Sure, the glaze packets that come with your spiral cut hams are fine…but fine isn’t going to have your family say you’re the next Bobby Flay. This Cherry Hot Honey Glaze on the other hand, is definitely Iron Chef worthy.
Of course, this glaze for smoked ham was developed specifically for my double smoked ham recipe, but it would be perfect for any ham, cooked in a smoker or in the oven. It’s also nice that you don’t need to cook the ingredients before it goes on the ham.
Smoked Ham Glaze Ingredients
I’ve tested and tried a lot of different ingredients for a smoked ham glaze and I really do think this one is special. It’s definitely sweet, which I think should be the prominent flavor, but it’s also balanced.
The cherry preserves, brown sugar, and hot honey are a great combination with just a hint of spice.
The Dijon and Worcestershire mellow out the sweetness with some savory tang.
The flavors are balanced and rounded out with the addition of the onion, garlic, smoked paprika, and sage. The drippings that get flavored from this glaze also make a wonderful ham gravy.
I tried some versions with alcohol like bourbon and dark rum, but I found them to be overpowering, and you really need to cook out the alcohol. I also tried adding some classic flavors like cinnamon and clove, but those were a bit too much also.
That really just leaves maple as the only other common flavor for ham glaze that you won’t find here, but if you didn’t know this already…hot honey is my jam. No maple needed.
This cherry hot honey glaze is the perfect way to finish off your smoked ham this holiday or any day. The sweetness is balanced out by a hint of spice, and the savory tang from Dijon and worcestershire sauce round out the flavors nicely.
And the best part? No cooking needed! Just mix and brush on.
This glaze is the bomb.com