Cooking a ham on a propane grill is a great way to infuse smoky, barbecue flavor into this versatile cut of meat. With the right technique, you can make a tender, juicy ham with a slightly charred exterior that takes on notes of woodsmoke and savoriness from the grill.
While it may seem intimidating to grill something as large as a ham, it’s actually quite simple with the right tools and a few tips. In this article, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process to make grilled ham on a propane grill so you can make this dish for your next backyard cookout or holiday meal.
Benefits of Grilling Ham
There are a few key advantages to cooking your ham on a propane grill rather than oven roasting it:
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Enhanced flavor – The smoke from the grill infuses the ham with savory, charred notes you can’t achieve in the oven. This adds complexity and makes the ham taste like true barbecue.
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Charred exterior – The high heat of the grill lightly chars the outside of the ham, adding texture.
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Lower temperature – A propane grill’s temperature is lower than an oven, resulting in less moisture loss.
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Frees up oven space – Grilling the ham leaves your oven free for side dishes.
What You Need to Get Started
Grilling a ham is simple with just a few pieces of essential equipment:
- Propane grill with a lid
- Aluminum foil
- Meat thermometer
- Basting brush
- Sugar and spices for glaze
- Ham (bone-in or spiral sliced)
You’ll also need propane, of course, and access to a propane tank. Make sure there’s enough fuel to sustain heat for up to 3 hours.
Step-by-Step Guide to Grilling Ham
Follow these simple steps for perfectly cooked grilled ham
1. Choose Your Ham
You can buy bone-in or spiral sliced ham for grilling. Bone-in is more challenging to carve but retains more moisture, while spiral cut is easier to serve. Choose a ham between 8-10 lbs; larger hams are hard to grill evenly.
2. Prepare Your Grill
Fire up your propane grill and bring it to a steady temperature of 350°F. You want a low, indirect heat. If possible, put a drip pan beneath the ham to catch fat drippings.
3. Score the Ham
Use a sharp knife to slice a diamond pattern in the ham’s fatty outer layer. Cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. This helps the ham absorb the glaze and cook evenly.
4. Make a Glaze
Mix brown sugar, honey, mustard, spices, juice, and zest in a small bowl. You can get creative with ingredients like orange, pineapple, bourbon, cloves, etc.
5. Place Ham on Foil
Lay two sheets of heavy duty foil on your work surface. Place the ham in the center. Lift the foil edges and wrap the ham tightly, crimping the seams.
6. Put Ham on Grill
Put the wrapped ham on the grill, away from direct heat. Close the lid. Monitor the temperature, maintaining your grill at 325-350°F.
7. Baste and Grill
After 1 hour, open the grill and baste the ham with your glaze. Re-cover and grill for 45 mins per pound until the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Baste occasionally.
8. Finish and Rest
When the ham reaches the target temp, move it to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 10-15 minutes. This allows juices to redistribute.
9. Carve and Serve
Carefully unwrap the ham and carve it into slices. Be sure to get plenty of the delicious glazed exterior in each portion!
Tips for Perfectly Grilled Ham
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Go low and slow – keep the propane grill around 325°F to cook the ham gently without drying it out.
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Use an aluminum pan for moisture – put a disposable pan beneath the ham to catch drippings as it cooks. Add apple juice or water to create steam.
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Rotate periodically – every 30-45 mins, rotate the ham for even exposure to heat.
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Use a meat thermometer – this avoids overcooking. Stop grilling at 135°F since the temperature will continue rising as it rests.
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Let it rest before carving – waiting 15 minutes allows juices to absorb back into the meat.
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Carve across the grain – slicing perpendicular to the muscle fibers makes the ham more tender.
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Glaze frequently – brush your glaze over the ham every 30-45 minutes for maximum flavor.
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Watch your propane level – monitor your propane tank and make sure you have enough fuel.
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Prevent flare ups – if the ham drippings cause flare ups, move to a cooler part of the grill.
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Foil prevents burning – the foil wrap shields the delicate ham from direct heat.
With the right preparation and technique, you can make irresistibly juicy, smoky grilled ham on a propane grill for your next cookout. Monitor the temperature, glaze frequently, and let the ham rest before serving. In just a few easy steps, you’ll have perfect grilled ham hot off the barbecue!
Pineapple-Glazed Ham with Horseradish Sour Cream
- 1 fully cooked, bone-in smoked ham, preferably from the butt end (8 to 10 pounds), with the tough skin taken off.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup fresh pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup prepared horseradish
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 24 Hawaiian (sweet) dinner rolls (optional)
- 01: Let the ham sit out for 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature before grilling it.
- 02 Get the grill ready for cooking indirectly over medium-low heat (about 325°F).
- 03: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Immediately add the remaining glaze ingredients. Turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring every now and then. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- 04 Make deep cuts in the ham all over, but not on the cut side. Make the cuts about ½ inch deep. Put the ham in a large disposable foil pan with the cut side down. Pour the glaze around the ham and into the pan. Wrap the ham tightly in aluminum foil and crimp the edges of the foil around the pan’s edge. Cover the pot and cook the ham over medium-low heat for one and a half hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
- 05 In a small nonreactive bowl whisk the sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (The sauce can be made up to one day ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge until it’s time to serve.) ) .
- 06 After 1½ hours of cooking, take the ham off the foil (but don’t throw away the foil; save it for later) and quickly pour some of the glaze over the meat. Close the lid and keep cooking the ham for another one to one and a half hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham (but not touching the bone) reads 120ºF. During this time, spoon the glaze over the ham about every twenty minutes. If the glaze gets too dark, loosely cover the ham with the aluminum foil you saved for the rest of the cooking time. Carefully move the ham from the pan to a baking sheet. Tent the ham loosely with foil. Let rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
- 07 Cut the ham into thin slices. If desired, drizzle some of the glaze over the slices. Serve the ham warm with the sauce on the side. You can also put a lot of ham on Hawaiian dinner rolls and spread some sauce on one or both sides of the rolls.
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Top Tips for Your Holiday Hamarrow
I forget about another popular holiday meal—grilled ham—when I’m busy with turkey and roasts. Does anyone else do this? This tends to strike right after I’ve grilled a ham. I often wonder why I don’t make these more often. They’re great, and they’re really easy to make when there are a lot of people at a family gathering.
Ham comes from the rear legs of a pig and has been preserved by curing. Unless you are feeling really adventurous, the ham you purchase will already be cooked.
However, there are several different types of ham to buy: boneless, bone-in butt, bone-in shank, or spiral cut. Cross boneless off the list for obvious reasons. Pass on the spiral cut, too. Why pay someone else to carve the ham and worse, set the stage for overcooking. This leaves bone-in from the butt or shank. While both are good, the butt end is more tender. The butt end it is.
Since the ham is already cooked, the grilling process is essentially a giant reheat. With a bone-in ham, it’s a process about impossible to mess up. Your holiday dinner is guaranteed to be a success.
If you want to show off how great the bone-in butt cut is, this recipe from Jamie Purviance is it. The magic is not just the sweet, tangy glaze, but the spicy herb fresh dip. It’s why I need to grill ham a lot more often.
Grilled Ham
How do you cook a Ham on a gas grill?
The ham will be placed on the grill grates directly above the drip pan. Grilling time: Place the ham on the grill grates over the drip pan. Cover the grill and let the ham cook for approximately 10 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C).
Is honey baked ham as good as regular ham?
The addition of honey will affect the calorie content of the food. One tablespoon of honey contributes to approximately 64 calories. In addition, the use of heat when making baked ham will reduce the quality of the honey.
How long do you cook a Ham on a grill?
Cover the grill and let the ham cook for approximately 10 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C). Baste and glaze: If using a glaze or marinade, start basting the ham with it when there are about 30 minutes of grilling time remaining.
What temperature should a ham be cooked on a gas grill?
Preheat your gas grill to a medium heat, around 325°F (160°C). This moderate heat allows for even cooking without drying out the ham. It’s important to maintain a steady temperature throughout the grilling process. Should the ham be cooked with direct or indirect heat?