Grilled Ham With Honey Bourbon Glaze
INGREDIENTS
7–8 pound pre-cooked ham
3 cups water
2 yellow onions, sliced
1–2 star anise
2–3 whole cloves
aluminum roasting pan
Honey Bourbon Glaze
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar OR coconut sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1–2 teaspoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Ham Gravy
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups ham drippings/liquid
DIRECTIONS
Preheat grill to 450 degrees F (we will decrease it later).
Add Glaze ingredients to a small bowl; whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add water to aluminum roasting pan along with the onions, star anise, and cloves.
Place ham on a plate and use a paring knife to score the outer skin crisscross (be careful not to cut all the way down into the meat). Place ham on top of the onions in the aluminum pan (note: feel free to place a roasting rack inside as well, if the onions don’t raise the ham off the bottom enough or some celery stalks will work too). Brush with some of the glaze, saving most of it for later.
Place on the grill, uncovered, and close the grill lid to let it cook for 20 minutes.
Open quickly and cover tightly with foil. Close the lid and drop temperature down to 325-350 and let it cook approximately 18-22 minutes per pound (include the 20 minutes from Step 5 in the total cook time) or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135-140 degrees F. Check occasionally to track the temp and add additional water if the liquid is cooking off quickly.
When there is approx. 10-20 minutes of cook time left, open the grill lid and remove the foil. Brush the entire ham liberally with the glaze, ensuring you get in every nook and cranny. Close the lid and increase the grill temperature to 400-425 degrees F. The glaze should get a little tacky and start to caramelize.
Remove from grill (save liquid in the bottom for gravy, if making) and let rest 10-15 minutes. Feel free to brush on any remaining glaze.
Optional Ham Gravy: Bring cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add in flour and whisk together until it forms a paste (a.k.a. a roux). Slowly add drippings/liquid approx. 1/4 cup at a time whisking constantly. Continue adding liquid until fully combined. Let simmer to thicken, add additional splashes of liquid to thin. Taste and add any salt or pepper, as desired.
Slice the ham and serve with gravy and any other delicious side dishes!