We just received our whole hog, and wanted to do some pulled pork. While I usually use a butt, I thought it would be fun to do a ham, since I really have no need for two cured hams per year. I will use the other ham and actually make a ham, and the butts to make more pulled pork. The ham weighed in at 17.5 pounds and the fit was tight in the Bradley. I left the bone in as it is simply easier than deboning, and I am really lazy.
Anyway, I did a simple rub of salt and various spices such as chili powder, whole garlic, cayenne pepper, and other such items, and let it sit for a day. At 7 am Monday, I put the ham in a preheated smoker at 204 degrees, with 4.5 hours of smoke using hickory and cherry wood; my trusty ProCom4 keeping the temperature on track. Today at 7 AM the roast was sitting at 169 degrees. I took the roast out of the smoker, wrapped it tightly in aluminum foil with 1.5 cups of homemade chicken stock, and placed it in a 225 degree oven.
The pork reached 190 degrees at 1:30 PM for a total cooking time of 30.5 hours. I took it out, leaving it in the foil, and covered it with multiple layers of towels. We unwrapped the pork at 6:00 PM and proceeded to pull it. The drippings from inside the foil contained very little fat, so I just dumped it onto the pulled pork, giving the pork some more moisture and flavor.
The pulled pork turned out wonderfully. Tender, very very tender actually, flavorful, and considering the cut of meat, moist. I knew going into this project that the pork would be dryer than when using a butt, and though not as moist, it was not dry at all.
Have some bacon from the same pig in a cure now - will smoke on Friday!
It looked like this:
(http://idv8.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/10Sep13_DSCF1778.jpg)
(http://idv8.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/10Sep13_DSCF1782.jpg)
(http://idv8.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/10Sep13_DSCF1784.jpg)
Looks like it turned out real good. I have done hams the same way. I like the flavor
Looks good, I bet the bacon turns out great.
Looks real nice there. As I was reading I was wondering if you would retain desired moisture. Glad it all worked out!
The ham looks good.
I find taking ham over 155°F, the meat is very dry. Was the meat moist or was it the chicken stock and the drippings you added moisten the meat?
Nice job turning a potentially dry cut into some good looking pulled pork! I'll remember your tricks when picnics are on sale here again. Thanks for posting.
great pulled pork
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on September 11, 2013, 01:35:20 AM
I find taking ham over 155°F, the meat is very dry. Was the meat moist or was it the chicken stock and the drippings you added moisten the meat?
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on September 11, 2013, 01:35:20 AM
I find taking ham over 155°F, the meat is very dry. Was the meat moist or was it the chicken stock and the drippings you added moisten the meat?
The meat was not as moist as doing a butt, but it was not really that dry either. Sort of on the drier side of medium, if that makes any sense. The darker meat was moister than the lighter meat, and I do think that the drippings helped the lighter meat. I am happy I wrapped the ham, but next time I will wrap the ham quite a bit earlier in the process to help retain some extra moisture.
Overall, we were happy with the end product, and vacuum packed 18 packs for future meals - great as taco meat or boiled in our homemade BBQ sauce for sandwiches!
Looks really tasty
Thanks for the feed back. I may try that on a small shank end.