Are you on the hunt for the perfect holiday ham? If so, you’ll want to give my Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze a shot. This ham requires just three ingredients but tastes gourmet. It’s effortless to make and comes together in about 4 hours. 

Plus, it’s infused with a brilliant combination of smoke, spice, and honey. High-quality products from Heath Riles BBQ ensure your holiday ham has the perfect sweet crust and juicy inside. This may be the only ham recipe you’ll ever need! Don’t just take my word for it; add my Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze to your menu, and let me know what you think. 

Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habenero Glaze | Heath Riles BBQ

Introducing…Heath Riles BBQ Glazes!

Are you looking for an easy way to elevate your BBQ game? Check out my latest creation...BBQ Glazes! I’ve been developing these glazes for at least 5 years, tweaking them to perfection. Whatever your craving, there’s a Heath Riles BBQ BBQ Glaze for you! 

• Heath Riles BBQ Cherry Apple Habanero BBQ Glaze. This delicious glaze has a cheery note, thanks to premium cherry and apple flavors. You can enjoy the glaze straight from the bottle or pair it with your favorite BBQ sauce for a tasty treat. My favorite way to use this glaze is on ribs or pork butt. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Brown Sugar Honey Habanero BBQ Glaze. This particular variation contains a classic mix of brown sugar, honey, and a touch of heat. Don’t let the “habanero” fool you; these glazes are mild enough that anyone can enjoy them. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Maple Honey Habanero BBQ Glaze. If you love Fall flavors, you’ll adore this new glaze, which features warm maple syrup and a hint of mashed habanero. It really shines on hams, where it creates a glossy finish. I know you’ll love it as much as I do! 

You can purchase each of these glazes individually or treat yourself to a 3-pack containing all of our luscious flavors. 

The Ingredients

A holiday ham with just three ingredients? Count me in! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list. 

 

• Spiral-cut ham. I purchased my ham from Costco, but you can find spiral-cut hams almost anywhere. I love spiral-cut hams because they have built-in crevices that allow the glaze to seep into the meat. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. This rub helped me win 1st place ribs at the 2022 Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! It contains a delicious mix of sugar, paprika, pecan, honey, and garlic. You can use it on steaks, hams, burgers, and veggies.
• Heath Riles BBQ Brown Sugar Honey Habanero Glaze. This is one of my newest ingredients, and I am so excited for you to try it. I curated this glaze to beautifully combine the warm notes of brown sugar and honey with the zest of habanero peppers. It’s a classic blend of sweet and spicy that you can’t live without! 

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites are in the Equipment and Tools section. 

• Pellet grill/smoker. I cooked this Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze on the Traeger Ironwood 885. This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Ironwood 885 has been updated with the best features Traeger has to offer, like a “Super Smoke Mode,” pellet sensor, WiFIRE technology, and an included meat probe.

You can’t go wrong with the Traeger Ironwood 885 if you love pits with bells and whistles. This grill is bound to impress your friends and family!

• Pellets. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. I love this brand because you get clean smoke with no fillers. It gives the ham a rich, deep flavor that tastes authentic. 

The Process for Making Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze

You can find a detailed demonstration of this recipe within the video and recipe card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled this Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze together. 

• Fire up the grill. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood 885 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 300℉.
• Prep the ham. I removed the ham from its packaging and placed it on a tin-foil-lined baking sheet. This keeps my working space clean, reducing my time in the kitchen! 
• Add seasoning. I covered the ham on all sides with Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub. I didn’t go too heavy on the seasoning, just enough to give the meat a light dusting. Be sure to watch the video to see my easy method for applying seasoning to large pieces of meat. 
• Start smoking. I set the ham on a baking rack and let it smoke for 1 hour and 45 minutes until it hit 115℉.
• Glaze the ham. I removed the ham from the Traeger Ironwood 885 and set it on a tin-foil-lined baking sheet. Then, I poured Heath Riles BBQ Brown Sugar Honey Habanero Glaze over the top, brushing it into every crevice. Garnish the ham with Turbinado sugar if you prefer a honey-baked ham texture. 
• Finish cooking. I set the Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze back on the pit and let it go until it reached 140℉. My ham had a total cook time of 3 ½ hours. The only thing left was to let the ham rest and slice into it. 

The Results

The Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze was sheer perfection. Heath Riles BBQ Competition BBQ Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Brown Sugar Honey Habanero Glaze are a match made in heaven. This blend perfectly balanced sweet honey and a hint of spice. Try one bite, and I think you’ll agree! 

Serving Suggestions for Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze

You can serve this Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze on its own, but sometimes, you just want a full spread. Here are two of my favorite side dish ideas. 

 

• Smoked Funeral Potatoes. If you’ve never had Funeral Potatoes, you’re in for a treat. This classic dish appears at nearly every Midwest and Southern church potluck, work gathering, and holiday. Once you try it, it’s bound to become part of your family’s tradition, too! 
• Smoked Pecan Pie. My Smoked Pecan Pie is a work of art. The filling is made entirely from scratch, and every bite is infused with smokey goodness. Some people make a smoked pecan pie by cooking the nuts beforehand, but I kept it simple by smoking the entire dessert. 

The result is a sweet, sticky treat with BBQ flair. Serve this pecan pie on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because. It’s bound to be a hit with friends and family!

Storing Leftovers

You can store leftover Holiday Ham With Brown Sugar Habanero Glaze in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 4 months. 

Equipment and Tools

Traeger Ironwood 885, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, disposable cutting board, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, ChefAlarm, wire cooling rack, ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Silicone Brush, heavy-duty aluminum pan.