Fresh ham a You need to pick the best ham type for smoking in order to get the most our of it. Some people prefer to smoke the ham with a lid. What I personally do is put water in a simple aluminum container without adding anything. How much water? Cook until glaze is reduced by half, about 15 minutes. This content contains affiliate links. Place the ham carefully on the grill and shut the lid. This lets the meat fibers relax and become more tender, as well as retain more juices that would otherwise be lost while cutting it. Before we begin the smoked ham process, we first have to ensure we pick the best cut. Rub ingredients these may vary according to taste, but some of the ingredients that are typically used when smoking a fresh ham include kosher salt, black babbler, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chilli powder, dried oregano, and dried thyme. But, it is not recommended because there is a very high possibility of ruining your ham by destroying the flavor and drying out completely. Butcher Paper vs Parchment Paper: Whats the Difference and What to Choose? Increase the grill temperature to 300 and continue roasting the ham, misting occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165, 2-4 hours. Can you please confirm the above article is meant for an uncooked/raw ham. You can use the mobile receiver to get updates on the temperature in the oven while youre entertaining guests or simply do chores around the house. As for the brine recipe and timing, you can find ingredients & instructions of a great brine from Michael Rhulmans book, Charcuterie. You will need a professional ham saw to make the most of your ham. Serve with mustard sauce. As for reheating it using the Oven or Grill on indirect heat method. Optional: This is the point where you should inject the ham if you choose to do so. Weve written a complete guide to storing ham here, but a general rule of thumb is that smoked ham lasts 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. You just need to remember to make sure that the Traeger is charged up before you begin smoking. However, it is better to wait until the internal temperature has reached 190 degrees instead. Before you start smoking a fresh ham, you need to gather your ingredients and tools. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try, Cheers, Kendrick. Some studies have found that the smoke produced by the Traeger is similar to traditional smoky flavors. Like preheating the smoker? Its now time to prepare your smoker. Smoking a 12-15 lb ham will take somewhere between five and seven hours before it is finally ready to eat. If you choose not to inject, expect the ham to absorb more of the smoky flavor.Optional Fresh Ham Injection Recipe:3/4 cup apple juice1/4 cup pineapple juice1 cup water1/2 cup kosher salt1/2 cup brown sugar2 tbs Worcestershire sauce. Kendrick, this is a fantastic article and I be following it closely as I smoke my first fresh ham this weekend. If you want to learn more about the process of smoking a fresh ham and generally about meat cooking, there are lots of cooking books on this theme available, with Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto being an example. If you have questions, feel free to drop a comment and I'll answer as quickly as I can. You can place the bag inside the refrigerator. This will in turn make the entire fresh ham much more tender and juicy when its time to eat. Read more below about what to use to inject the ham if you want. Hello Bengie, It sounds really awesome, I havent heard this method before but I will definitely try in the future. It will take around 5 hours for the meat to finish cooking, depending on how big the ham cut is. I will give it a try and will let you know. Place saucepan on low heat and stir. An uncured smoked ham can be cooked in the same manner as a cured ham. Thank you and looking forward to exploring your site for more recipes! Cut a diamond shaped pattern of slits into the skin of the ham, going 1/4 inch deep. Every hour or so during the cooking process, open up the smoker and spray the ham down with apple juice or apple cider. ******GLAZE RECIPE:******1 cup brown sugar1/3 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup pineapple juice 2 TB Apple cider vinegar 2TB Dijon mustard 1 ts ground cinnamon 1/2 ts ground gloves1/2 ts ground gingerBlack pepper and garlic powder to preference Combine all ingredients and whisk together on low heat until combined. The Traeger will also need to be pre-heated before you start smoking the ham. 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. Every 2 hours, use a silicone basting brush to coat mixture over the entire outside of the ham. Nutrition Calories: 400kcal Keyword How to Smoke a Fresh Ham, Smoked Fresh Ham, Smoked Ham, Smoking 9. Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon, soy sauce, cinnamon, salt, and cloves to a medium saucepan. It allows you to turn food into a work of art. We do this for a couple of reasons. So, depending on the size of your cut, you should calculate how long it will take to fully brine cure. Read the label carefully before purchasing your cut. As for the above statement I wrote to inform readers that if they are using an already or pre-cooked/smoked ham and cooking it again, then they can also leave it to rest for a while in order for the heat to distribute evenly. Your email address will not be published. After that, you can take it off. Also, basting the ham as it heats will add extra moisture and improve the overall flavor of the meat. You dont need to cure your ham before smoking. But, if it is possible for you, I highly recommend it. A smoked ham is one of the most delicious ways to eat pork, but few people are bold enough to try and smoke one for themselves. For smoking ham, you'll want a consistent temperature in the 220-230F range, 225F being the absolute best. Smoked Turkey Wings: Cooking Advice for Perfect Flavor. If a more cured texture and appearance is desired, use a kitchen syringe to inject the brine into the ham, especially near the bone. Im planning on using a 5-6 lb fresh ham, how long should that take? While the ham is smoking, spritz it with pineapple juice every 60 or so minutes. Do you have recommendations on the reheating process? Bring to a boil. A digital wireless thermometer such as the ThermoPro TP20 makes it easy to smoke meat because you dont have to babysit the smoker. Luckily, it is easy to see if your ham has been processed or not as the packaging should state what type of ham it is. Each stage helps infuse the pork with rich flavor and moisture. https://meat.tamu.edu/ansc-307-honors/meat-curing/, https://www.oklahomajoes.com/how-tos/monitor-your-smoke. 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. Also add wood chips as necessary to keep a steady flow of smoke. Cured ham has a pink or deep rose color. If you want to smoke a ham, youre going to need patience. You should leave openings on the ends so that the ham will continue to get exposure to the smoke. I havent found much on this. Set your electric smoker to the desired temperature, making sure that you maintain it at all times. Sign Up. Traeger's Fresh Holiday Ham with Mustard Glaze is a great way to try ham in a new style. Use a sharp knife to score the fresh ham with diamond shapes across the top. Dont worry; wet curing wont dry the meat out. Your email address will not be published. avoiding the bone. Close the lid and smoke the ham for 2 hours. 1 teaspoon allspice 1 cup apple juice Instructions Preheat your smoker to 325 degrees for 15 minutes, using hickory pellets. For smoking time plan on about 4-5 hours for a 7 pound ham (if using a full ham - 14 pounds - plan on approximately double that smoking time). Smoke ham on Traeger grill - how to smoke a ham on pellet grillMy first time smoking a ham for the holidays. Are You Going To Try Our Smoked Ham Recipe? Some people prefer the flavor without. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Trusted Source A cured ham has been pre treated to kill off bacteria through either a wet curing or a brine curing process. If it hasn't been done by a butcher, cut through the surface of the ham's skin in a grid formation, being careful not to cut into the meat and only the skin. In short, if a ham is cured, smoked, or baked, it is considered pre-cooked. Therefore, it doesnt technically need to be cooked again. Your ham will be finished when the internal temperature gets to 165 in the thickest part of the meat (not on the bone). Yes, you can. Hopefully this works, Cheers, Kendrick. The mustard is primarily in place to make sure that the dry rub will stick well to the fresh ham while it smokes. Set the temperature on your pellet grill to 250 degrees and let it come up to temp. Every other reference I can find recommends 145. Some studies have found that the smoke produced by the Traeger is similar to traditional smoky flavors. However, reaching this temperature requires quite a bit of patience because you dont want the skin of the ham directly exposed to heat the entire time because this will destroy your rub. If you dont like the taste of mustard, dont worry. Once youve got your fresh ham cured, its time for the smoking process. Presuming you choose to inject the ham, youll want to grab a saucepan and mix the ingredients above. A succulent piece of smoked ham is the ideal choice for Christmas, but its also a great option for those moments youre simply craving some pulled pork sandwiches. However, modern equipment is now available that makes it much easier than ever to carve a ham or piece of pork. Video Notes 2 days ago pelletsmoker.net Show details . Theres a list of items you have to prepare before you smoke the ham. Cook for one hour. Each time you open it, valuable heat escapes and it takes time to get the temperature right again. Slice and enjoy. This is the same as you would do with a pork loin, turkey breast, or steak. Brining your cut will make it even juicer and tastier as brine plays an important role in retaining moisture as the meat cooks. Place ham on the smoker flat side of the ham down. It sounds like a long process because it is. When your ham hits an internal temperature of 145F, briefly remove it from the smoker and wrap it loosely in aluminum foil. You can control the temperature of the masonry grill by selecting your desired temperature. After that, rub in your spices using as much of the mixture as needed, rubbing it all over the ham to insure total coverage. Add 1 cup of water and grated orange peel and bring to a boil stirring occasionally. (You can use a large baking sheet or disposable aluminum roasting pan to cook the entire ham in the smoker.) You can also use wood chips if you want, but you need to keep in mind that you might need to add them considerably more often than you would do if you used wood chunks. The second reason is that it creates more surface area for the rub and seasoning to absorb in. Hi Kendrick. I personally have tried pecan and hickory. The Traeger is very safe to use. Thank you for all this wonderful information. Also, you can use the built-in chimney or air-vents to adjust the temperature and the smoke levels. You need to check the fresh ham every couple of hours and spray some apple juice or cider on it. Most hams that are sold to consumers are already cured, smoked, or baked. Preheat the Traeger to 325F. Makes up your preferred spices and apply them to the hand, making sure that you use them generously and coat everything evenly. This ham came out really good on the traeger gri. Is there anything I need to change from your suggestions? How should I best store and reheat my ham to preserve as much juiciness as possible? Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking. Get expert tips and tricks for succulent, perfectly seasoned meat dishes. Making these slits also allows the rub to penetrate the meat. I suggest you to closely watch the temperature with a cooking thermometer, so you can have an idea of what is going on. 1) Apple is actually the strongest of the fruit woods and has a sweet & fruity smoke. Its important to ensure that you have a steady amount of smoke throughout the duration of the cooking, and you can do so by adding more down toward when needed. I hope this helps and thanks for visiting my site, Cheers Kendrick. As soon as the internal temperature reaches 165F, remove the ham from the smoker and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. While it does take some practice to get right, it is possible to achieve great results in a few simple steps. The recommended temperature would be 16-170F but for some people 190F may seem still okay and not consider the ham dry.