How to smoke a Raw Ham

A long-standing tradition that has been passed down through the centuries is smoking raw ham. This cooking method uses smoke to flavor and cure raw ham, producing succulent and tasty meat that is suitable for any occasion. Smoking raw ham is an easy and enjoyable technique that can be enjoyed by everyone, whether you’re an expert pitmaster or a newbie chef. In order to surprise your family and friends with your mouthwatering smoked ham, read this article to learn how to choose the best ham for smoking and how to cure it to perfection.

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The Best Ham for Smoking: How to Select


Look for a fresh ham: Choose a fresh ham rather than one that has been pre-cooked or cured when selecting a ham for smoking. Fresh hams can weigh anywhere between 10 and 20 pounds and are normally sold bone-in.

Choose the right cut: The hind leg, sometimes referred to as the ham roast, is the best piece for smoking. This lean, aromatic cut will result in a succulent smoked ham.

Consider the fat: While some fat is necessary to make your ham moist and tasty, you don’t want too much. A ham with a nice ratio of fat to lean meat is what you want.

Choose the correct size: Choose a ham that is the appropriate size for your purposes after taking into account the number of guests you will be feeding. Plan on roughly 1/2 pound of beef per person as a basic guideline.

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How to Cure Raw Ham


Choose your ham: Choosing the appropriate cut is the first step in curing a ham. The hind leg, also referred to as the ham roast, is the cut used most frequently for curing.

Make the cure: The ham will be preserved and given taste by the cure, which is a combination of salt, sugar, and other ingredients. You have the option of buying or creating your own curing mix.

Apply the cure: Cover every inch of the ham’s surface with the cure by rubbing it on evenly. The ham should be placed in a sizable plastic bag or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the ham: After it has been wrapped, put it in the fridge to cure for one day per pound of meat. For instance, a 10-pound ham will require 10 days of curing.

Rinse and soak the ham: After the curing procedure is over, remove the ham from the plastic wrap and thoroughly rinse it in cold water to get rid of any extra salt. The ham should then be placed in a sizable container or bucket and submerged in cold water. To get rid of any salt that may still be on the meat and rehydrate it, let it soak for at least 12 hours.

Smoke the ham: After soaking, the ham is ready to be smoked. To smoke the ham to the desired doneness, adhere to your smoker’s instructions. According to the size of the ham and the smoker’s temperature, the smoking process can take anywhere between 6 and 12 hours.

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How to Make Smoked Whole Ham with Butter-Honey Glaze and Pecan Wood Smoke


TitleSmoked Whole Ham
CourseDinner, Main Course
CuisineAmerican, BBQ
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Brining time8 hours
Total Time13 hours 10 minutes
Servings6
EquipmentBrining bag, Pecan wood chips, Basting brush
Ingredients
1 raw ham halved
For the curing brine:
1-gallon water
1 ½ cups kosher salt
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup pickling spice
8 tsp pink salt
For the glaze:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup whole-grain mustard
Instructions
1. In a big pot, bring water to a boil. Add the entire contents of the curing brine. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
2. Put the ham in the carrying bag. Pour the brining mixture in. Add more cold water if the ham isn’t completely submerged.
3. Bring the bag to the refrigerator and place it there. Take a night off.
4. Take the ham out of the bringing bucket or bag. Drain the surplus solution from the surface and use a paper towel to wipe it dry. Take the cooking grate with you. Meat should be covered with a food fly cover and let to dry for a few hours.
5. Heat up the smoker to 250°F/120°C
6. Prepare the glaze while the smoker is getting warmed up. Stir the glaze ingredients while heating a small pot over medium heat. Until the butter and all other ingredients have completely dissolved, stirring constantly. 3 to 4 minutes. Get rid of the heat.
7. Place the fat side of the ham up in the smoker. Cook for two hours with the lid closed.
8. Increase heat to 325°F/160°C. Cook for 1-2 hours.
9. With the help of a basting brush, glaze the ham. All of the ham’s surface should be covered. While the ham continues to cook for a further hour, glaze it every 15 minutes.
10. Smoke till the body reaches a temperature of 165°F/75°C. Withdraw from smoking and provide 10 minutes of relaxation.
11. Slice and serve.

If you’re a true smoking lover check out our 35 best smoker recipes and amaze your friends and family with different food on every occasion. If you’re smoking for a long time and thinking to replace your smoker checkout our complete buying guide for best-offset smokers with detailed reviews by our smoking expert Allison Beard

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Frequently Asked Questions


It’s Depending on the weight, type of smoker, and desired level of doneness, the smoking time for a raw ham can change. However, as a general rule of thumb, allow for 30 minutes to be spent smoking each pound of raw ham at a temperature between 225°F and 250°F.

Prepare a curing brine and let the ham soak in it overnight in the refrigerator before smoking a raw bone-in ham. After that, rinse out any leftover solution, pat it dry, and then set it aside to air-dry for a couple of hours on a frying grate. Smoke the ham for one to two hours after bringing the smoker to 250°F/120°C. Cook for an additional one to two hours at 325°F/160°C. Every 15 minutes for the last hour of smoking, drizzle a butter-honey glaze on the food. The ham should be smoked until it reaches 165°F/75°C internally, and then it should rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

The choice to smoke ham in aluminum foil is a question of taste. Some people prefer not to use foil so that the smoke may thoroughly permeate the meat, while others do so in order to keep the ham moist and prevent it from drying out throughout the smoking process.

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