Ham Burnt Ends

Oct 22, 2025 • Tom Jackson

Give your holiday ham a playful barbecue twist with these smoky-sweet Ham Burnt Ends. Start with a fully cooked smoked ham, cut into bite-size cubes, then toss in creamy honey mustard and a light dusting of sweet pork rub (go easy—ham’s already salty). The cubes ride the second shelf of a pellet grill at 300°F, where an A-MAZE-N tube smoker adds a boost of real wood aroma. After an hour, everything dives into a foil pan with butter and a generous splash of championship-style barbecue sauce. A short return to the cooker tacks the glaze and builds that irresistible, caramelized sheen. The result is tender, sticky ham with balanced smoke, sweetness, and just enough bite on the edges—perfect for appetizer trays, party platters, or a fun side at your holiday feast. Simple to prep, fast to finish, and impossible to stop snacking on.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

Smoky-sweet holiday flavor with a glossy, tacky glaze.
Fast prep: uses fully cooked ham for quick, reliable results.
Two-stage method builds texture without drying the meat.
Extra smoke punch from a tube smoker on a pellet grill.
Party-friendly bites that work as apps or a festive side.
Simple ingredients; big crowd-pleasing payoff.

Ham Burnt Ends – Smoky Sweet Holiday Ham Cubes

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American BBQ

Servings

12

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

Calories

220

A festive twist on ham — smoky, sweet ham burnt ends made on the pellet grill with honey-mustard, butter and a duo of rubs and glazes.

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Ingredients

2 ½ lb fully cooked smoked ham, diced into 1” cubes
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced into pats
¼ cup (approx) Grannie’s Honey Mustard
1 Tbsp Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ Rub
¼ cup Blues Hog Champions Blend BBQ Sauce

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Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 300ºF, set up for indirect cooking.
Cut the fully cooked smoked ham into roughly 1-inch cubes. Toss the pieces in Granny’s Honey Mustard until evenly coated. Because ham is already salty, season lightly with Meat Church Honey Hog BBQ Rub—just enough to build sweet flavor and color.
Lay a FrogMat on the second shelf of the grill to keep the cubes from falling through the grates. Arrange the ham pieces in a single layer, leaving space between each so smoke can circulate all around. Close the lid and smoke for 1 hour, allowing the cubes to take on new smoke and develop some texture on the surface.
Fill an A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker with your favorite pellets and place it on the main grate. Ignite with a torch, let the flame burn for 30–60 seconds, then blow it out so it smolders and adds a steady stream of extra smoke while you cook.
After an hour, transfer the ham cubes to a foil pan. Add the diced butter and pour in Blues Hog Champions Blend BBQ Sauce. Toss gently to coat all the pieces in the buttery glaze, being careful of “shot” (splattering fat) when stirring.
Return the pan to the grill and continue cooking for another 20–30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the edges of the ham are glossy and caramelized.
Remove from the grill and let the burnt ends rest for 5 minutes before serving. The glaze will set as it cools, giving you bite-sized cubes that are smoky, sweet, and sticky—perfect for holiday snacking or party platters.

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Recipe Note

FAQ & Highlights

Recipe FAQ

Do I need to start with a fully cooked ham? Yes. This recipe is designed for pre-smoked, fully cooked ham. You’re adding smoke, glaze, and texture—not cooking raw pork.
Why use a smoke tube on a pellet grill? At 300°F you’ll get great texture but lighter native smoke; the A-MAZE-N tube boosts clean wood aroma without changing your cooker setup.
How much rub should I use? Go light. Ham is inherently salty. A modest dusting of sweet rub builds color and flavor without oversalting.
How do I know when the finish is right? After glazing with butter and sauce, cook until the exterior looks glossy and tacky and the sauce is gently bubbling—about 20–30 minutes.
No FrogMat or second shelf? Use a shallow pan or place directly on clean grates. Keep pieces spaced so air and smoke circulate; avoid crowding.
Serving tips for the holidays? Rest 5 minutes so the glaze sets, then serve in a warmed dish with toothpicks. Add a bright side (slaw or pickles) to balance sweetness.

Recipe Highlights & Insights

Two-stage cook: smoke to build aroma, then butter + sauce to lacquer and caramelize.
Texture target: sticky, glossy exterior with tender, juicy centers—no need for internal temp checks on fully cooked ham.
Holiday-friendly: bite-size, buffet-ready, and easy to rewarm in a covered pan.
Safety note: stir the buttered glaze gently and use heat-resistant gloves—hot fat can splatter.

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