Fresh Ham vs. Curred Ham??

[wkahler]

Well this was our first year to get a whole hog from my cousin's 4-H club.  We made one mistake and wanted to make sure i didn't make a BIG second mistake!! 
First Mistake:
We got the hams "whole" which was HUGE!!! So i took them to the local butcher to have them cut, and he was kind of strange about it and said, "where you get these done there not smoked or cured"  Well my plan off attack was to smoke it for a while in the Traeger and then cook it in the over with some honey glaze or something, seeing as we have about 8 hams now that he cut them for us.

Second Mistake Question:
What is the difference from a cured ham vs. fresh ham?   Didn't know if that was something to make sure we had done or if it was going to be OK to maybe do a brine?!?!?  Then just smoke and cook or smoke the whole thing!!!
HELP!!!

[FLBentRider]

A "fresh" Ham will taste like pork roast.

A "cured" ham will taste like, well.. Ham.

You will need some curing supplies and an injector.

Recipe courtesy Tenpoint5
Home Cured Ham

The Brine/Pickle for Ham that I used is
5 quarts ice water (38-40*F)
1 pound of Salt (I use Kosher)
1 cup Powdered Dextrose
2/3 cup Insta Cure #1

The recipe calls for the ham to be injected 10% by weight. I used 15%. To do the math here is the formula and explanation of how to do it.

Pump injecting formula is generally this...
15% x Xoz = oz per pump

My ham is around 22 lb or 352 oz; being 16oz per pound.
This now gives me  an easy plug in formula

.15 x 352oz =52.8oz needed for pumping

The injector I use holds 4oz at a time. Rounding off I get this...
52/4=13 or 52.8/4=13.2

So that means 13 full injections, or 13.2 if you wish to get technical, but the .2 isn't a problem


Mix the brine in the bucket. Then after injecting and making sure to get in the shank and around all the bones in the ham. Submerge the ham in the bucket and refrigerate for 5-7 days. Place in stockinette and hang in smokehouse.

Smoking
Hang Ham in preheated smoker to 120* and hold for 12 Hours (Vent Full Open) then
Increase temp to 140* start smoke and smoke for 8 Hours (Vent at Half) then
Increase temp to 170* until IT of 142* For a fully cooked ham, Hold until the IT reaches 152-155*

[wkahler]

Soooooooooooo if i dont brine it it will just not taste like "ham".  Not sure what to do LOL!!!  Mostly was just wanting to smoke it and then roast it in the oven until done, not sure they taste is major thing to the family.  Never had a non-cured ham so not sure what to expect!

[Habanero Smoker]

I just picked up a whole fresh ham on Friday at BJ's and plan to brine (not cure) it using a recipe I saw Anne Burrell use on her show, with a few modifications. I love fresh ham, and it has a unique flavor that you can not compare to the shoulder cut. I plan to add some smoke to this recipe.

Brined Fresh Ham

Here is another recipe for a smoked cured ham.

Smoked Cured Ham

[wkahler]

What you thinking for smoke time vs. cook time??  I was going to smoke for about 4 hours and the finish in the oven............the smoke the better but thats just my taste!!

I just picked up a whole fresh ham on Friday at BJ's and plan to brine (not cure) it using a recipe I saw Anne Burrell use on her show, with a few modifications. I love fresh ham, and it has a unique flavor that you can not compare to the shoulder cut. I plan to add some smoke to this recipe.

Brined Fresh Ham

Here is another recipe for a smoked cured ham.

Smoked Cured Ham

[Habanero Smoker]

I still have 4 days to work out the details, since in the past when I smoke or cooked either cured or fresh hams I have always remove the skin prior to curing or brining. This time I'm leaving the skin on, and I plan to cold smoke with the skin on, but will cross-hatch the skin prior to smoking. But I may decide to start off at 200°F, and apply the smoke at that temperature. I'm thinking of 4 hours of smoke, and with the skin I'm going to use hickory. Then I'll move it to the oven and follow her cooking method and oven temperatures.

[Tenpoint5]

If your following my recipe it takes roughly 30 hours in the smoker. It is a long time but it is worth every minute of it.

[wkahler]

That was my thoughts also! Got the ham out of the freezer and going to the store tomorrow to get the rest of the ingredients.  Planning the meal for Sunday so i have some time to figure out the rest. 

Have four cuts i got back from the butcher, trying to figure out what to do with them and what they are.  There is 2 center cuts and 4 shank cuts it looks like, but there is two BIG cuts that are rectangle cut and not sure what they are or what to do with them.  Might post some pictures here in a few.

I still have 4 days to work out the details, since in the past when I smoke or cooked either cured or fresh hams I have always remove the skin prior to curing or brining. This time I'm leaving the skin on, and I plan to cold smoke with the skin on, but will cross-hatch the skin prior to smoking. But I may decide to start off at 200°F, and apply the smoke at that temperature. I'm thinking of 4 hours of smoke, and with the skin I'm going to use hickory. Then I'll move it to the oven and follow her cooking method and oven temperatures.

[Tenpoint5]

Sounds like he cut them into thirds. The shank end, the center cut, and the butt end.

[wkahler]

Suggestions for the Butt end?  Would that make some pulled pork?

Sounds like he cut them into thirds. The shank end, the center cut, and the butt end.

[wkahler]

I got mine in the brine tonight!!!  Hoping to make it through for a Sunday cook.  Was thinking about doing it in the smoker for the whole time, but what where your thoughts on a time frame on all smoker vs. smoker/stove??  Just a heads up if you haven't made the brine yet it is very strong smelling LOL, just as the wife!!

I still have 4 days to work out the details, since in the past when I smoke or cooked either cured or fresh hams I have always remove the skin prior to curing or brining. This time I'm leaving the skin on, and I plan to cold smoke with the skin on, but will cross-hatch the skin prior to smoking. But I may decide to start off at 200°F, and apply the smoke at that temperature. I'm thinking of 4 hours of smoke, and with the skin I'm going to use hickory. Then I'll move it to the oven and follow her cooking method and oven temperatures.

[Habanero Smoker]

First to explain the butt section of the ham, in the U.S. the butt section of a ham is the large end that is connected to the sirloin end of the loin. The butt end of a shoulder (front leg) is what we use for pulled pork.

I've fallen behind so I am hoping to get mine in the brine late this afternoon. If you are using Ann Burrell's recipe, with all that garlic I believe you about the smell.

As for all smoker vs smoker/oven, the all smoker time will vary. If you are planing to smoke/roast in the Traeger, it shouldn't take much longer then if you used the smoke/oven cooking method. If you are using the Bradley, I would use a temperature of 200°F while applying the smoke. Depending on how large your ham is the cabinet temperature should be below 200°F during most of the smoke time. After the smoke is completed crank it up to as high as the Bradley will go. I'm bad on times, since I usually cook in advance and just monitor internal temperature, so I could not tell you how many hours it would take in the Bradley.

I'm going to finish in the oven because when I saw her do this on her show, the skin came out nice and crisp - like crackling.

[wkahler]

Yeah the garlic was the major smell, along with the onions!!  i am planning on doing smoke in the Traeger and then finish in the stove, but thought about keeping it in the Traeger for the majority of the time and then pop it in the oven for about the last hour to crisp the skin.  What IT should you go with on a bone in ham?  Its probable 6-7lbs range i am guessing.  All four fo the cuts i got are about the same size so once i get this one done i will be able to gauge the others when the times come!

First to explain the butt section of the ham, in the U.S. the butt section of a ham is the large end that is connected to the sirloin end of the loin. The butt end of a shoulder (front leg) is what we use for pulled pork.

I've fallen behind so I am hoping to get mine in the brine late this afternoon. If you are using Ann Burrell's recipe, with all that garlic I believe you about the smell.

As for all smoker vs smoker/oven, the all smoker time will vary. If you are planing to smoke/roast in the Traeger, it shouldn't take much longer then if you used the smoke/oven cooking method. If you are using the Bradley, I would use a temperature of 200°F while applying the smoke. Depending on how large your ham is the cabinet temperature should be below 200°F during most of the smoke time. After the smoke is completed crank it up to as high as the Bradley will go. I'm bad on times, since I usually cook in advance and just monitor internal temperature, so I could not tell you how many hours it would take in the Bradley.

I'm going to finish in the oven because when I saw her do this on her show, the skin came out nice and crisp - like crackling.

[Habanero Smoker]

For fresh bone-in ham I take them to an IT of 152°F, but 160°F will also work for this cut. I'm going to start my brining in a couple of hours.

[wkahler]

Can you FTC it??  Was trying to time it out right..................but we all know how that usually works out LOL!!!

For fresh bone-in ham I take them to an IT of 152°F, but 160°F will also work for this cut. I'm going to start my brining in a couple of hours.