You may not have heard, but I am one of Char-Broil’s All Stars! Each month I share a new recipe designed to help people enjoy outdoor entertaining and learning about new ways to utilize their barbecues and grills.
Each year Char-Broil brings all of the All-Stars together to learn about the newest equipment, improve our skills, and enjoy the camaraderie of cooking over live fire. This year we are going to Atlantic Beach, Florida. While I am traveling, I thought you would like to see a couple of my Char-Broil articles … Make sure you check out the other All-Stars!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
When I was growing up, my mother’s favorite meal to make for company was baked ham. We would roast it in the oven for hours, basting it with brown sugar and studding the top with pineapple rings and whole cloves. The house would fill with the aroma and we couldn’t wait for dinner!
This year I wanted to recreate that memory for my family’s Easter dinner, but to put my own creative spin on it. Instead of roasting it in the oven, I wanted to cook it in the smoker with a mustard/brown sugar glaze. A little like a honey spiral cut ham you can buy, but oh so much better!
The best part is you don’t have to buy an expensive piece of meat to feed a crowd. I spent less than a dollar per pound and made a meal that I would gladly serve to even my most critical friends. Full of incredible flavor, moist and tender, this was by far the best ham I have ever made and I know you will love it too.
One of the benefits of writing for Char-Broil is having the opportunity to test some of their new equipment. This month I was thrilled to try-out The Big Easy® Electric Smoker/Roaster. I have wanted a smoker for years but never had the room for one. When I saw the small footprint for this one, I knew I had to have one!
This baby gives you all the benefits of a large smoker without taking up your entire backyard or patio. Small and compact, it holds the food upright like a vertical roaster with a basket that you lower into the cooker. This frees up valuable real estate and with the patented TRU-Infrared™ technology, concentrates the heat and smoke very efficiently.
Close up of the “bark” on the exterior of the ham after cooking.
One of the best features of The Big Easy is that it has a self-cleaning mode. It effectively cooks off all the bits and pieces leftover from the cooking process, turning them to easily removable ash and cinders. You can even put the basket and racks inside the smoker during the cleaning process, eliminating a lot of the work.
One suggestion I have is that if you are planning on cooking anything with a sugar glaze like this ham, line the bottom of your smoker (after you’ve seasoned it) with aluminum foil and poke a hole in the center to let the juices run through. This will save you hours of clean up because the sugar burns as it cooks and becomes rock-hard. If you have the foil in the bottom, all you have to do is pull it out and throw it away. I love that kind of cleanup!
To get more information on the Char-Broil line of cookers including the smoker I used for today’s recipe, click Here. Click on the “Home” tab at the top of the page and then the “Take Me To a Better Grill” button at the top of the next page. You can browse through all the different equipment for sale.
Now is the time to start planning for your summer cookouts. There is a competition to see which All-Star can direct the most traffic to the Char-Broil site. Go to my personal page and then head over to the Char-Broil site by clicking on “Charbroil.com” in the upper right of the top line. They always have great offers to make your outdoor entertaining fun and easy. I would love to win and I appreciate your help!
Gluten-Free Tips:
Check to make sure the ham hasn’t been injected with any gluten ingredients (read the label carefully). If in doubt, contact the manufacturer and ask them directly. Most pure seasonings are naturally gluten-free, but always check to see if they were bottled in a facility that also processes wheat, dairy or nut products, or any other allergens you are watching.
Brown Sugar and Mustard-Glazed Smoked Ham
© 2013 Jane Evans Bonacci, The Heritage Cook. All rights reserved.
Yield: 10 to 14 servings
INGREDIENTS
Ham
5 to 10 lb bone-in pre-cooked ham
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
2 tsp sweet paprika or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 to 2 tbsp organic olive oil
Honey mustard, for brushing on outside of ham
Glaze
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup honey mustard
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
Pinch ground cardamom
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
METHOD
Prepare the Ham: Remove ham from the refrigerator, pat dry with paper towels and set on a baking sheet. In a small bowl combine the onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper, brown sugar and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Whisk until you have a smooth paste; add more oil if needed. Rub exterior of the ham with the paste. Leave ham at room temperature for 1 hour.
Line the bottom of your smoker with a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil (poke a hole in the center if you are using Char-Broil’s Big Easy®). This protects the surface of your cooker from the burnt sugar glaze and makes your clean up quick and easy.
Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the pineapple juice, orange juice, honey, mustard, cloves ginger and cardamom. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until mixture is warmed through and blended. Reduce heat to low.
Cook the Ham: Preheat smoker to 225°F. If you are using a Char-Broil Big Easy® Electric Smoker/Roaster, add wood chips to the Smoke box and preheat it on temperature level 15 for 20 minutes, and then reduce to Level 4 or 5, which holds the cooker at 225°F to 250°F. NOTE: If the weather is warm and sunny, start on 4. If the weather is cold, start on 5 and move up if needed.
Insert the thermometer probe deep into the meat, making sure it is not touching the bone. Place ham on rack (or in the basket of the Char-Broil Big Easy® Smoker/Roaster) and brush with the honey mustard. Place the ham in the smoker and cook for 1 hour without lifting the lid. Open the smoker, baste ham with a little of the glaze, close the lid and smoke for about 4 to 6 hours, basting lightly with glaze about every 45 minutes. I drizzled a few tablespoons over the top every time I remembered. Refill the wood chips as needed. Your timing will depend on the equipment you are using, the ambient outdoor temperature, and effectiveness of your heat source.
When the internal temperature reaches 125°F to 130°F, combine about 3 to 4 tbsp of the remaining glaze with the brown sugar to make a paste about the thickness of honey. Whisk until smooth. If you do not have any glaze left, just use pineapple juice instead. Brush over top of ham and it will drip down the sides, covering most of the surface. Close up the smoker and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, creating a sweet crust on the outside of the ham.
Remove from the smoker and let sit for at least 30 minutes before removing from the basket and carving.
Create a New Tradition Today!
Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material on The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. This includes copying and reprinting content and photographs. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email: theheritagecook (at) comcast (dot) net. Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, www.theheritagecook.com. Please see the Disclaimers page (under the “About” tab above) for additional details.
Thank You!
