How to smoke a fresh ham on WSM.


 
W

Willard USA

New member
Greetings:
I am very new to the WSM. I am thinking about smoking a fresh ham this for brunch this coming Saturday and am in desperate need of some detailed cooking strategy and a good fresh ham recipe. If anyone knows a link to a good recipe with smoker setup and cook time information, I would greatly appreciate it. I did look at the ham information on this web site but it does not cover fresh ham.
 
I forgot to indicate in my previous posting that I am anticipating that my fresh ham will NOT be pre-smoked or cured. From reading other posts, I am assuming that the cook will be very similar to cooking a butt or a roast. I would like to smoke the ham with apple and cherry wood. Any thoughts on rubs, marinades, cook times, etc are greatly appreciated. Again, I am very new to the WSM so no detail is too minor to talk about.
 
The thread from Bryan's post leaves me confused about cook times, WSM cook temperatures, and meat temperatures (when is it done). Is it best to cook the fresh ham "low and slow" at a 250 degree lid temperature, or at 325 to 350 for a shorter cook time. How long will it take to cook the ham?

The WSM owner's manual lists fresh ham as being a roughly 8 hour cook time. There is also a pickled brine recipe in the WSM. However, the WSM owner's manual does not provide any temperature data. I was going to monitor the lid temperature through a lid vent hole. Any thoughts or comments on using the owner's manual recipe. I was thinking it might work good for me because I am new to the WSM. I have been using the Weber kettle for years, but recently decided to try the WSM.

Here is what I was thinking: Use the Minion method starting with a full ring of Kingsford. Smoke the ham with equal parts apple and cherry until the ham is half done. Line the water bowl with aluminum foil and fill to top with water.

Questions:
1. WSM lid temp for cooking the ham.
2. Ham temp (when is it done). The WSM manual does provide this temperature and I think it is 160 to 170 (I need to double check the book). Should I go with the WSM manual final temp?
3. How long will it take to cook.
4. If I use the "pickle brine" in the WSM manual, will that tend to make the ham tast more like a ham instead of a pork roast?
 
You'll have to recognize dthat you won't get the hammy taste you are looking for over the course of a day. You'll have to cure or brine for a considerable length of time.

Whatever you do, the ham will come out more like a pork roast then the ham you're looking for. Therefore:

1.) 250 lid temp, crank it up towards the end to crisp skin, if desired;
2.) Done at 180 for slicing. Don't worry, there is enough fat that it will stay juicy;
3.) 1.5-2 hours pound. DOn't go by time, go by temp;
4.) Not really.
 
Willard--

Seethis thread and this thread for some more info.

Skip the WSM manual--it is often inaccurate.

You can low/slow like a butt (figure 1.5-2 hours/lb.If you want pulled pork take it to a higher internal temp as you would for butt. You can also cook them at a higher temp (my preference; 20-25min/lb) and pull at ~150 internal for sliced pork. I flavor-brine 2 days, then make a paste rub, and usually make a cherry-mustard sauce or pineapple-mango salsa.

Fresh hams are versatile: Low/slow or high/faster--your choice.
 
The Dizzy Pig BBQ recipe looks great. In the Dizzy Pig recipe, they claim they cooked their 18 lb ham at 150 for 7 hours to an internal temperature of ~160. That does not seem right as the estimated cooking times indicated in this thread are 1.5 to 2 hours per pound (18 lb * 1.5 hours / lb = 27 hours). What's up with the cooking time?? I really need to get a better handle on the cooking time.

Also, in the Dissy recipe, they cut off the fat before curing. I have seen posts on this web site where people cure the ham after cutting a diamond pattern in the fat. What are the pros and cons of leaving the fat on vs cutting it off.
 
Willard--

The Dizzy recipe is a whole nother thing. In that recipe they are curing it first over many days then smoking it to a low internal temp. In that case it will come out like a ham you'd buy at the market--well, better I'm sure. If you're looking to make ham, their recipe looks good.

Smoking a fresh ham without curing is different. Cooked to a lower internal temp (which is how I usually do it, cooking at a higher temp) will give you sliceable smoked pork. Cooking to a higher internal temp (and using a low/slow approach) will give you pork you can pull like butt (you can also low/slow to a lower temp for slicing, if preferred).

I flavor-brine the fresh hams I'm going to cook at 350 and pull at 145-150. Though the brine flavors the meat it is not the same as a cure. Elements of a cure preserve the meat and make it look red, like ham or bacon. Regular brines add flavor(s) and moisture.

The 1.5-2 hours/lb you see refers to fresh hams cooked low and slow to a high internal temp for pulling.

I leave the skin on and score it (with a razor blade to--but not into--the meat in the familiar crosshatch pattern. We like the skin. You do not need to leave it on. If you're curing you need to remove it. If you're brining and/or rubbing the choice is yours.
 
Kevin:
My wife is currently in the process of flavor brining our ham as you suggested. The ham has been in the brine for 3 days now. We did leave the skin on and cut it in a cross hatch pattern. In the Dizzy recipe, they indicated that they thought a good temperature to pull the ham was the mid 140s which correlates with your suggestion.

Question 1: If I cook low and slow and pull the ham in the mid 140s, how long will my 10 lb ham take to cook.

Question 2: If I cook at 350, how long will it take to cook.

Question 3: Do I need to rinse the ham and soak it in water similar to the Dizzy recipe. I think the answer to this is probably no because the Dizzy ham was cured for 8 days and my ham is only flavored with brine for 3 days.
 
Last, first: Yes, the answer is no, do not soak it. A quick splash of cold water, dry with paper towels.

Are you rubbing?

If you cook at 350, start checking the temp after 2 hours but expect it to take around 3 to 3.5 to hit 147-150 degrees. (Rest the roast at least 20-30 min after pulling it out. If you want or need to rest longer, wrap in foil and stick it in a cooler with a towel.)

If you cook ~250, I'd expect maybe 6 hours--start checking after 4.5.

Since you left the skin on, I'd recommend a higher temp cook unless you do not plan to eat the skin (in which case cook either way). It cooks to a very nice texture at a higher temp.

When your therm hits your target temp, check it in two more places as well.
 
Kevin:
Thanks for the help. We are planning on rubbing. Does that change the strategy at all? I suspect that the rub may pose problems if cooking at high temp. Also, for high temp cooking, what firing method should I use and what do I do with the water pan.
 
Nope. Just wondered.

Use just a touch of salt in the rub though, since you're brining.

Like butts and briskets, fresh hams can be held (wrapped in foil with a towel in a cooler, as noted above) for some time (hours), so feel free to start your cook sooner if you're concerned about timing--it'll lessen the stress level and give you a cushion.

Good luck with your cook.
 
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