CHERRY CHIPOTLE GLAZED HAM
Makes about 15 servings
What’s better than having a smoked ham for the holidays? How about a double-smoked ham with a sweet and spicy BBQ glaze? Sounds good to me. What makes it even better is the fact that by cooking it outside on the EGG, there’s still plenty of room inside to finish up sides and desserts.
CHERRY CHIPOTLE BBQ SAUCE
2 cups (475 ml) ketchup
1 cup (320 g) cherry preserves
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened cherry juice
½ cup (115 g) light brown sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) cider vinegar
1 chipotle pepper (from canned chipotles in adobo sauce)
1 tbsp (15 ml) adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp (5 g) granulated garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1 (8- to 9-lb [3.6- to 4-kg]) fully-cooked, sliced spiral ham
Sweet and Smoky BBQ Rub (here)
Prepare the BBQ sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the preserves. Lower the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, let the sauce cool, transfer to a blender and process until smooth. Pour the sauce into a glass jar and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Set up the EGG for 275°F (140°C), indirect with a drip pan. Fill your firebox with natural lump charcoal, layering it with two or three chunks of smoking wood. A fruit wood, such as apple or cherry, works great here. With the top and bottom vents wide open, light the fire and close the EGG. After about 10 minutes, close the bottom draft screen. When the temperature nears your 275°F (140°C) target temperature, partially close the bottom vent door and the top of the daisy wheel, leaving both vents 15 percent open. Make minor adjustments as necessary.
Season the ham all over with the BBQ rub, getting some in between the slices for added flavor, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Reheat the BBQ sauce in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce warm until you are ready to use it.
Once the cooker reaches temperature, place the ham on the grate in the smoker. Close the lid and cook for 1½ hours, then brush it with the BBQ sauce. Return the ham to the smoker and continue to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 140°F (60°C), 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove the ham from the smoker and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes.
To carve the ham: Turn the meat on its bottom so that the meat is facing up. Using a long knife, cut around the bone. Then, cut through the natural breaks in the ham where the fat lies to separate the meat.
Arrange the ham slices on a platter to serve.