Glazed Ham in a Weber Kettle

Fireball Whisky Glazed Ham

This glazed ham is simple to prepare, loaded with flavour, and finished with a sweet, sticky Fireball whiskey glaze. Perfect for Christmas, parties, or any time you want a show-stopping centrepiece.

Choosing a Ham & What You’ll Need:
A whole or half leg ham works well for this recipe. Look for one with a good fat cap and even shape. Smoked hams are already cooked, so we’re reheating and glazing to add flavour.

You’ll need a 57cm (22”) Weber Kettle, a chimney starter, briquettes, and a few chunks of smoking wood (cherry works beautifully). Setting up the snake method keeps your kettle running at a steady 140°C (285°F) for the whole cook.

Removing the skin is essential—this exposes the fat so it can caramelise and form that signature shiny glaze.

Preparation:
Start with a 5.2kg (11.4lb) ham.
Carefully cut around the hock using a sharp knife and along the sides of the ham to loosen the skin. Slide your fingers underneath and peel it off in one piece.

Using a sharp knife, score the fat in a criss-cross pattern, with cuts spaced about 20mm (¾”) apart.
Press a whole clove into the centre of each diamond.

Place the ham on a tray inside a roasting pan (line it with foil because it will get messy).

Set Up the Smoker:
Set your Weber kettle for the snake method:
•    Lay two rows of briquettes around the outside of the charcoal grate, touching each other.
•    Add a top row to complete the snake.
•    Place a foil pan underneath the cooking area for easy cleanup.
•    Add smoking wood chunks along the snake, spaced roughly 50mm (2”) apart.
•    Light 12 briquettes in a chimney, then place them at the start of the snake.
Put the grill on and place an ambient temperature probe opposite the lit fuel.
Close the lid and let the kettle settle at 140°C (285°F).

The Cook:
Place the ham on the indirect side, opposite the lit briquettes.
Squeeze the juice of one orange over the top to help the caramelisation process.
Pour hot water into the bottom tray.
Insert an internal thermometer and set it to 54°C (130°F)—this is when glazing begins.
This cook will take 3–4 hours to reach the final target temperature of 60°C (140°F).

Make the Fireball Whiskey Glaze:
In a saucepan, combine:
•    Orange juice
•    Orange marmalade
•    Maple syrup
•    Dijon mustard
•    Dried rosemary
•    Ground cinnamon
•    Nutmeg
•    Brown sugar
Warm over low heat until the sugar and marmalade dissolve.
Increase to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.
Reduce heat and add Fireball whiskey.
Let it bubble for a couple of minutes to cook off the alcohol.

Glazing:
Once the ham reaches 54°C (130°F), brush on a generous layer of glaze.
Close the lid and continue cooking until the ham reaches 60°C (140°F) internal.
Open the kettle every 15 minutes to reapply the glaze.
This builds the glossy, sticky finish everyone loves.

The Payoff:
Remove the ham from the Weber and warm any remaining glaze.
Brush on a final coat while the ham rests.
Pull out the cloves before slicing—they look great but you don’t want to bite into one.
Slice and serve warm. It’s smoky, sweet, sticky and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:
Ham
•    1 whole or half leg ham (approx. 5.2kg / 11.4lb)
•    Juice of 1 orange
•    Whole cloves (enough for each scored diamond)

Glaze
•    250ml (1 cup) orange juice
•    160g (½ cup) orange marmalade
•    110ml (⅓ cup) maple syrup
•    2 tbsp Dijon mustard
•    1 tbsp dried rosemary
•    ½ tsp ground cinnamon
•    ½ tsp nutmeg
•    55g (¼ cup) brown sugar
•    60ml (¼ cup) Fireball whiskey

Recipe Steps:
1    Remove the ham skin by cutting around the hock and peeling it back.
2    Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern, 20mm (¾”) apart.
3    Press a clove into each diamond and set the ham in a foil-lined pan.
4    Set up the Weber using the snake method and stabilise at 140°C (285°F).
5    Place the ham on the grill opposite the lit fuel.
6    Squeeze orange juice over the ham and add hot water to the tray.
7    Insert an internal probe and cook until 54°C (130°F).
8    While cooking, make the glaze by combining all ingredients, simmering until thick, then adding Fireball.
9    Once the ham hits 54°C (130°F), apply the first layer of glaze.
10    Continue cooking, glazing every 15 minutes, until the ham reaches 60°C (140°F).
11    Rest the ham and brush with extra warm glaze.
12    Remove cloves, slice and serve.

Recipe Info:
•    Prep Time: 30 minutes
•    Cook Time: 3–4 hours
•    Serves: 12–16
•    Effort: Easy
•    Course: Main
•    Cuisine: American / Australian
•    Hydration: 8 beers (optional… but recommended)

Tips & Variations:
•    Use different whiskey: Fireball adds cinnamon warmth, but bourbon or spiced rum work well too.
•    Go darker with smoke: Cherry is mild, but hickory or apple add a stronger smoke profile.
•    Avoid glaze burn: Only glaze at the end—sugar burns fast on long cooks.
•    Get ahead: You can make the glaze up to 3 days in advance.

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