Easy Smoked Cranberry Ham Glaze

By Todd Martin November 20, 2024 4 mins read 56 Views

If you want to put a fun and festive twist on your twice-smoked ham this year, try this tangy cranberry glaze! It’s easy to whip up and tastes delicious.

Cranberry glazed ham

Most store-bought hams come with a glaze, but those glazes just don’t have the flavor of a homemade glaze. With a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a homemade cranberry glaze to use instead for a fun and festive twist on your holiday ham.

Not a cranberry fan? Try our Hot Honey and Bourbon Glazed Ham!

Ingredients you’ll need

Cranberry sauce – you can use store-bought cranberry sauce or whip it up from scratch, but for this particular recipe, you want to avoid the jellied type. The type you are looking for will be called Whole Berry Cranberry sauce.
Brown sugar – to get that sticky, sweet glaze flavor and consistency.
Orange juice – you can substitute cranberry juice or even water, but I find that orange juice adds a wonderful citrus flavor.
Spices – I like to add a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg to balance out the flavors. I also add crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. If you want to avoid spice, skip these.

Tools you’ll need

Baking dish or cast iron skillet – ovenproof or you can also use a disposable aluminum pan if that’s easier!
Whisk
Basting brush – a basting brush will come in handy when you’re ready to start adding the glaze to your ham. If you don’t have one, a small spoon will suffice.

How to make double smoked cranberry glazed ham

1. Make the glaze

This recipe is extremely easy to whip up and only takes a few minutes. All you have to do is crack open the can of cranberry sauce and add it to a baking dish or skillet. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar on top, then add the orange juice and spices.

unsmoked cranberry glaze in a cast iron skillet with a spoon in it

I find it helpful to use a whisk to combine the ingredients prior to placing them on the smoker (or oven). Just a quick mix to ensure everything is well combined, and you’re done.

2. Smoke the glaze

The best part about this glaze is that it pairs perfectly with Twice-Smoked Ham. You’ve already got the ham on the smoker and you can just place the pan with the glaze right next to it to heat up.

The glaze only needs one hour to come together. Make sure to give it a mix every 20 minutes or so to stop it sticking.

Once the glaze is thick and sticky, it’s ready to use.

If you don’t have a smoker (or don’t plan on heating your ham in the smoker this year), then you can also whip up this glaze in the oven the same way. Another option is to place all of the glaze ingredients into a pot on the stove and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Glazing

I like to start glazing my ham when it has about an hour left of cooking. This allows the glaze to penetrate the spiral slices, tack up, and add flavor in every bite.

I recommend using a basting brush for this step, but if you don’t have one, use a small spoon. Just brush (or spoon) the glaze over the ham every 20 minutes or so during the last hour of cooking time.

Once your ham is done cooking, you will notice the glaze starting to get crispy on the edges, that’s totally okay! That is honestly the best part, in my opinion.

I like to take whatever glaze I have remaining and pour it over the ham. I’m not shy about flavor! But if you think that will be too much, you can always serve the glaze on the side for your guests to add as they see fit.

Looking for more cranberry inspiration for the holiday table