Our Traeger smoked ham is as tasty as it is beautiful! This is a whole ham that will feed a crowd and serve as a show-stopping centerpiece for special occasions and holiday meals. The ham is covered in pineapple rings and basted with a sweet and savory pineapple glaze.
The Traeger grill (or similar wood-pellet grill) infuses a delicious smoke flavor into the meat, giving you a tender and juicy twice smoked ham that will get rave reviews from the entire family!
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s the best way to turn a simple, pre-cooked ham from the grocery store into an elegant and impressive double smoked ham.
The Traeger smoker (or similar pellet grill) makes the process extra easy and frees up oven space, too. We’ve used it to smoke turkey, salmon and pork shoulder among many other cuts of meat. It also makes the most amazing smoked baked potatoes!
Why this Recipe Works
Our Traeger smoked ham with pineapple works for any type of ham as long as it’s pre-cooked. That includes bone-in ham, boneless ham, or spiral-cut ham. It is especially great for spiral ham or ham that has the fat layer trimmed off.
The whole ham is covered with pineapple slices which aren’t just for incredible flavor and decor- the pineapple layer also keeps the ham insulated and prevents it from drying out while it smokes.
You’ll remove the pineapple slices at the end of the smoke time which will let the glaze caramelize and get sticky. You can thank us later!
The Ingredients
Smoky, juicy, tender ham meat is irresistible on its own, but cover it in a pineapple and brown sugar glaze and each bite is divine!
The simple glaze ingredients add a whole lot of flavor to the meat. The sauce caramelizes beautifully at the end of the cook time which leaves it deliciously sticky.
A quick note about the ham: make sure to use a pre-cooked, smoked ham for this recipe. Most hams in the United States are sold already smoked but if you get your ham from a butcher’s shop, make sure to ask if it’s smoked.
For this Traeger smoked ham recipe, you will need:
- pineapple juice (from cans of pineapple)
- brown sugar
- Dijon mustard
- soy sauce
- cinnamon
- cloves
- butter
- whole ham, pre-cooked (bone-in, boneless, spiral ham, etc.)
- whole cloves (optional garnish)
- round pineapple slices (canned- save the juices)
Recipe Highlights
Traeger smoked ham is so worth the effort. We’re sharing the steps below but be sure to check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all of the details.
The first thing is to preheat your pellet smoker. In a sauce pan, combine the ingredients for the pineapple glaze.
Simmer the mixture to reduce it a bit then stir in the butter. Set the glaze aside while you prep the meat and salivate over the idea of a double smoked ham.
If your ham has a rind, run a sharp knife under the edge of it and slide your fingers underneath to pull it off. Skip this step if the skin was already removed when you purchased the ham.
If your ham has a layer of fat, keep it on (it will provide insulation). But don’t worry if there isn’t a layer of fat, the pineapple slices will also insulate the ham.
Make shallow cuts across the fat surface of the ham in a criss-cross fashion. (If using a spiral cut ham, skip this step.)
Push the cloves down into the ham, spaced out about 1 inch apart.
This is an optional step. It infuses the ham with a hint of clove flavor. However, if you don’t remove the cloves later, biting into one at dinner time is not enjoyable.
Place the ham in a baking pan or sheet pan and cover it with the pineapple slices, using toothpicks to hold them into place.
We overlapped the pineapple slices to get as many on the ham as possible.
Use a basting brush to baste the top of the ham with the glaze.
The glaze will soak into the pineapple slices and seep down into the slits of the ham.
Transfer to your Traeger grill and smoke, basting every 30 minutes with the glaze. Remove the pineapple rings 20 minutes before the ham is done
Increase the heat to 450°F. Glaze the ham and cook breifly at the higher temperature for the glaze to caramelize.
Remove from the grill grates, cover with foil and let the ham rest for 15 minutes.
How Long to Smoke Ham
The time will vary depending on the size and type of ham you have. Here is a general rule of thumb, and a guideline to help you.
Type of Ham | Time (at 325°F) |
---|---|
whole, boneless ham | 10 to 12 minutes per pound |
whole, bone-in ham | 15 to 17 minutes per pound |
boneless, spiral cut ham | 7 to 10 minutes per pound |
bone-in, spiral cut ham | 10 to 12 minutes per pound |
More Grilling Recipes
- Smoked Traeger Jalapeno Poppers
- Smoked BBQ Traeger Chicken Wings
- Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce
- Traeger Smoked Salmon
- 35 Grill Master Traeger Recipes
Tips for Success
- Since this recipe is for a cured, pre-smoked ham (and not a raw ham) you will only need to smoke it until it’s warm in the center. The internal temperature of the ham should be 140°F to 145°F. You can monitor this with your Traeger’s meat probe or an instant read meat thermometer.
- This easy Traeger smoked ham recipe is especially great for spiral hams. The pineapple slices will insulate the ham and help prevent it from drying out, which is extra easy to do with a spiral cut ham.
- If you have a smaller ham, you will only need 1-1/2 to 2 cans of pineapple slices. Place any unused pineapple directly on the grill or in a baking sheet to smoke along with the ham.
- Store leftover ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.
Check out our holiday menu planner to help you get organized for holiday dinners.
Enjoy this holiday ham recipe along with your favorite side dishes!
Traeger double smoked ham is especially tasty with our Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole , Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Rainbow Carrots and these fluffy Sour Cream Biscuits.
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More Recipes You Will Love:
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Instant Pot Red Beans and Ham is hearty and delicious and the perfect way to use up that smoky, leftover ham! This old-fashioned meal is a favorite for good reason.
Orange Bourbon Glazed Ham is oven baked and covered in a rich, savory-sweet glaze that transforms the outer layer of the ham into a crisp and crunchy crust.
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For More Traeger Recipes
- smoked jalapeno poppers
- Traeger sea bass
- Smoked beer can chicken
- Smoked whole chicken
- Smoked salmon
- Smoked onions
- Traeger chicken wings
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Traeger Smoked Ham with Pineapple
Ingredients
Pineapple glaze
- 2-½ cups pineapple juice reserved from cans of pineapple
- 2-½ cups packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 3 tablespoons butter
For the ham
- 8 to 10 pound ham
- ¼ cup whole cloves optional
- 3 cans 20 ounces pineapple slices (save the juices)
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger to 325°F.
- Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon, soy sauce, cinnamon, salt, and cloves to a medium saucepan. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
- If your ham has a rind, run a knife under the edge of the rind then slide your fingers under the skin and pull it off. It usually comes off with very little effort but you may need to loosen it more with a knife.
- If your ham has a layer of fat, don’t trim it as the fat will keep the ham insulated and moist. You can trim the fat when it is finished smoking. Make shallow cuts across the fat surface of the ham about 1 inch apart in a criss cross fashion to make a diamond pattern. You can skip this step if you are using a spiral cut ham.
- If you are using whole cloves, push them into the ham, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
- Place the ham in a baking pan or on a sheet pan and cover it with the pineapple slices. Use toothpicks to hold the pineapple in place but do not push the toothpicks all the way into the ham.
- Baste the ham with the glaze and place it in the Traeger. Smoke for 2 to 3 hours depending on the weight of the ham (see notes below). Baste the ham every 30 minutes with the glaze.
- Twenty minutes before the ham finishes, remove the pineapple rings. Increase the heat to 450°F. Glaze the ham again and cook 20 to 25 minutes until caramelized.
- Remove the ham from the Traeger, cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes
Notes
- Boneless hams will take 10 to 12 minutes per pound. Whole, bone-in hams will take 15 to 17 minutes per pound. Boneless spiral cut hams take 7 to 10 minutes per pound. Bone-in spiral cut hams take 10 to 12 minutes per pound.
- Since this recipe uses a cured, pre-smoked ham, you only need to smoke the ham until it is warm in the center. Some cooks only heat the ham to an internal temperature of 120°F. We shoot for 140°F to 145°F to give the ham extra time to smoke and to meet food safety recommendations per the USDA.
- Since spiral cut hams have a tendency to dry out easily, this recipe is excellent for spiral hams because the pineapple slices will insulate the ham and prevent it from drying out while it smokes.
- We remove the pineapple slices at the end of the smoke time because they insulate the ham so well that it doesn’t let the glaze caramelize evenly. They also insulate the fat layer (if your ham has one) and prevent the fat from rendering down.
- If you have a smaller ham, you will only need 1-½ to 2 cans of pineapple slices. You can place any unused pineapple slices on the grill or on the baking sheet to smoke along with the ham.
- Use a smoked ham for this recipe. Most hams in the United States are sold already smoked but if you purchase your ham from a butchers shop, ask if it is smoked.
angiesrecipes
Friday 3rd of February 2023
That's a masterpiece, Dahn. And you are right, it looks droolworthy and worthy all of the efforts.
Dahn Boquist
Friday 3rd of February 2023
Thanks, Angie!