Smoking a fresh ham without curing?

[mcegoon]

There sure is a lot on this forum about hams, but the posts all seem to come back to injecting, curing, and over a week of prep time. I just got a fresh ham (butt portion, 8lb). Any idea on how I could prep (without curing), smoke, and cook this thing by Christmas? Thanks! ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

The butt section is the tougher part of the ham (a lot of stringy connective tissue), you should always try to get the shank end.

Fresh ham you would cook like you would a roast. If the skin is still on you can either remove the skin and most of the fat, or you can cut the skin about 1/4" - 1/2" deep diagonal cuts in a 2" diamond pattern. A trick that I learned from Alton Brown is to use a utility knife; extend the blade to the second click and start cutting into the skin as deep as the blade will go. Also it is easier to draw the knife towards you.

Season it with your favorite seasonings, or just salt and pepper. Use a cabinet temperature of about 225°F - 250°F (if you want you could smoke/cook at a lower temperature), apply about 4 hours of smoke, and bring it up to an internal temperature of 152°F - 160°F. If you are going to glaze it, take it out of the smoker 10°F - 15°F before it reaches the internal temperature. Place in a 425°F oven, apply your glaze and reapply every 15 minutes until your desired internal temperature is reached.

This is my favorite glaze:
Glaze
3/4 C. Maple Powder Sugar
3/4 C. Pineapple Juice
1/4 C. Brown Sugar, or 1 cup if you are not using the Maple sugar
1/3 C Dijon Mustard
1/4 C. Whole Grain Mustard