Christmas Honey Glazed Gammon
This Christmas honey & cherrywood glazed gammon is sweet, smoky, and perfectly sticky — making it an impressive festive centrepiece or ideal for Boxing Day cold cuts. Simmered first for tenderness, then smoked over indirect heat with cherrywood and finished with a rich honey, mustard and orange glaze, this method guarantees juicy, flavour-packed slices every time.
Whether you’re cooking on a charcoal BBQ, ceramic grill, electric smoker or even finishing in the oven, this UK-friendly technique delivers consistent results with accurate internal temperatures.
New to smoking or indirect BBQ cooking? Read our Beginner’s Guide to BBQ & Smoking (UK) before starting.
For precise timing and doneness control, use our Smoker Time Calculator to avoid overcooking your gammon.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time (hours)
3hrs
Cook Time (minutes)
30mins
Servings
6-8
Cuisine:
British
Course:
Main
Difficulty:
Easy
Keyword:
honey glazed gammon recipe UK
Author:
Kitchen Sizzlers
Cooking Temp
160
Ingredients
2.5 kg unsmoked gammon joint (raw)
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp English mustard
1 tbsp butter (melted)
4 whole cloves
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Cherrywood chunks or chips (for smoking)
Chef’s Notes
Simmering first prevents overly salty gammon and ensures tenderness before smoking.
Cooking to 68–70°C provides juicy slices while remaining fully safe.
For extra caramelisation, briefly increase BBQ temperature to 200°C for the final 5–10 minutes.
The longer you rest gammon, the juicier it becomes — resting allows juices to redistribute evenly.
Perfect served warm with cranberry sauce, maple carrots and roast potatoes, or sliced cold for Boxing Day sandwiches.
Equipment Used
- 100% NATURAL WOOD CHUNKS: Our wood chunks are pure and free from any harmful chemicals, ensuring you get the authentic smoky flavor without compromising on safety or taste. Trust in the natural goodness of Woodabrix's bbq smoking chunks for your BBQ
- SUITABLE FOR GAS AND CHARCOAL BARBECUES: Whether you're a gas grill enthusiast or a traditional charcoal lover, Woodabrix cherry wood chuns are perfect for your grilling needs. Use these bbq wood chunks directly on the coals or your gas grill.
- VERSATILE AND FLAVORFUL: Elevate the taste of your BBQ dishes with cherry wood's light and fruity flavour that can be sweet or tart. Perfect for beef, pork, poultry, seafood, lamb, and vegetables, these wood chunks add a delectable touch to your grilled delights.
- EASY TO USE AND STORE: Our 2.2kg of bbq smoker wood chunks comes in a convenient cardboard box for easy storage. With just a few of barbecue wood chunks needed for each BBQ session, this bag will last you 10-15 meals. The packaging for these cherry wood chunks for bbq smoking is eco-friendly, made of recyclable cardboard, making it a sustainable choice for your grilling adventures.
Method
Place the gammon joint in a large pot and cover with cold water.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour to remove excess salt and soften the meat.
Remove from water and allow to cool slightly.
Preheat your BBQ or smoker to 160°C using indirect heat.
Score the fat in a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
Stud the scored fat with whole cloves.
In a bowl, mix honey, brown sugar, mustard, orange zest and juice, and melted butter.
Brush a generous layer of glaze over the gammon.
Add cherrywood chunks to your coals or smoker box for a sweet smoke flavour.
Place gammon on the indirect side and insert a temperature probe into the centre.
Cook for 1.5–2 hours until internal temperature reaches 68–70°C.
During the final 20 minutes, brush with additional glaze for a sticky finish.
Remove from heat and rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Need help timing your cook?
Scan for our BBQ Smoker Time Calculator:
kitchensizzlers.com/bbq-smoker-time-calculator/