Hot Honey Chipotle Bourbon Ham

Directions

1. Preheat your smoker to 325°F. Remove the ham from the packaging and pat it dry. Use a sharp knife to score the exterior in a diamond pattern about 1/4–1/2 inch deep.

2. Combine the honey, butter, and Dijon mustard in a bowl. The butter should be extremely soft and spreadable but not melted — soft enough to easily mix into the honey and Dijon while still creating a thick coating that clings to the ham. Brush the mixture generously over the entire ham, working it down into the scored sections and between the slices wherever possible.

3. Place the ham directly on the smoker, uncovered, and cook at 325°F. Plan on roughly 2-3 hours depending on the size and starting temperature of the ham, but use internal temperature rather than time to determine when it’s finished.

4. While the ham smokes, remove the stems and seeds from the ancho chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet for about 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant, then cover them with hot water and let them soften for 10–15 minutes. Drain the chiles and add them to a saucepan with the hot honey, brown sugar, bourbon, butter, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, adobo sauce, chipotle peppers, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt.

5. Bring the glaze to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and everything is incorporated. Don’t heavily reduce it. Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth and glossy. The glaze should be pourable like a slightly thickened warm syrup. If it’s too thick, add a small splash of bourbon or apple cider vinegar; if it’s too thin, simmer it for another couple of minutes.

6. Before you begin glazing the ham, reserve 1-1 1/2 cups of glaze in a separate clean container for serving. During roughly the final 45–60 minutes of cooking, generously brush the remaining glaze over the ham every 15-20 minutes, allowing each layer to become sticky and caramelized before adding the next. Make sure to work some glaze into the scored sections and between the slices.

7. Smoke until the thickest part of the ham reaches approximately 135°F, checking away from the bone. Remove it from the smoker, loosely tent with foil, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. The temperature should continue rising toward approximately 140°F as it rests.

8. While the ham rests, gently warm the reserved glaze over low heat until smooth and pourable. Transfer the ham to a serving platter, pour the warm glaze generously over the top, and let it run down into all of the scored sections and slices. Slice and serve with any remaining glaze on the side.

9. Tips:

   • Don’t rely on cooking time. You’re reheating an already fully cooked ham, so internal temperature matters more than the clock. Pull it around 135°F and let carryover heat bring it toward 140°F during the rest.
   • Glaze toward the end. Hot honey and brown sugar can burn if they’re exposed to heat for too long. Building several layers during the final 45–60 minutes gives you that dark, sticky exterior without scorching the sugars.
   • Reserve your finishing glaze first. Set aside 1-1 1/2 cups before you start basting. Warm that clean glaze at the end for the big glossy pour over the finished ham.