Advice on fresh ham for thanksgiving


 
B

Brian Bigelow

TVWBB Member
I just ordered from the local meat market a fresh whole ham (weight between 18 to 20 lbs.)for thanksgiving. This will be a first for me and any input into cooking time,what temperature and prep work to ham would be greatly appreciated. Also the meat market will pump it with seasoning and such. Sounded like a good idea and one less step for me to do on thursday morning. One other question would be glazing for ham.
Thanks
 
Well, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but you are not going to have "ham" like we know ham. If it is a true fresh ham, it will be pork with various flavoring, from the back leg of a pig. Still delicious, no doubt, but not "ham" like a christmas ham. The curing process is what makes ham ham, so you will be having pork.

As for cooking, fresh hams aren't as fatty as pork butts, so they respond better to a higher heat cook, 350 or so. If it still has the skin on, you can make a nice crosshatch design in it that will come out looking real sharp when all said and done.
If you can find out what kind of flavors they are going to put into it, i'm sure we could help with a galze. If its southwest spices inside, probably wouldn't want the maple syrup and honey glaze!
 
I'm echoing Mike R.'s observations. Is this a fresh ham as in a hind leg roast, basically? Or is it a cured ham that hasn't yet been smoked? If the latter, you need to smoke it to 150-160, then roast it while applying glaze. Search my posts, I did one a while back.
 
It will be an uncured ham..I guess now my question would be what will it taste like? Will the taste be similar to pork butt?

Thanks
 
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