Fresh Ham

[BedouinBob]

Well, they had fresh ham on special this week so I figured, "why not"? So I started with a brine that will run at least a week. I may go two. For the brine I used dill pickle juice from homemade ones I did this summer and added less salt but the full amount of pink salt. I also added black peppercorns, Juniper berries, garlic powder, a couple of bay leaves, and 1 C molasses for a little sweet. The picture is the starting point. I will update when we get to smoking. 

 

[gregbooras]

Keep us posted Bob!
Best Greg

 

[SuperDave]

My ex-MIL used to bake fresh hams for holidays.  They are great even without curing. 

 

[BedouinBob]

Dave, I love fresh ham too. Good eats all around.  This one will probably stay in the brine until I smoke on Thursday next week.

 

[BedouinBob]

Well,the results are in....very tasty and juicy. I pulled the ham from the brine, let it sit for a bit to form a pellicle. Then I smeared it with honey and Cajun seasoning. Into the smoker at 210 with 6 oz of sugar maple. Smoked to 150 IT and the outside looked great. Pictures attached.

 

[TX Gent]

Outstanding Bob ... a fully cured and smoked ham is one of, if not the best all round dinner, lunch and breakfast good eats.

Well done sir!

 

[barelfly]

That looks great Bob!

 

[NDKoze]

That looks AWESOME! Nice job.

I have an already smoked ham in my freezer that I have been waiting to smoke for quite awhile, but it has been so dang cold I haven't been smoking as much, which is not a limitation of the smoker, but my not wanting to mess with it in the cold.

 

[BedouinBob]

Gregg, as cold as it has been in ND, you get special dispensation..... 

 

[NDKoze]

Gregg, as cold as it has been in ND, you get special dispensation..... 

Thanks!

 

[SconnieQ]

That looks AWESOME! Nice job.

I have an already smoked ham in my freezer that I have been waiting to smoke for quite awhile, but it has been so dang cold I haven't been smoking as much, which is not a limitation of the smoker, but my not wanting to mess with it in the cold.

Yeah, me too. Below zero for soooo long, highs in the single digits (even worse in Fargo). 20s feels like a heat wave. Only up north would people describe 20s as "warm". Good time to do some cold smoking though. Nice temporary warm-up coming. That's January. The extremes. Never tried curing and smoking a fresh ham. Never really noticed them for sale around here.

 

[gregbooras]

Looks great Bob!
Best Greg

 

[DivotMaker]

Bob, that ham looks amazing!  Any flavor profiles you would change in the brine next time?

 

[BedouinBob]

Tony, no I wouldn't. I was wondering if the pickle juice would overpower but it didn't. Personally, I like a little more heat but my wife - not so much. Guess who won?  ;D

 

[DivotMaker]

The pickle juice is what threw me, Bob... good to know!