Smoking time for a fully cooked spiral or city ham, or a fresh raw ham, with when to glaze and when to light the smoker for your holiday dinner.
Plan your ham
Which ham do you have?
Fully cooked ham is what most stores sell for the holidays: spiral-cut, city ham or double-smoked. It is already cooked, so you are reheating it and adding smoke. Take it to 140F. The label usually says "fully cooked" or "ready to eat".
Fresh ham is a raw, uncured pork leg. It cooks like a big pork roast and must reach at least 145F with a 3-minute rest. Many cooks take it to 160F to 170F for easier slicing.
Smoked ham time per pound
For a fully cooked ham reheated to 140F. Spiral-cut hams heat faster and dry out sooner, so keep them cut side down and consider foil for the first half of the cook.
Fully cooked ham
225F
250F
275F
6 lb
2h 12m
1h 48m
1h 30m
8 lb
2h 56m
2h 24m
2h 00m
10 lb
3h 40m
3h 00m
2h 30m
12 lb
4h 24m
3h 36m
3h 00m
14 lb
5h 08m
4h 12m
3h 30m
Rates used for fully cooked ham: about 22 min/lb at 225F, 18 at 250F and 15 at 275F. Fresh ham takes roughly 50 to 75 min/lb depending on temperature.
When to glaze
Sugar burns, so glaze only in the last 30 to 45 minutes. Brush on a thin coat, let it set for 15 minutes, then add a second. Warm the glaze first so it spreads easily.