Smoked ham is a culinary favorite and graces many holiday tables for good reason. If you smoke a ham on a pellet grill, this tasty meat turns from a classic to a work of art.
The meat is pink from being cured and has been brined and smoked to give it that classic sweet, smoky, and slightly salty taste. For how to choose a smoked ham—whole? half? bone-in? spiral cut?—check out our ham guide. For how to smoke (or in most cases, double smoke) a ham, read on.
A Traeger wood pellet grill allows you to infuse ham with incredible smoky flavor as it slowly cooks to juicy perfection. But exactly how long should you cook a ham on a Traeger? The time depends on the size and type of ham
Understanding the basics of Traeger ham cook times will ensure your holiday centerpiece or Sunday supper is ideal Let’s walk through how long you need to smoke different hams.
Traeger Ham Cook Time Guidelines
As a general Traeger ham cooking guideline:
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Fresh ham – 1 hour per pound at 225-250°F until 145°F internal. A 10 lb ham takes 10 hours.
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Bone-in cooked ham – 10-15 minutes per lb at 225-325°F until 140°F internal. A 10 lb ham takes 2-2.5 hours.
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Boneless cooked ham – 10-12 minutes per lb at 225-325°F until 140°F. A 5 lb ham takes 50-60 minutes.
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Spiral cut precooked ham – 8-12 minutes per lb at 225-325°F until 140°F.
Always use a meat thermometer for doneness instead of relying solely on cook times. Let the ham rest at least 15 minutes before slicing too.
Choosing the Best Pellet Flavors
The choice of wood pellets impacts the ham’s flavor while smoking on the Traeger. Good pellet options include:
- Apple – mild, sweet fruitiness
- Cherry – subtly sweet and fruity
- Maple – rich sweetness, good for glazes
- Hickory – robust, bold smoke flavor
Stay away from heavy mesquite smoke, which can overwhelm the ham. For most hams, a lighter smoke like cherry or apple works well.
Getting the Most Smoke Flavor
If your Traeger grill has a Super Smoke mode, take advantage of this low and slow setting:
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Turn on Super Smoke and preheat the grill at 180°F.
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Cook the ham for the first 1-2 hours using Super Smoke.
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Then increase to 225-250°F until the ham is cooked through.
Those initial hours with extra smoke really boosts the flavor into the meat.
Should You Brine the Ham?
For fresh hams or less cured hams, brining is recommended. The salt, sugar and spice mixture adds moisture, seasoning and flavor.
Make a basic brine with:
- 1 cup salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 1 gallon water
Submerge the ham for 8-12 hours before smoking. Rinse and pat dry before cooking.
Choosing the Right Cook Temperature
Use lower Traeger temperatures between 225-250°F for smoking ham. This allows the smoke to properly penetrate while melting connective tissue over time.
If short on time, you can go up to 300-325°F, but note that this compromises smoke flavor for speed. Cook to 140°F internal temp.
Maintain a constant temperature and avoid peeking under the lid. Use wood pellets like hickory, apple, maple or cherry.
Step-by-Step Guide to Smoking Ham on a Traeger
Follow these simple steps:
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Trim excess skin and fat from the ham. Score the fat in a diamond pattern.
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Mix a dry rub of brown sugar, salt, pepper, spices. Coat the ham.
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Insert a meat probe into the thickest part. Place ham on grill, fat side up.
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Smoke at 225-250°F for required time until 140F internal.
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Brush with glaze during last 30 minutes if using.
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Rest ham for 15-30 minutes before slicing to serve.
As long as you calibrate your Traeger thermometer and use proper cooking times, you’ll achieve ham perfection.
Troubleshooting Traeger Ham Cook Times
It happens to all of us – sometimes the ham finishes early or takes longer than expected. Here are some common issues and fixes:
Ham cooks faster than expected – The Traeger is running hot. Move to indirect heat, lower the temp, tent with foil.
Ham takes longer to cook – The Traeger temp is lower than set. Increase heat, monitor with a secondary thermometer.
Ham is drying out – Add a water pan, spritz with broth or juice, tent with foil to retain moisture.
Ham lacks smoke flavor – Use a stronger wood like hickory. Opt for extra smoke time in the beginning.
Ham is undercooked inside – Return to Traeger and cook longer, testing with a meat thermometer for doneness.
Serving Smoked Ham Hot off the Traeger
A beautifully cooked smoked ham deserves an equally impressive presentation. Here are serving ideas:
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On a handsome wooden carving board surrounded with fresh fruit, herbs and flowers.
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Sliced and arranged nicely on a platter, plus sauces on the side.
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Carved into a ham salad like chef’s salad or smoked ham pasta salad.
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Diced up in appetizers like ham cups or smoked ham puff pastries.
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In sandwiches like croque monsieur, Cuban sandwiches, paninis, biscuits.
No matter how you slice it, Traeger-smoked ham makes a stellar centerpiece. Pair it with classic sides like scalloped potatoes, deviled eggs, baked beans and rolls.
Smoked Ham Meal Ideas Beyond Easter
A smoked ham feeds a crowd, with plenty of meat leftover. Put it to use in these tasty recipes:
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Breakfast – Ham and cheddar omelet or quiche
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Lunch – Ham, apple and brie panini
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Dinner – Split pea and ham soup or fried rice
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Snacks – Ham roll-ups with pickle and cheese
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Appetizers – Mini ham biscuits or crostini
Leftover ham stays fresh for a week in the fridge and freezes well too. Smoking ham on your Traeger wood pellet grill allows you to enjoy the meat in endless dishes.
With the proper tools, temperature, time and pellet flavors, you can master cooking ham on your Traeger. Refer to these tips and guidelines anytime you need a refresher. Your smoky, juicy and delicious ham is sure to be a hit.
What Is Smoked Ham?
Smoked ham is known for its savory flavor and smoky wood-fired flavor. To make smoked ham, “fresh ham” (more on that below) is first cured with a mix of salt, sugar, and spices that gets into the meat. It is then slowly smoked at a low temperature, which lets the smoke flavor the meat while keeping it tender and juicy.
As smoking techniques advanced, smoked ham evolved beyond mere preservation, becoming sought after for its delicious taste. There are many ways to smoke these days, and each one has its own tastes and textures. One new idea is to smoke two cigarettes at the same time.
How to “Double” Smoke a Ham
Most of us choose a “city” ham, which means it has already been cured and smoked, when we cook a ham. Technically, this ham can be eaten right out of the package. However, it’s much more pleasant to eat when reheated. One of the best ways to reheat it is by smoking a ham on a pellet grill. Reheating ham on the Traeger makes the smoky flavor stronger while the gentle heat keeps it moist and tender. This is sometimes called “double smoking.”
Set the Traeger no higher than 325°F (and lower if you want more smoke flavor) and heat the ham slowly. This will give it the best taste. Want to know how long to smoke a ham? The time it takes to reach the perfect temperature of 140°F to 145°F will depend on how big it is, but it could be anywhere from 1 1/2 to 4 hours. To keep track of its progress, put in a leave-in meat thermometer like a MEATER wireless meat thermometer. For an estimate, consider 10 to 15 minutes per pound of ham. For part of the reheating process, cover the ham in foil and baste it with liquid, like broth, apple cider, or a mix of the two. This will keep the ham moist.
Consider sweeter woods when double-smoking a ham. You don’t want to add too much smoke when reheating the ham because it already has a smoky flavor, though the amount will depend on the ham. Instead of mesquite, choose one of our “sweeter” and kinder blends, like cherry, apple, or pecan. To learn more about your pellet options, look here.
Glaze your ham—or not. You don’t have to glaze your ham, but it does give it a nice shine and an extra layer of flavor, which is usually sweet. You should glaze your ham in the last half hour or so of cooking, when it has reached about 130°F. You can use your own glaze or save a step and simply brush on a delicious Traeger glaze. You can also season your smoked ham with things like honey, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and more.
Let the ham rest before carving. Even though the times can change, remember that ham is very versatile and doesn’t have to be piping hot to taste great. Also, if your ham is done before you thought it would be, let it rest for at least 30 minutes. It can stay at room temperature for up to two hours before you serve it.
Smoke ham on Traeger grill – how to smoke a ham on pellet grill
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a ham in a Traeger?
How long does it take to cook a precooked ham on a pellet grill?
How long to smoke a ham on a pellet grill at 225?
How long to smoke a precooked ham at 325?
How long do you cook a Ham on a Traeger Grill?
Remove from heat and set aside. After the ham has been on the Traeger for an hour, brush it liberally with about half of the glaze. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, and then brush with glaze again. Cook another 15-20 minutes, or until the ham reaches at least 135°. Turn the grill down to 200-220°F and smoke the ham for 20-25 minutes.
How do you smoke a Ham on a Traeger Grill?
Preheat the Traeger with the lid closed to 225°F; this will take about 15 minutes. For more smoke flavor, use Super Smoke, if available. Insert a leave-in thermometer into the center of the ham, avoiding the bone. Place the ham cut-side down directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook for 90 minutes.
How long does a Traeger smoked ham take to cook?
Allow your Traeger smoked ham to come up to around 130 degrees f (my 6lb ham took around 1.5 hours). A 10lb ham will take considerably longer (3-4 hours) Brush the brown sugar glaze onto your ham, being sure to generously coat it especially around the scoring and turn it up to 300°F.
How do you reheat a Traeger Ham?
In general, it’s best to reheat ham gently so as to not dry it out. Most Traeger recipes recommend setting the cook temperature to around 325°F. You can cook the ham directly on the Traeger’s grill grates for the most wood fired flavor or place it in a roasting pan with some liquid, such as apple cider, to keep the environment moist.