Smoked Hot Honey Ham and Cheese Roses

Discover the art of ham roses. These smoked ham and cheese roll ups are perfect for festive occasions and gatherings.

What Is A Ham Rose

This is one of the easiest ways you can make a beautiful ham dinner or appetizer for special occasions or holidays like Easter.

Ham roses get their name because they look like beautiful flowers, but they’re simply just ham and cheese roll ups that are smoked and glazed with hot honey.

And they’re stress free because they’re made with deli sliced ham and cheese, so you don’t have to fuss with grilling up a full ham. You can even prepare them the day before and smoke them when you’re ready.

Get Recipe Ingredients

• Heat Smoker: Heat smoker to 250F with indirect heat.

• Slice: Cut ham and cheese slices in half to create long strips. Season the ham slices with Pork Rub.

• Roll: Lay 4 ham slices on the counter end to end, overlapping slightly. Add 2 slices of cheese. Roll up into a rose. 

• Pan: Pour 1/2 cup apple juice into a 13×9 pan. Place the rose in the pan with the seam toward the edge to help hold it in place. Repeat with remaining ham slices to make 12 roses.

• Make Glaze: Place the glaze ingredients in a saucepan at dissolve over medium heat for 5 minutes. Brush onto the roses.

• Smoke: Smoke for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the glaze. 

Calories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 13gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 589mgPotassium: 129mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 390IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 214mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Be sure to rate it, leave a comment and save it so you can make it again. Show off your awesome results on social by tagging @girlscangrill

Ingredients

• Deli Sliced Ham: Head to the deli counter and pick out the ham flavor you like. I usually pick a smoked honey ham or black forest ham. Ask them to slice it to thickness level 5, which is between 1/16 inch and 1/8 inch
• Sliced Cheese: You can use any flavor cheese, and you can either have them slice it at the deli or buy pre-sliced cheese. I like pepper jack and Swiss cheese. Cheddar cheese or provolone are also great choices.
• Apple Juice: This is important to help keep the ham moist.
• Girls Can Grill Pork Rub: This adds extra sweetness and flavor to the ham.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Instead of apple juice, you can also use soda, beer or water. You can even try this will deli sliced turkey or roast beef. Do a row of each to create a nice variety of meat roses.

• Brown Sugar
• Hot Honey
• Salted Butter
• Kosher Salt

Substitutions: If you prefer less heat, use regular honey instead of hot honey. 

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to cook ham and cheese roll ups

Heat your smoker to 250F with indirect heat. I like cooking these on my Masterbuilt 1050 with Cowboy Lump Charcoal and cherry wood.

1. STEP ONE: Use a sharp knife to cut the ham and cheese slices in half vertically. Season the ham with Pork Rub.

2. STEP TWO: Lay 4 ham slices on the counter end to end, overlapping slightly. Add 2 slices of cheese. Roll up into a rose. 

3. STEP THREE: Pour 1/2 cup apple juice into a 13×9 pan. Place the rose in the pan with the seam toward the edge to help hold it in place. 

4. STEP FOUR: Repeat with remaining ham slices to make 12 ham roll ups.

5. STEP FIVE: Place the glaze ingredients in a saucepan at dissolve over medium heat for 5 minutes. Brush onto the rollups.

6. STEP SIX: Smoke for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the glaze. 

How to serve ham roses

To serve these ham and cheese roll ups, place the baking dish or pan on the table on a hot pad. Use a spatula or spoon to dish up the roses. It’s best to serve them hot, so the cheese is nice and melted.

For a full meal, serve on a bed of mashed potatoes with some glazed carrots and a salad.

To serve as an easy appetizer, consider making 24 smaller roses with 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese. You can also secure with a toothpick if you want so they hold their shape better as finger food. For an added touch, garnish with green onions or chives.

For fun sandwiches, lay the rose on its side in a bun or crescent roll.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

If you want to make these in advance, roll up, cover with plastic wrap and smoke when you’re ready.