Smoking ham????

[jamiebodie]

I am going to smoke a ham for my office Thanksgiving dinner. I am buying a ready to cook ham from Publix, probably about 15 lbs. How long will it take to bring this bad boy up to about 140 degrees?

I am also doing a beer can turkey (12 - 14 lbs) that I will smoke/cook at 350 degrees, I think this one will take about 4 hours but if I am way off base someone please correct me.

I have never had to cook on a timeline before. It is much easier when we just eat when the food is done.

Jamie

Thanks in advance for all help and advice.
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Jamie Bodie

[SoEzzy]

The ham will need to cook at around 325° for 4 - 5 hours, 18 - 20 minutes / lb, and you want to be aiming for 160° internal, that will give you some time while it is still hot, for serving before it drops under 140° and into the "danger zone".

If you are cooking to a time, it is simpler to cook early and keep the food warm, than it is to hurry or undercook it just to serve it on time.

I would look to putting them on 5 - 5 1/2 hours before expected serving time, and cook them both at 350°, keep your thermometer on hand to check them for done, 160° on the ham (4 1/2 hours in, + or - 20 minutes), 165° on the turkey (4 1/2 - 5 hours in).
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Here's a change Robert.

I still work here!

[Rubit]

On ready to cook hams I follow the directions on the package which is usually 325F. Try Smithfield at Wally World. Leave the ham uncoverd for the first hour then place a piece of tin foil over the ham making sure you have good coverage on the direction the heat is coming from. The loose wrap will let just enough smoke come through. If you have room place a pan of Motts Natural apple juice next to the ham. In my vertical pit I put the apple juice pan under the ham.
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Vertical Brick pit wood burner
Converted Lazy Q Charcoal
Tank smoker Charcoal
Tank smoker wood burner
Tank Charcoal grill

[jamiebodie]

I was thinking low and slow smoking for a double smoked ham, if I drop my temps to 225 - 250 what will my cook time be?

Jamie
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Jamie Bodie

[Mike Lawry]

There are some awesome Alien Ham recipes here at this link.



http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4588




Mike Lawry

[jamiebodie]

This is the recipe that I am using
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Dr. Chicken's Sweet Kiss of Death Injectable Marinade

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Good clean water (if your city or well water has an offensive taste, please use bottled water)
1 Cup of light Karo syrup (make sure it is light Karo brand syrup)
1/8 Cup of Amaretto liqueur (use the real stuff it makes a difference)
2 TBS of Watkins brand Butter Pecan extract (this is the only Butter-Pecan extract I could find)
1 TBS of Rum extract (again, I used Watkins because of the better taste than store bought)
1 tsp of Orange extract (this compliments the orange juice concentrate used in the glaze or basting sauce)
1 to 2 TBS Vanilla extract (again, I used Watkins because of taste after the first run)

Directions for blending:

Into a medium size sauce pan add the water, Karo syrup and Amaretto. Stir frequently and heat very slowly to avoid scorching the sugars in the syrup.

Then, add all the remaining ingredients and continue to stir and heat slowly. When the mix looks uniform in color and smooth, remove mix from the stove and allow it to cool to almost room temperature.

Directions for use:

Wrap ham in 2 layers of plastic wrap before starting the injection process.

Using a marinade hypodermic syringe, inject at least 2 fluid ozs. per pound of meat in a grid pattern throughout the entire ham and don't be afraid to use up to 3 ounces per pound of meat.

Continue to inject the marinade into the ham until the entire amount of marinade is injected evenly into the ham.

Cook the ham as shown in the "Double Smoked Ham" recipe. Be sure to use your favorite wood for smoke flavoring.

Do not cook the ham beyond 145*F internal to prevent over cooking and drying out the ham.

Glazing Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (use dark grade B real maple syrup if available, which has more flavor than grade A)
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 to 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp instant coffee granules (use a good brand because it makes a difference)
1 Tbsp dry ground mustard
2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate (a good brand provides better flavor)

Blend all ingredients in a sauce pan with a wire whip and heat slightly until everything combines into a viscous or thick looking sauce.

Cooking instructions:

Score outer skin of ham to a depth of 1/2" in a crisscross diamond pattern. This will allow the glazing sauce to penetrate below the skin, into the actual ham. Place ham (un-glazed) into a shallow roasting pan or roasting rack. If pineapple and cherries are desired on the outside, add them when you start the glazing process. Cook in oven at 275-300*F with a loose tent of aluminum foil over the top for 25 to 30 minutes per lb. Baste with glazing sauce the last hour of cooking time and continue to cook until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140*F. Remove from oven and allow to sit covered for 20 to 30 minutes before carving!

Cooking instructions for outdoor cooking:

This can be done on a grill over indirect heat or in a water smoker or other type of cooker, again over indirect heat or "low & slow" type cooking. Do not tent over ham if done on grill, water smoker or other cooker; this would prevent smoke from penetrating the ham.

Place water soaked chunks of mesquite, hickory or pecan (we prefer the smoke of pecan over all the others) on coals 5 minutes before putting ham on cooker. This will allow the ham to obtain maximum smoke flavor during the second cook cycle. (The first cook cycle is the cycle the processor uses.) If even more smoke flavor is desired, place ham in freezer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours prior to cooking to allow outer edges of ham to start to freeze. Go easy on this procedure; you don't want the ham frozen hard!

Maintain temperature of cooker/grill at 225-275*F during cook cycle.

If using a water smoker, fill water pan 3/4 full with hot water and add 2 cups of orange, pineapple, or orange/pineapple mix, sweetened grapefruit or apple juice to the water. (All of them act as tenderizer as the steam penetrates the meat.) (I use a 3/4 full drip pan when cooking on the Eggs, filled with a 50:50 mix of water and orange juice.)

Again, cook for 25 to 30 minutes per lb. until internal temp on the ham shows 140*F. A couple of books suggest 145*F and 160*F respectively. Shirley O. Corriher in her book "CookWise" suggests 140*F. We found this to be exactly right. After removing from the Egg, it will climb up to 145*F internally. The ham will retain it moistness and the flavor will go thru out the ham this way.

Baste ham with glazing sauce every 10 to 15 minutes during the last hour of cooking time. Glazing compound will burn, so do not start glazing the ham until the internal temp of the ham reaches 120*F.

NOTE: The secret to this process is plenty of smoke and the real maple syrup and granular coffee crystals in the glazing sauce. Use a cheaper cut of ham like mentioned before, and people will think you bought an expensive ham that you had to "hock" your kids for! Yuk! Yuk! (see my pun there?) The glazing sauce will give the ham a fantastic taste, smell and color!

Dr. Chicken (aka: Dave Spence)
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Jamie Bodie

[SoEzzy]

[Rubit]

Low and slow will dry the ham a bit more than running at 325F from my testing. Keep in mind that you are not wanting to render out fat from the ham like you would a butt. If you are using WSM or the like and 325 is a bit more difficult to maintain then 250 would be just fine.
No matter which way you pick do a practice ham first for yourself. Thin slice ham will keep you in wonderful sandwichs for a couple of weeks.
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Vertical Brick pit wood burner
Converted Lazy Q Charcoal
Tank smoker Charcoal
Tank smoker wood burner
Tank Charcoal grill

[jamiebodie]

I would think with all the liquid that will be injected into that ham that it would be hard to dry out?? Is this wrong?

Jamie

PS No time for a practice run, just have to love a challenge. Pics to come
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Jamie Bodie

[Rubit]

If no time to practice go ahead and do it the way you are most comfotable and it will turn out just fine I am sure. What ever temperature just check the outside and place a piece of tin foil over the ham if the outside is looking dry.
If you go higher temperature then follow the cooking instructions furnished with the ham. If you use 250f then look at the recipes the other guys have furnished, they sure read tasty. Either way is good.
_________________
Vertical Brick pit wood burner
Converted Lazy Q Charcoal
Tank smoker Charcoal
Tank smoker wood burner
Tank Charcoal grill

[daddina]

Hi Folks,

Just recently got back into smoking and have had nice success smoking pork ribs.

Was wondering about smoking a SLICED ham... In the past few years, I have purchased a Cooks ham weighing about 10 lbs and would have the store slice the ham before bringing it home. Would place it in the oven and follow the cooking instructions as to temp etc. Always turned out fine!

I know... If it an't broke, don't fix it... But I was wondering... What about taking the sliced ham, putting it in the smoker for awhile. Would I have an even better ham??

I would loosley place some foil around the ham and maybe tie it together with some cotton cord??

Hey, I am asking for help in making this decision.

Thank you,

Bill Giardina

[Wink's Smokehouse]

I’m sure some of you up North and out West don’t know how good Country-hams are. Of if you saw the mold on it you'd toss it out. However, since this thread was started by Jamie from SC, I figured he know the difference. About a year ago I discussed smoking a Country Ham and how wonderfully it was. Since then I’ve done about ten and now have orders for that many more later in Dec. Before, I'd cook the ham longer and at a lower (190) temp, however, I now use about 225 degrees and can have one done in about six hours.
The ham must be prepared by using cold water wash to get the mold and curing salt off the ham. I also soak the ham over night. The next morning, I debone the ham and put it into a tray for smoking. I use minimal rubs. The rub normally used for my BButts, but with less amount. The last two plus hours the hams are covered. They come out tender and moist. My business is word of mouth and the Smoked Country Ham is starting out to be a seasonal item, like the turkey, but better. My profit margin on the Hams is twice the amount for other meats, too. You might want to consider smoking a country ham for Christmas. Best to all on the net during Advent.
Wink
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When I'm not fishing, I'm SMOKING Que!

[zz-que]

If you have the time and a big nonreactive pot, smoking a fresh ham is very rewarding. Allow 4 days for the process though.
Put the ham in a pot, and fill it with water, measuring the amount to completely cover it. This is how much brine you will need to make.
I use a Kosher salt brine adding 1 cup per gallon of water. You can add other flavoring such as sugar, cloves, pickling spice, Dr. Pepper, honey,
orange juice, etc. Bring the brine to a boil, then chill. Before brining the ham I inject with Morton Tender Quick for the sodium nitrate. That is what gives ham its red or pink color. Brine the ham for about 3 days below 40
F in the fridge. Make sure the ham is covered with the brine.
Time and temp ? Me and a friend did this last year seperately, and smoked them differently. Both were great. I peeled the skin, Tom left his on. He used a Stump, I used a stick burner. I went at 225-250 F for 1 1/2 hour per pound. Tom went a bit higher, and a shorter duration I think.
doesn't really matter much with ham, as it is being sliced, not pulled.
The important part is to reach a MINIMUM of 160 F at the bone.
We are going to this agin this year, and a another friend who will be using a Fat Boy for his hams (2).
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Columbus IN, home of the other "Smoke"
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