I first had smoked pulled ham at a BBQ restaurant. I actually thought I was eating pulled pork at first because I had no idea ham could be cooked in a way that would allow it to shred like pork and be so flavorful. I knew I wanted to try it at home. For the basic process, I used the formula I learned from this article by Brad Prose. BBQ guru Susie Bulloch uses the same method with an apricot bbq glaze, which also sounds delicious. I wanted to make a quintessential Easter ham, so for my version I’m using a riff on our very popular Orange and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham. You can easily use this same method and switch up the rub and the glaze/sauce with any flavors you like. Once you learn to cook ham like this, you might not go back to any other method!
Ingredient Notes
Bone-in Portion Ham Shank (NOT spiral cut). Below you’ll see photos of 2 common styles of portion hams. The ham on the left in each photo is labeled “butt” and the one on the right is labeled “shank”. There are other cuts that are simply labeled “portion” or “picnic”. Any of those will work, but for best results and the most tender ham, you’ll want to look for a bone-in Shank. The shank has a little more fat so the meat is juicier and shreds more easily. I’ve tried with several cuts to test, and I’ve found this cut to be the best. It looks similar to the spiral cut ham, but it’s not sliced. This smoked pulled ham recipe will not work with a sliced ham, so don’t waste your time or money on that! Where I live, I find this brand at my local Winco. If you can’t find a shank, specifically, a butt portion will work as well, it just tends to be a bit leaner. Mustard – you’ll use mustard to rub all over your ham. The mustard flavor does not come through on the finished ham, it acts as a binder to hold on your spices. I’ve also used a neutral oil in this step, but mustard is my preferred ingredient. Brown Sugar – this is used in both the rub and the glaze. Spices – this spice rub is in the same vein as a classic spiral cut glaze with a sweet and spicy combo including cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. If you’d like to do more of a bbq seasoning, simply use your favorite bbq rub, like this one, however I recommend omitting the salt as cured ham is already salty. Apple Juice – I like to use apple juice for both spritzing in the smoker, and also in the roasting pan for moisture. If you forgot this on your shopping list, or prefer to not use juice, you can substitute water. Brad Prose uses room temperature beer for this step. Oranges – you’ll use both the orange zest and juice in the glaze for this ham. I love the combination of orange and spices for a ham. It’s especially great for Easter time. Apple Cider Vinegar – my favorite apple cider vinegar for cooking is Bragg’s. This balances the sweetness of the rub and glaze by adding some acidity. Spray Bottle – I like to keep a clean spray bottle for food use only. You’ll want this to spritz your ham during the smoking process. Smoker – this recipe uses a smoker. I have not experimented with an oven roasted version, but I will one of these days!
Instructions
Leftover Suggestions
This ham will serve a lot! It’s great for a crowd, but if you’re making it just for a family dinner, chances are you’ll have some leftovers.
We LOVE making sandwiches. Try it on a toasted brioche bun with melted havarti cheese. Or make a ham and cheese panini on sourdough. It’s fantastic in fried rice. This is my favorite classic fried rice, but the flavor profile of this ham lends itself really well to this breakfast fried rice. Try crisping up the ham in a saute pan and then piling in tacos or wraps. It’s terrific in an omelette.
