Christmas Ham

[deb415611]

Christmas Ham
(Ham modified from Charcuterie – American-Style Brown-Sugar-Glazed Holiday Ham.  Glaze modified from  Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes – variation of a variation of the Maple-Bourbon Glaze)

This was the third time I have done a ham & was the best.  The glaze was awesome.  

Fresh Ham (I had 10 lb before removing the bone, the brine recipe is for 12-15 lb)
1 gallon cold water
1 ½ cups  kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup maple sugar
½ cup maple syrup
8 tsp pink salt

Combine all the brine ingredients and stir to dissolve the salt & sugar (I put  4 cups water & salt & sugar in a saucepan and heat to dissolve quicker.  Be sure to let cool if you do this)

Submerge ham in cold brine.  Weigh it down to keep completely submerged .

Soak ½ a day per pound.   I left mine in for 5 days.  Take out of brine, rinse under cool water & set on rack.  

Place in fridge uncovered for 12 to 24 hours.

Hot-smoke the ham at 200 degrees for 2 hours (I used maple), continue cooking at 200 until 155 degrees.  

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in fridge for 2 days.

Take ham out of fridge 1 hour before planning to bake.   Place in foil lined roasting pan.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.   (I didn't take notes and don't have good times)  Place ham in oven.  About 1 hour before done (I was shooting for 140 degrees) score the ham and glaze.  Put back in oven and heat until 140 degrees.  

Glaze
½  cup maple syrup
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup Grand Marnier
Grated zest of 2 oranges
Juice from 2 oranges (about ½ cup)
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne
In saucepan simmer about 30 minutes until reduced to about  half

Some pics (click to enlarge):

I decided I wanted boneless ham:


In the brine



out of the brine



after smoking



Sorry, I didn't get pictures on Christmas Day   :(.  

[Tenpoint5]

Atta Girl Deb!!! Your ham looks Great!! I bet it tasted even better.


As a side question. How come you took off the stockinette after the brine and retied with butchers twine? I think I know the answer but was just wondering.
Chris

[deb415611]

Atta Girl Deb!!! Your ham looks Great!! I bet it tasted even better. 


As a side question. How come you took off the stockinette after the brine and retied with butchers twine? I think I know the answer but was just wondering.
Chris

It was my best ham so far (only the third though).  First time I have done boneless and so much easier on the carving end.  I got the slicer out :D 

The stockinette was too big and not holding it together well.  If I had kept the bone in I would have left it.  Not that my tying was much better   :-[  .........  I need to get some stronger butchers twine, mine is real thin and it seems to stretch a little

I need to get a couple more and do a side by side test,  the original recipe is all dark brown sugar (no maple sugar or syrup) and I'm not sure using the more expensive maple sugar brought anything to the party.

[HawkeyeSmokes]

That ham looks great Deb!

[squirtthecat]

Awesome!

[seemore]

Deb damm that looks great
seemore