Double Smoked Pineapple Gochujang Ham

Name: Double Smoked Pineapple Gochujang Ham
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Ingredients: 1 2-3 lb precooked spiral cut ham; 3 tbsp dijon mustard; 3 tbsp BBQ Rub; 1 cup pineapple juice; ½ cup gochujang; ⅓ cup honey; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp rive vinegar; 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated); 3 cloves garlic (grated); 1 tsp gochugaru (or to taste); 1 tbsp butter (optional, for gloss)

If you follow my blog, you know I have a soft spot for recipes that look impressive but don’t require you to start at the crack of dawn. This double smoked ham is exactly that.

A pre-cooked spiral ham goes back into the smoker and gets slathered in a bold Korean-inspired glaze built on gochujang, pineapple juice, honey, and fresh ginger.

The result is sweet, smoky, a little spicy, and deeply caramelized. It’s the kind of ham that makes people think you’ve been cooking all day. You haven’t, and that’s the whole point.

What Is Double Smoking a Ham?

A spiral-cut ham from the grocery store is already cooked and typically already smoked once at the processing facility. Double smoking is exactly what it sounds like: you run it through your smoker a second time.

Why bother? Because that factory smoke is subtle at best. Putting it back in your smoker lets you layer on real, intentional smoke flavor that you just can’t get from the store.

The low-and-slow first hour at 225°F keeps the double smoked ham from drying out while the smoke does its work. Then repeated glazing every 15 minutes builds a lacquered, sticky, caramelized crust. A final blast at 275°F sets the glaze into a glossy, mahogany perfection.

Why This Recipe Works

The concept is simple, but a few deliberate choices are what make this double smoked ham genuinely great rather than just okay.

The glaze is the star. Gochujang brings fermented, funky heat that plays beautifully against the sweetness of pineapple juice and honey.

Fresh ginger and garlic keep it bright. Soy sauce adds umami depth without tasting out of place. And the gochugaru lets you dial the heat up or down depending on your crowd.

The glazing cadence matters too. Four coats over the last hour of smoking builds the kind of lacquered crust you can’t get from a single pass. Each layer caramelizes slightly before the next goes on, which creates real depth of flavor in the bark.

Breaking Down the Pineapple Gochujang Glaze

This glaze is what sets this double smoked ham apart from anything you’d find on a dinner table. Here’s what each ingredient is doing:

Gochujang: Fermented Korean chili paste with deep, funky heat. It’s earthy and complex, not just spicy, and it’s the backbone of the whole glaze.
Pineapple juice: Bright acidity and tropical sweetness that balances the gochujang. It also contains enzymes that help tenderize the outer layer of the ham.
Honey: Rounds out the heat and helps the glaze caramelize into that gorgeous sticky crust over the smoker.
Soy sauce: Adds umami depth and saltiness that makes everything taste more itself.
Fresh ginger and garlic: Please grate these fresh. The flavor difference from powder is significant and both take about 90 seconds.
Rice vinegar: A small splash of brightness to cut through all the richness and keep the glaze from being one-note sweet.
Gochugaru: Korean chili flakes that are fruitier and less sharp than regular red pepper flakes. Dial it up or down based on your heat tolerance.

Butter (optional): Finishing with butter gives the glaze a restaurant-quality gloss. It’s two teaspoons. Just do it.

Tips for the Best Double Smoked Ham

Get into the spiral cuts. When glazing, work it into every layer of the spiral cuts.
Use a mild wood. Apple, cherry, or peach keep the smoke complementary to the glaze. Hickory works but can overpower things if you’re not careful.
Don’t rush the glaze. Each 15-minute coat needs time to set before the next one goes on. This is where the crust builds.
Make extra glaze. The recipe yields about 2 cups, which is plenty for the ham, but you’ll want more on the side for dipping or drizzling over rice. Double it and thank yourself later.
Let it rest. Pull the double smoked ham off the smoker and let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. It’ll hold heat well and slice cleaner.

FAQs

Can I use any smoker?

Yes. Pellet, offset, kettle, kamado, electric. If it can hold 225 degrees and produce smoke, you’re in business.

Is this very spicy?

It’s got a warm, building heat, not a face-melter. The honey and pineapple juice do a lot of work to balance things out. Start with half the gochugaru if you’re cooking for folks who don’t love heat.

How big of a ham should I use?

The recipe is written for a 2 to 3 lb spiral ham, which is great for 6- 8 people. The glaze is plenty for up to a 7 to 8 lb ham. Just budget extra smoking time and keep glazing every 15 minutes.

Can I make the glaze ahead of time?

Absolutely. It actually improves overnight as the flavors meld. Make it up to 3 days in advance and reheat gently before using.

What should I serve with double smoked ham?

Keep the sides simple so the ham is the star. Steamed jasmine rice, roasted sweet potatoes, or a crisp slaw with rice vinegar dressing all work great. Cornbread is also a surprisingly great call.

What do I do with leftover glaze?

Serve it warm on the side. It’s also great drizzled over rice, used as a noodle sauce, or brushed onto grilled chicken the next day. It keeps in the fridge for about a week.

How To Make Double Smoked Ham

Step 1: Add all glaze ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze coats the back of a spoon and looks glossy.

Taste and adjust: More honey for sweetness, more gochugaru for heat, a splash of vinegar to brighten it up. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. It’ll thicken more as it sits.

Step 2: Evenly coat the ham with dijon mustard, then season all over with BBQ rub. (I like my homemade BBQ rub, but use your favorite) Work the mustard and rub into the spiral cuts.

Step 3: Place the ham in a 225°F smoker and smoke for one hour.

Step 4: Evenly coat the entire ham with glaze, making sure to get into the spiral cuts. Repeat every 15 minutes for 45 minutes, three coats total.

adding glaze to double smoked ham in a smoker

Step 5: Increase smoker temperature to 275 degrees and apply one final coat of glaze. Smoke for 15 more minutes, then remove the double smoked ham and let it rest 10 minutes before serving.

Step 6: Slice and serve with leftover glaze on the side for dipping or drizzling.