For most backyard setups, smoking a ham usually takes 3–8 hours, but the real rule is to cook to internal temperature, not time. How long you smoke it depends on whether the ham is fresh/raw, cured but uncooked, or fully cooked and just being “double‑smoked.”

Key time and temperature rules

  • Always use a meat thermometer and shoot for safe internal temps:
    • Fresh/raw ham: to at least 145°F in the center, then rest.
* Fully cooked ham: reheat to about 140–145°F.
  • Plan time, then adjust by thermometer instead of the clock.

How long to smoke different hams

  • Fresh (raw) ham
    • Cook low and slow at about 225–325°F.
    • Expect roughly 5–10 hours depending on size (big whole hams sit on the longer end).
  • Fully cooked / “city” ham (double‑smoked)
    • You’re adding flavor and reheating, not cooking from raw.
    • Common approach: 225–250°F for about 3–4 hours for an 8–10 lb ham, or roughly 10–20 minutes per pound until it hits about 140°F inside.
  • Pulled ham style
    • Some smokers run lower and longer (around 190–225°F) for 8–12 hours to get shreddable texture.

Practical example schedule

  • Set smoker to around 225–250°F.
  • Put an 8–10 lb fully cooked ham on the grates, flat/meat side down.
  • Smoke 3–4 hours, glazing the outside in the last hour, until the thickest part reads about 140–145°F.
  • Rest 15–20 minutes before slicing so the meat stays juicy.

Quick forum-style wisdom

Public smoking and BBQ forums often repeat the same mantra:

“Smoke to temperature, not time.”

Posters commonly report:

  • 3–3.5 hours at about 250–275°F for a double‑smoked spiral ham.
  • About 10–15 minutes per pound as a planning estimate, then fine‑tune with a thermometer.

TL;DR: For a typical 8–10 lb fully cooked ham, plan on about 3–4 hours at 225–250°F until it reaches roughly 140–145°F inside; for fresh/raw ham, expect closer to 6–8+ hours until at least 145°F internal.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.