Chef Tom fires up the Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill for a sweet, salty and smoky Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Coating the ham in mustard before the rub: Rubbing a thin layer of jalapeño honey mustard onto the ham first gives the BBQ rub something tacky to cling to, helping it stick through several hours of smoking instead of falling off.
- Waiting until 100°F internal before starting to glaze: Holding off on the Dr. Pepper glaze until the ham is already partway warmed prevents the sugars in the glaze from burning over the long total cook time that follows.
- Reducing the glaze down by two-thirds before brushing it on: Simmering the Dr. Pepper, BBQ sauce, and vinegar down concentrates the flavor into a thicker glaze that clings to the ham, rather than a thin, watery liquid that would just run off.
- Resting the sliced ham in its own reserved juices: Returning the cut ham to the pan juices after resting keeps the slices moist right up until serving, instead of drying out on a platter.
Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.9 stars by 12 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
36
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
4 hours
Calories
331
Tantalize your taste buds with Chef Tom's Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham! This delicious dish is the perfect blend of sweet, salty and smoky!
Ingredients
- 9 lb spiral cut smoked ham
-
Big Rick’s Jalapeño Honey Mustard
-
Meat Church Honey Bacon BBQ Rub
- 2 cups Dr. Pepper
-
1/2 cup Smoke on Wheels KC Bootleg BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
Dr. Pepper Glaze:
Directions
- Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 250ºF, set up for indirect grilling/smoking, with the diffuser plate in place. Remove the second shelf.
- Rub a thin layer of Big Rick’s Jalapeño Honey Mustard over the surface of the ham. Season the ham with Meat Church Honey Bacon BBQ Rub. Place in a half sized foil pan and place on the main cooking grate.
- Smoke the ham until the internal temperature surpasses about 100ºF (about 2.5 hours), then begin glazing.
- To make the glaze, combine the Dr. Pepper, Smoke on Wheels KC Bootleg BBQ Sauce and apple cider vinegar in a cast iron skillet. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about 2/3 (from 3 cups to 1 cup).
- Brush the glaze over the ham every 30 minutes until the internal temperature surpasses 150ºF, about 4 hours total.
- Remove from the smoker and rest 30 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and/or cube the ham. Rest the cut ham in the reserved juices in the pan before serving.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why coat the ham in mustard before applying the BBQ rub?
A thin layer of jalapeño honey mustard gives the rub something tacky to grip, helping it stay on the ham through several hours of smoking instead of falling off the surface.
Why wait until the ham reaches 100°F internal before starting to glaze it?
Starting the glaze too early would expose the sugars in the Dr. Pepper mixture to heat for too long, risking burning before the ham finishes its long total cook.
Why reduce the glaze by two-thirds before brushing it on?
Simmering the Dr. Pepper, BBQ sauce, and vinegar down concentrates the flavor into a thicker glaze that clings to the ham's surface, rather than a thin, watery liquid that would run off immediately.
Why rest the sliced ham in its own reserved pan juices?
Returning the cut slices to the juices left in the pan keeps them moist right up until serving, instead of drying out while sitting on a platter.
What internal temperature should the ham actually reach?
This recipe pulls it once it surpasses 150°F, well above the USDA guidance of reheating pre-cooked, spiral-cut ham to at least 140°F. Since it's already fully cooked and smoked, this higher target is about texture and glaze development, not a food safety gap.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a regular oven can hold the ham at 250°F and the glaze reduces just as well on the stovetop; the pellet grill mainly adds a touch of smoke flavor to a ham that's already smoked.
Recipe Highlights
Mustard base coat: Helps the rub stay on through a long smoke.
Delayed glazing: Prevents the sugary glaze from burning over the full cook.
Reduced Dr. Pepper glaze: Concentrates flavor into a clinging glaze.
Rested-in-juices slicing: Keeps cut ham moist through serving.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4.8 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 331
- Carbs
- 17 grams
- Protein
- 40 grams
- Fat
- 12 grams
- Sodium
- 2651 milligrams
