Smoking a store bought ham

Started by RedJada, December 26, 2012, 09:11:07 AM

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RedJada

 I would like to smoke a store bought ham for New Years dinner. I have been reading up on this for the past 3 or 4 days. and the info is overwhelming. Pre cooked or ready to cook, water added or no water, cold smoke or hot smoke, soak, brine, dry. 4 hours this, 4 days that T-shirt, saran wrap or foil, IT this, IT that, glaze, no glaze, etc, etc, etc...

I'm sure I have read too much into this, but here is want I would like to do.

Hot smoke a store bought ham. What is the best way to go about this?

1. Ready to eat or ready to cook?
2. I'm guessing since this will be smoked, water added is the best option?
3. What is the best IT? would a ready to eat have the same IT as ready to cook?

  Expecting temps around 30 degrees F. So already planing on 6-8 hours min. Looking for help, ideas and suggestions.

Thanks for you help.


smoker pete

Quote from: RedJada on December 26, 2012, 09:11:07 AM
Hot smoke a store bought ham. What is the best way to go about this?

1. Ready to eat or ready to cook?
2. I'm guessing since this will be smoked, water added is the best option?
3. What is the best IT? would a ready to eat have the same IT as ready to cook?

Expecting temps around 30 degrees F. So already planing on 6-8 hours min. Looking for help, ideas and suggestions.

Here's the difference between "Ready to Eat" and "Ready to Cook"

"Ready To Eat" vs. "Ready To Cook"

Most hams that you find at the supermarket are already cooked and can be eaten right out of the package. These include fully-cooked hams, spiral-sliced hams and canned hams. Look for the phrase "ready to eat" on the label.

Fresh hams and hams that have only been partially cooked must be fully cooked to 145-150°F internal temperature so that they achieve a final resting temperature of 155-160°F before serving. Look for the phrase "ready to cook" or "cook before eating" on the label. The USDA safe food handling instructions will also be found somewhere on the label of this kind of ham.

Serving Temperature

Most people agree that ham should be served warm or cool–but definitely not cold right out of the refrigerator. For a "ready to eat" ham, a range of 110-140° seems to be the consensus. "Ready to cook" hams must be fully cooked to 145-150°F internal temperature so that they achieve a final resting temperature of 155-160°F before serving.


I like to take a "Ready to Eat" Ham to an IT of 140º.

My suggestion would be to smoke the Ham with Hickory at the highest temp you can reach in your Bradley for 2 hours and then transfer the Ham to your oven at 325ºF until the IT reaches 140ºF.  The instructions on Ready to Eat Hams is 20 to 25 minutes per pound at 325ºF.  Your Bradley at max will be in the 250ºF range and it will take a lot of hours to get a 10 lb Ham to 140ºF.
 
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I agree with smoker pete, except for the internal temperatures of fresh and partially cooked hams. The latest USDA guidelines for fresh pork is an internal temperature of 145°F; with a three minute rest. The rise (carryover) will depend on the mass of the meat, the temperature it was cooked at, and whether you just tent foil or FTC. So for something like a ham, you may want to remove it from the Bradley when the internal temperature is about 140°F.

I also only take pork up to 140°F.



     I
         don't
                   inhale.
  ::)

viper125

Yep 140 is were i take mine too.

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