Makes 8 servings
Preparation time. 10 minutes
Cooking time. 10 to 12 minutes per pound at 225°F
Ingredients:
8 pound bone-in smoked ham
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup Chris Lilly’s Spicy Apricot Glaze (1/2 cup apricot preserves, 1/2 cup honey, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/8 teaspoon sage flakes, 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves. In a medium bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until you need it. It will keep for weeks.)
Method
1) Make a sauce by putting the chicken broth in a pan and whisk in 4 tablespoons of the glaze over medium heat until it is dissolved. Set aside. Put the remaining glaze and the baster in the fridge.
2) Prepare your grill for 2-zone cooking and preheat it to about 225°F on the indirect side. If the skin has not been removed, remove it, and trim off almost all the fat leaving no more than a thin layer. If it is spiral-sliced ham, let some water get into the sliced areas to help reduce moisture loss.
3) Place the meat on the indirect side of the grill, add a handful or two of wood for smoking. You do not need much smoke since the meat has been smoked once already. Close the lid, and smoke for about 1 hour.
4) Tear off about 5′ of aluminum foil, if you have double strength, that’s better. Fold it in half to make it about 2 1/2′ in length. Take the ham off the grill, place the flat, cut end on the foil making sure you don’t puncture the foil, pour 1/2 cup of the water over the meat and seal the meat and water in the foil making it look like a giant candy kiss. Crimp the seams tight. We don’t want any steam escaping and water leaking. This technique helps it cook faster by generating a little steam, which penetrates faster than dry heat, and keeps the meat moist. Place the package back on the indirect side at about 225°F. If you have a leave-in meat thermometer, insert it now through the foil into the fat end, so the tip is about 1″ away from the bone. Watch the oven temp and try to keep it around 225°F.
5) When the meat temp hits about 130°F, open the foil, paint on the glaze, leave the foil open to catch drips, close the grill, and roast for about 10 minutes until the glaze gets thick. While the glaze is setting, get the sauce out and warm it on the hot side of the grill or the side burner or indoors.
6) After about 10 minutes, open the grill, dip your basting brush in the pools of glaze on the foil and paint the meat again. Add more glaze if you wish. Now remove the foil, and pour any drippings into the sauce pan. Leave the lid open, remove the thermometer and move the ham over to the hot side. Stand right there and watch so the glaze does not burn. Don’t walk away even to get a beer. Let the glaze sizzle, but not blacken. You are just trying to caramelize the sugars and develop more flavor. After about 3 or 4 minutes, roll it a bit and keep rolling it until all sides have sizzled except the bare meat side. Leave it bare. By now the temp should have risen to 140°F. Go ahead and check if you want, but trust me, it’s there.
7) Taste the sauce. If you want it sweeter, add more glaze, but it shouldn’t need more sugar. Pour the sauce into a gravy boat, and move the ham to a cutting board, bare side down. Carve it by slicing in from the sides towards the bone in the center of the top. Then slice down along the bone to release the slices. Serve, and spoon a little sauce over the meat.
