Smoked Honey Glazed Ham

A glossy, caramelised glazed ham with smoky edges and a bright orange, honey and Dijon finish. Sweet, savoury and a little tangy, it makes an impressive centrepiece without needing much hands-on work.

Why This Smoked Honey Glazed Ham Recipe Works

This smoked honey glazed ham is the kind of centrepiece that looks like it took hours of effort but is genuinely simple to pull off. A smoked, whole or half leg ham gets basted in a sticky orange, honey and Dijon glaze that caramelises into a deep, glossy crust in the oven. The result is a smoked honey glazed ham with sweet, savoury and tangy flavour in every slice, perfect for feeding a crowd at Christmas, Easter or any big family gathering.

Serves: 10–12
Time: 3½–4 hours

Ingredients

For the ham

• 1 whole or half leg ham, about 4–5kg
• 2 tbsp whole cloves, optional

For the orange, honey & Dijon glaze

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup honey
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard
• ⅓ cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves or allspice
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Prepare the ham. Preheat your smoker to 120°C. Remove the rind from the ham, leaving the layer of fat intact.
2. Score the fat. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the fat in a diamond pattern without cutting deeply into the meat. Stud the intersections with whole cloves if using.
3. Smoke the ham. Place the ham in the smoker and cook for 2½–3 hours, or until warmed through and lightly infused with smoke.
4. Make the glaze. Add the brown sugar, honey, Dijon, orange juice, orange zest, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, cinnamon, cloves, pepper and salt to a saucepan. Simmer gently for 5–8 minutes, stirring, until glossy and slightly thickened.
5. Glaze generously. Increase the heat to around 190–200°C or transfer the ham to a hot BBQ or oven. Brush all over with a generous layer of glaze.
6. Caramelise. Cook for another 20–30 minutes, brushing with more glaze every 5–10 minutes, until deeply golden, sticky and caramelised around the edges.
7. Rest. Remove from the heat and rest for 15–20 minutes before carving.
8. Serve. Slice and spoon over any remaining warm glaze, with fresh orange wedges alongside if you like.

Tip: Keep the final glaze stage fairly hot and short. You want the sugars to caramelise and become sticky without burning.

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Tips for the Best Smoked Honey Glazed Ham

• Score the fat in a diamond pattern before glazing, this helps the glaze cling and gives you that classic caramelised crust.
• Baste every 20-30 minutes while it bakes, regular basting builds up layers of sticky glaze and stops the surface from drying out.
• Cover loosely with foil for the first part of cooking, then remove it towards the end so the glaze can caramelise without burning.
• Let the ham rest for 15-20 minutes before carving, this keeps the meat juicy and makes for much neater slices.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftover smoked honey glazed ham will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Slice off what you need as you go, keeping the bone in with the remaining meat helps it stay moist for longer. Leftover ham is brilliant stirred through a pot of Chicken Noodle Soup, piled into sandwiches, or diced into a frittata for a quick, no-waste lunch.

Serving Suggestions

This smoked honey glazed ham is a natural centrepiece for a Christmas or Easter table, served alongside roast potatoes, greens and a big bowl of Homemade Baked Beans. It’s equally good cold the next day, thinly sliced onto sandwiches or added to a grazing platter with cheese, pickles and crusty bread. For a classic glaze that never fails, a mix of honey, Dijon mustard and orange juice is hard to beat.