Advice for smoke cooking a ham

[MWS]

Hello everyone, this is my first post although I have enjoyed my Bradley smoker since October (every weekend). I am going to smoke a partially cooked butt end 7 pound ham for Easter Sunday and need some advice. I have tried searching the web for recipes etc. but haven't found many for slow smoking. What I am looking for is a suggested smoke cooking time and cooking temperature for my 7 pound ham. I know the internal meat temp should be 160F., but how long would it take to get to this internal temp. My guess would be 5-6 hours. I'm I close? Thanks in advance. P.S. I've enjoyed reading the forum.

MWS - Mike

[nsxbill]

I would think that the phrase pre-cooked would mean it is cooked and all you are doing is warming it up to serve.  Pull it out of refer about 2 hrs then into the smoker.  Depending on how how you set your BS, I would think  that allowing that many hours would suffice.  

The meat isn''t going to absorb too much smoke because it is alredy cooked past 140°(I'm guessing).  You will essentially be putting it into a smoky oven. I think I would go for high temp maybe 250°-260° with smoke for about 2 hours and then pull ham when you get to your target temp.  Longer times will dry it out.  Maybe bacon above dripping down to keep it moist would be a good idea too.

I'm presently cooking 14.6 pounds of shoulder at 205° and it has been in since yesterday at 1700hrs. Now almost 21hrs, but I am going slow and my target is 190° in order to pull the meat,not slice it.  Current temp at 168° F as I sit and type this note.  I am now basting every hour as a precaution.  I have just raised the BS temp to 210° to hasten the process.  

Important for me to allow at least 2-3 hours in a Cooler chest - you know the FTC thing to allow the meat to get really tender.  I am leaving soon for a 2 hr. meeting in Sacramento, so will be setting the Procom4/Raptor controller to shutdown everything at about 3:30 p.m.

You really can't go wrong if you are keeping an eye on it!

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[MWS]

Thanks Bill, but the ham is a partial cooked (approx. 120F) butt portion, so some cooking process is still needed. The package says 20 min per pound (7lbs) @325F in the oven. That would be about 2.5 hours. So I'm guessing that at 225F in the smoker, I could expect about 5-6 hours or longer. I suppose I'm answering my own question but I was hoping someone has done one of these 'partially cooked' hams and could offer some advice so I don't screw up Easter dinner with the in-laws. Thanks

MWS - Mike

[Thunder Fish]

I did one for X-mas last year(turkey kills me) and it did seem to absorb more smoke your guess's are bang on for smoking it and I smoked until a internal temp of 155-160.It looked liked it had dried out but it was just perfect.
 I dressed it with hole cloves and while it was setting over the sink I kept drizzeling honey and REAL maple syrup over it for about an hour prior to putting it in the Bradley.
 Again one could taste the sweetness as my Mother in-law did comment on it.Hope it works for you,I have my easter ham in the Bradley now,same way as X-mas but I also have 2 racks of mild Italian sausage in there as well over the top of the ham just to experiment a bit
 Good luck and enjoy your oinker
 I started it off with 2 Hickory 2Mesquite than alternate maple/pecan for 6-8 more.Total of 10 pucks

[MWS]

Excellent... Thanks Thunder Fish

MWS - Mike

[Oldman]

I smoke several hams during the year. I take it you have a ham that is cut in half. My suggestion at this late date is 4 hours of smoke with the box around 180-190 F. After that period I would take the box up to 225-250 F until you get to your 150 F in the meat at the bone. Next, if your ham has the heavy skin on it I would suggest removing it before you begin your smoke period. Once your ham has reached 150 F I would remove it. Dress it with your pineapple, cherries, rasin sauce cloves etc.,  and then place it into an oven at 325-350 F until you reach the magic 160 F.

BTW Welcome to the group. The next time you want the best tasting ham yell at me a week before the meal. I can help you in ways that just sets folks back on their ears. They will think they have died and gone to Eating Heaven~~! However, as I said at this late date the above is the best I can offer.

Good Luck

Olds


http://rminor.com

[MWS]

Thanks Olds,

I've followed some of your postings and have read about your t-shirt method. Didn't know if this would be appropriate for a half cut bone in partially cooked butt ham. I will certainly try your method with a picnic which I haven't tried smoking yet. This site has been a wealth of great advice and I am happy to be part of it now. I have been using my Bradley weekly ever since I bought it in October and have rarely used the oven. Everything I've made has brought raves from the guests so I'm sure my ham will turn out great. Usually I try something out before I make it for guests but this sounds like no problem. I will smoke cook it early in the morning and pull it out to rest for a couple of hours wrapped in the cooler as I've read. This way dinner won't be late or under done. Cheers all

MWS - Mike

[Thunder Fish]

MWS - Mike  buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurpppppppppppp excuse me ,the ham was yummy again and the sausages were great also.Did not notice a differance in the ham with them on top...............all was good nap time [^]
Terry

[ChefBill]

The only thing I hate about doing ham this day and time is the fact, it's hard as hell to find a "Dry" cured ham. They're just all injected and liquid cured. The only dry cured ones I can find are done by "John Morrell". Man they will suck up the smoke when done in a BS.
I think I'll give a water cured one a shot in the BS, Problem I find with them is they always end up mushy and not nearly as firm as a dry cured. I guess I'm just spoiled from my GranPa's home smoked ones. [:(]Bill

ChefBill
If you can eat it, you can smoke it.

[Oldman]

Hey try to find a Hamilton Ham for your smoke. If not, then the second choice is a SmithField. Both of these are water injected but they are not flooded with it like some hams are. With the SmithField I suggest removing that heavy outside skin. (Normally a Hamilton does not have the outer skin.) Next after smoking it and when it cools wrap it in plastic and give it a few days in the refrig. Also throw out the rule book on this. Smoke it until you get to your 160 F. After the curing time for the smoke (in the refrig) the very outside will be too smokey, but a 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch down and the meat is great.

What I do with the outside that I trim off is add it for favoring in my Navy Bean soup.  Or boil it in much water for a great smoke flavor ham stock.

As for the heavy outside skin, I bake it off and  Mother and I fight over it... [:D]

Olds


http://rminor.com

[ChefBill]

Raye,
That Pork skin is to "Fight" for.[B)] Always do that with the skin. Bill

ChefBill
If you can eat it, you can smoke it.

[JJC]

Welcome to the Forum, MWS!  Keep asking Qs and sharing your experiences with us.  This Forum has some of the best ham smokers anywhere!  I've presonally done the T-shirt ham twice now (including for today's Easter dinner) and it is unbelievable.  Before joining the Forum I had never smoked a ham or done pulled pork or ABTs or a bunch of other things, but  with a little help from my (Forum) friends I feel like an expert the first time out with a new recipe!

John
Newton MA

[nsxbill]

Sooooo?  How did it turn out?

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[MWS]

Oh man was that a beautiful ham. I smoked it for 5.5 hours @210F and then brushed a pure maple syup (Canadian eh?) on it and wrapped it triple foil for 1 hour. The inlaws arrived at 4:00pm and I put the ham in the oven for 1 hour to bring the temp to 155F. I carved it and carved it and carved it until not much was left. God it was great. Everyone was impressed to say the least. I told them that I had great advice from people all acros North America. I love this forum. Thanks everyone. Happy Easter

MWS - Mike