Apple Glazed Fried Ham

Name: Apple Glazed Fried Ham
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 24
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 lb spiral sliced smoked ham; 1 1/2 gal peanut oil; 1 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup Big Ricks Jalapeño Honey Mustard; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup apple cider; 1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce

Oct 22, 2024 • Tom Jackson

This recipe for Apple Glazed Fried Ham starts with an 8 lb spiral-sliced smoked ham, which is wrapped in plastic and foil and reheated on a pellet grill at 325°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, taking about two hours. While the ham is heating, peanut oil is brought to 350°F for frying, and a glaze is prepared by simmering brown sugar, jalapeño honey mustard, apple cider vinegar, apple cider, and hot sauce until syrupy. After reheating, the ham is patted dry, threaded onto a rotisserie rod, and fried for 5-6 minutes until crispy. Finally, the ham is brushed with the apple glaze for added flavor.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Deep-fried ham is a different animal entirely: Frying the pre-warmed spiral ham on a rotisserie rod for 5–6 minutes at 350°F produces a crackling, caramelized exterior crust you can't get from any oven or smoker — this is the technique that makes it unforgettable.
Two-stage cook for maximum results: Wrapping and reheating the ham to 150°F on the YS640s first ensures the interior is perfectly warmed and juicy before it ever sees the fryer — the fry is all about the outside.
Sweet heat glaze: Brown sugar, Big Rick's Jalapeño Honey Mustard, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, and Pit Fire Hot Sauce reduce into a sticky, tangy, slightly spicy glaze that hits every note at once.
A showstopper for any holiday table: The visual of a golden, crackling, glazed spiral ham is impossible to beat for a holiday centerpiece — and it's done start to finish in about 2.5 hours.

Apple Glazed Fried Ham

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

24

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours

Calories

147

Make your holiday feast unforgettable with this Apple Glazed Fried Ham! An 8 lb spiral sliced smoked ham is gently warmed on your Yoder Smoker, while a sweet and spicy glaze—featuring Big Rick’s Jalapeño Honey Mustard and Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce—simmers to perfection. After a quick fry in hot peanut oil, the ham gets a crispy, golden crust. The finishing touch? A sticky, tangy apple glaze that’s brushed over the top for a mouthwatering holiday centerpiece your guests will love!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

8 lb spiral sliced smoked ham
1 1/2 gal peanut oil

For the glaze:

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Big Ricks Jalapeño Honey Mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Pit Fire Hot Sauce

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Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 325ºF, set up for indirect grilling.
Wrap your ham in plastic wrap and then foil and reheat on the grill until 150ºF, about two hours.
Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil in a stock pot on the Bayou Classic turkey burner. Bring the oil to 350ºF.
Combine the glaze ingredients in a 12” Lodge Steel Skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce until syrupy, about 20 minutes.
Unwrap the ham. Pat dry with paper towels. Thread the ham onto a rotisserie rod and secure in place at the bottom of the rod with rotisserie forks from the bottom and the side (to hold together).
Fry the ham for 5-6 minutes until browned and crispy on the surface.
Pour then brush the glaze onto the ham.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Is it safe to deep-fry an 8 lb ham, and what precautions do I need?
Yes, but outdoor frying is strongly recommended for this recipe. Use the Bayou Classic turkey burner outside on a flat, stable, non-combustible surface away from structures. Pat the ham completely dry before frying — any surface moisture will cause violent oil splatter at 350°F. Never leave the oil unattended and keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires nearby.

Why reheat the ham to 150°F before frying?
The spiral ham is already fully cooked and smoked — the reheating step ensures the interior is warmed through before the exterior hits the fryer. At 5–6 minutes in the fryer, there's not enough time to heat a cold 8 lb ham to the center. Skipping this step means a crackling exterior with a cold, rubbery interior.

Why does the ham need to be patted dry before frying?
Water and hot oil are a dangerous combination. Even small amounts of moisture on the surface of the ham will cause the oil to pop and splatter aggressively at 350°F. Unwrap, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels, and let the surface air for a few minutes before threading onto the rotisserie rod.

Can I make the glaze ahead of time?
Yes — the glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat before applying to the ham; it will thicken as it cools and needs to be pourable for brushing. If it gets too thick when reheating, add a splash of apple cider to loosen it.

Can I make this indoors?
2 out of 5 — Can be done inside, loses key flavor. Deep-frying an 8 lb ham in a stock pot of peanut oil indoors is a significant safety and ventilation challenge. If you must cook indoors, reheat the ham in the oven at 325°F and finish under the broiler with the glaze for 3–4 minutes — you'll get glaze caramelization but none of the crackling fried crust.

Recipe Highlights

Wrap in plastic, then foil for the reheat: The double wrap — plastic wrap first, then foil — traps moisture tightly during the 2-hour reheat on the YS640s, keeping the spiral slices from drying out before the fry. Foil alone allows too much steam to escape; plastic alone can't handle grill temperatures safely beneath the foil layer.
Thread the rotisserie rod from the bottom up through the shank: Securing the spiral ham onto the rotisserie rod with forks from the bottom and the side is essential — the spiral slices will want to fan out and fall apart during frying without the rod holding them compressed. Take your time getting it centered and secure before lowering into the oil.
Reduce the glaze to syrupy — not thick: The glaze should coat the back of a spoon and fall in a slow, thick drizzle — not set up like jam. Over-reduced glaze will harden on contact with the hot ham surface instead of adhering evenly. If it over-reduces, thin with a splash of apple cider before applying.
Pour first, then brush: The directions specify pouring the glaze over the ham first, then brushing — pouring gets glaze into the spiral cuts and between the slices where a brush can't reach, while brushing evens it out on the surface. Don't skip the pour step and rely on the brush alone.