While the brining liquid is cooling, prepare ham by placing it, unwrapped, into a clean bowl or cooking pan. As for preserving the meat, I recommend a 160F for Fresh Ham if you are planning to preserve it. Use a loose layer of tinfoil to wrap it carefully because it will be very hot. It really depends on your preferences and what smoky flavor are you looking for. . Boil a gallon of water in a large saucepan and add the following ingredients: This may seem like a lot of salt, but remember that ham should be salty, especially when smoking. Carnivore Style may contain affiliate links. Ham carving is a craft that was originally developed in the 19th century. Set your electric smoker to the desired temperature, making sure that you maintain it at all times. Apply a coat of yellow mustard, being sure to get it into the cuts you just made. Put the ham on the smoker after its been seasoned and the smoker is at 225 degrees Fahrenheit. When your ham has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees, youll want to remove the ham and wrap it loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a preheated smoker, uncovered for one hour. If I had to narrow my choice of meats down to one for the rest of my life, I am quite certain that meat would be pork. Check this temperature while it preheats and do so regularly as the ham cooks. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees. You can check the temperature using a digital thermometer. Required fields are marked *. Finding a smoking ham in your grill is more challenging than you think. Flavored Wood Chips (Hickory, Apple, or Cherry). As for the brine recipe and timing, you can find ingredients & instructions of a great brine from Michael Rhulmans book, Charcuterie. As for your questions, you should have in mind that brining is Optional. en.wikipedia.org Butcher Paper vs Parchment Paper: Whats the Difference and What to Choose? What I can suggest you is to preheat and wait for a little bit before putting the meat inside. I don't recommend you to pick this type because you will add more salt to the season and brine later on, making it very salty. Do you need a brine? Similar to a steak, allowing the ham to rest lets the juices redistribute away from the center of the meat. Another factor that impacts the smoke amount is the type of wood. You can read a very detailed guide about ham brining which I read eveytime I need to remind any detail: Ham Brining 101 Hope it helps, Cheers, Kendrick. Don't buy a super-salty ham. While you can smoke the ham from the raw to the end, there is no need to. Find a cheap hickory smoked spiral cut ham, throw some rub on it, smoke it for 3-4 hours, put a glaze on it for the last 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Hello Ben, Actually, I have never tried cold smoking it the night before. When it comes to the size, you should pick one that suits the number of people that are going to eat it and that will fit on your grill. Do this until the meat thermometer reaches a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Once youve finished creating the brine, youll want to place your fresh ham inside a brining bag and pure in the cool curing brine. This makes a great festive meal for holidays like Easter, Christmas, or New Years! Season the ham with the Traeger Pork & Poultry Rub. Place the foil wrapped ham back on the cooking grate and continue smoking. Don't buy a already fully cooked ham. Set the temperature on your pellet grill to 250 degrees and let it come up to temp. Your email address will not be published. Thanks, Hello Tom, Actually, I have forgotten to mention the exact size for the ham and only have taken as a reference as a whole or half ham, which is about 12-15 lb. Cook for one hour. There is not much detail what the water is or how it is used. Again, read the label carefully before picking. Place the roasting pan with the ham on the grill. If you want a more detailed brining guide, you can check this guide which I use as a reference. Add charcoal first then add wood chips for smoke after charcoals have achieved a glowing red center. Should I stop when the ham hits 160 and take it to 190 once getting ready to eat? I followed your instructions on smoking fresh ham and the results were fantastic (I put Rosemary in the water also) . TheBarBec.com. Once you have gathered all the ingredients, its time to start preparing the ham. Step 4. With that in mind, I think its best to get the fire going so that you can prepare the fresh ham while your smoker gets up to desired temperature. Meat injector this is optional, but youll need it if you want to inject the meat during the cooking process for extra succulence. Add the brown sugar or sweetener, honey, all of the pineapple juice from the can, cinnamon, and ground cloves. The process is usually fairly simple to use. Thank you and looking forward to exploring your site for more recipes! Charcoal its always a good idea to keep a bag of charcoal handy because you may need to add more in order to regulate the temperature. The Traeger also has a safety valve, which will prevent the masonry grill from being too hot. You can get premade rubs at the grocery store if you wish, but making one yourself allows you to better customize the flavor to your liking and usually tastes better overall. Check the temperature without hitting the bone. Next, apply a generous coat of your dry rub and/or spices. Be sure to check in often to make sure your temperature is right. A fresh ham is a ham that has not been cured. Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon, soy sauce, cinnamon, salt, and cloves to a medium saucepan. SPRITZ IT. If you used this recipe, Id love to hear how it turned out! Preheat the Traeger to 325F. Some people like to brine their fresh ham before smoking, some other don't. The Ultimate Double Smoked Ham Recipe Elevates Any Holiday . (4 Best Tips on Storing It Safely), Ham vs Salami (Here Are the Main Differences). keep up the good work. In this post, well go over everything you need to know for how to smoke a fresh ham! Be sure to not penetrate the skin enough to cut into the meat. I specialize in healthy, flavorful recipes that are easy to make at home. Using a cooking tint foil will change the flavor and texture of the meat because aluminum foil changes the amount of smoke that permeates the meat. Step 1: Prepare Your Meat. LolWe got a whole, fresh ham - sometimes referred to as a green ham from a friends farm. 2) As for the glaze, there are a lot of variation to try. This means its challenging to smoke a ham in a cast iron grill. 1) Mix all the ingredients together and stir them all until dissolved. Is this something that you would recommend for smoking a 13lb half ham? However, modern equipment is now available that makes it much easier than ever to carve a ham or piece of pork. If you buy fresh, raw ham, it will need to be cooked before serving. Close the lid and smoke the ham for 2 hours. 2) To brine the ham, place the pork in a bowl that is large enough to hold the meat completely submerged in the mixture. Remember, this brine mixture can be multiplied as needed, depending on the size of your ham. If you are wondering how to smoke a fresh ham, youd be pleased to learn that is a slow cooking process that is going to give you our need that juicy smoking taste and caramelized exterior thats difficult to match in deliciousness. Some people prefer the flavor without. 1) Apple is actually the strongest of the fruit woods and has a sweet & fruity smoke. Speaking of seasoning, our next step is to take the yellow mustard and coat the entire ham in a light layer. In general, ham is usually a bit cheaper than a pork loin and serves more people. Coat the outside of the fresh ham with your dry rub evenly and generously. Hope this helps, Cheers Kendrick. Just dont forget to continuously brush/spray the ham with Apple Cider or any other juice to keep the meat moist. Make sure to monitor the amount of wood, charcoal, and water during the smoke, adding more as needed and adjusting air intake to keep the flames at a consistent temper. How long you need to leave your ham depends on how big your ham is. A very large ham can take up to one week to get fully cured. To get the fire going so the smoker gets to the desired temperature while you are preparing your meat, light your charcoal, preferably with the help of a chimney starter, and then add it to the cold rack of the smoker. Just remember to make sure that you pre-heat the Traeger before you start smoking the ham. If youre using a charcoal smoker, light your charcoals and place them in the smokers rack. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Most hams that are sold to consumers are already cured, smoked, or baked. It allows you to turn food into a work of art. If you are holding a huge party and need more than one half, you can buy a whole fresh ham and have it sliced in two half by a butcher. Let the fire get going (this will take a few minutes), after which you can toss on your wood and fill the water tank, as well as place on the grate. I have a couple of questions that I would greatly appreciate your advice. The size of the ham is also an important aspect. The best ham for smoking will come from the butt since it is boneless. Also, the use of a rub on a brined ham isnt addressed. The mustard is primarily in place to make sure that the dry rub will stick well to the fresh ham while it smokes. We promise! Excellent article. Let it sit on the smoker for another half hour if you do this so that it forms an extra crispy crust on top of all the caramelization that's already happened. After you do so, youll want to apply a good amount of rub to your ham. To begin the curing process, youll first want to create the brine. is there anything added to the water? When your ham hits an internal temperature of 145F, briefly remove it from the smoker and wrap it loosely in aluminum foil. Close the lid and smoke the ham for 2 hours. Remove 13 ounces of brine and inject it into the ham, being sure to inject around the bone. Ive been interested in food and cooking since I was a child. Place the ham back on the grill and continue to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees at the center. Meat thermometer a grilling thermometer is essential for measuring the internal temperature of the ham as its cooking. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. One of the paragraphs above which discusses resting times says, since hams are already fully cooked. For best results, youll want to choose an uncured cut of meat that has been sliced in half. The whole ham is sold in two portions: the shank and the butt. I cooked the turkey indirectly in a pan .Can I cook the ham the same way ? The family came over for Sunday lunch and the ham vanished so fast I was lucky to have some for myself (the rest was taken by my daughters for snacks at work) My daughters both phoned me after lunch the next day and said that the aroma attracted everyone in the offices and they all wanted some. Look forward to your reply, Hello Kevin, In this recipe, I have removed the outer layer of skin from the ham, since it is easier for smoke and brine to penetrate the meat. Allow to cool. This creates the driest ham I have ever eaten. That kept it moist during the smoking time. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Recipe Instructions Rinse ham and dry completelySlice half-inch into ham to create a criss-cross patternPlace ham in foil dish and into smoker at 225 degreesMix brown sugar, apple juice and molasses in a saucepan 4.4/5 (163) Servings: 6 Add 1 cup of water and grated orange peel and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Your email address will not be published. You may end up cooking it one day before Christmas dinner. Also add wood chips as necessary to keep a steady flow of smoke. This type of thermometer is ideal not just for smoking ham but also when cooking various types of meat, including beef, chicken, lamb, or fish. I hope this helps, Thanks, Kendrick. This can be an advantage for those looking to cook with ham, as cured ham is already heavily seasoned with salt prior to your uses for it in the kitchen. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Monitor the temperature carefully until you reach 160 degrees, then remove the ham from the grill. If the temperature is a few degrees higher or lower, you can always add some more coal and adjust the vents to reach the desired temperature. To help caramelise the crest and prevent the rub from burning, fill a spray bottle with pineapple juice and spray the ham once an hour with a light mist. It uses wood chips, sawdust, and peat to create a smoky flavor for food. What kind of wood learned to use? Set Up Your Smoker or Grill 3. Have you ever tried that? Let me know how it goes if you give it a try, Cheers, Kendrick. If you notice that the temperature goes down, add more charcoal for extra heat or adjust the vents of the grill in order to bring the temperature down if it gets too hot. Fresh ham if you used this recipe, Id love to hear how it goes you. The foil wrapped ham back on the size of the fruit woods and has a safety valve, which prevent. 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