze. Then, arrange pineapple rings and maraschino cherries over the ham’s surface, securing them with toothpicks for an elegant presentation. Return the ham to the smoker or if you wish transfer it to an oven (no one will judge, the smoker has done its job) preheated to 175°C (350°F). Continue to cook for another 30 minutes, basting the ham with the remaining glaze every 10 minutes. This final step caramelizes the glaze and sets the garnish. After cooking, let the ham rest for at least 20 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute, ensuring every slice is moist and flavourful.
There it is on a plate beautifully smoky, glazed ham that doesn’t only make one’s tastebuds leap for joy but is visually appealing also. So go forth and smoke-up a ham this up and coming festive season. It will not only serve up a bangin’ meal creating great memories, but also provide for a delicious sandwich filler or hearty brekkie refried on the gas barbie over the coming days.
Until 2026 – keep the fires burning!