Glazed Christmas ham studded with cloves and topped with orange slices
    Photo: Tim Dawson, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)
    2 min read Planning Guide

    How Long to Smoke a 12 lb Ham?

    Short answer

    About about 3.5–4.5 h at 250°F (121°C) for a fully cooked ham, until the centre reads 140°F (60°C). Glaze for the last 30–45 minutes. For dinner at 6 pm, put it on around 1:45 pm.

    Quick guide

    Smoked glazed ham

    4 h 45 min Easy Serves about 16 people
    Ham size (fully cooked, bone-in)
    Heat through to60°C / 140°F

    You need

    • 1 fully cooked bone-in ham (spiral-cut or whole), 12 lb (5.4 kg)
    • Glaze: 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar, 60 ml (¼ cup) honey or maple syrup, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp orange juice, a pinch of ground cloves
    • A foil tray
    • Apple or cherry wood
    1. Prep

      Take the ham out of the fridge 1 hour ahead. If it isn't spiral-cut, score the fat in 2–3 cm diamonds. Set it cut side down in a foil tray.

    2. Fire up

      Smoker or grill set up for indirect heat at 121°C / 250°F, with apple or cherry wood.

    3. Smoke

      Lid closed until the centre reads about 49°C / 120°F — about 3–4 h. Mix the glaze meanwhile.

    4. Glaze

      Brush on glaze every 15 minutes for the last 30–45 minutes, until the centre reads 60°C / 140°F.

    5. Rest and slice

      Rest 15 minutes, then slice. Spoon the juices from the tray over the slices.

    For fully cooked (ready-to-eat) hams. A fresh, uncooked ham must reach 63°C / 145°F and rest 3 minutes.

    At 225°F / 107°Cabout 4.5–6 h
    At 250°F / 121°Cabout 3.5–4.5 h
    At 275°F / 135°Cabout 2.5–3.5 h
    Servesabout 16 people

    Numbers for a 12 lb (5.4 kg) fully cooked bone-in ham on the smoker: how long it takes at each temperature, when to glaze it, and how many people it serves.

    Smoking Time for a 12 lb Ham

    For a fully cooked (ready-to-eat) ham, heated to 140°F (60°C):

    Smoker tempPer pound12 lb ham
    225°F / 107°Cabout 25 minabout 4.5–6 h
    250°F / 121°Cabout 20 minabout 3.5–4.5 h
    275°F / 135°Cabout 16 minabout 2.5–3.5 h

    A fresh, uncooked ham is raw pork: it must reach 145°F (63°C) and rest 3 minutes, and takes much longer.

    Schedule for Dinner at 6 pm

    At 250°F:

    StepStart at
    Out of the fridge12:45 pm
    Light the smoker1:15 pm
    Ham on1:45 pm
    Start glazing5:00 pm
    Off to rest5:45 pm
    Slice and serve6:00 pm

    Want to skip the guesswork?

    How Many People It Serves

    Plan about ¾ lb (340 g) of bone-in ham per person. A 12 lb ham serves about 16 people, with leftovers if there are plenty of sides.

    Plan Your Christmas Ham

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long to smoke a 12 lb ham at 250°F?

    About about 3.5–4.5 h for a fully cooked ham, until it reaches 140°F (60°C) in the centre.

    How long to smoke a 12 lb ham at 225°F?

    About about 4.5–6 h, roughly 25 minutes per lb.

    How many people does a 12 lb ham feed?

    About 16 people at ¾ lb of bone-in ham each.

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