Uses for fresh ham (i.e., the uncured rear leg of a pig)


 
Grant Cunningham

Grant Cunningham

TVWBB Pro
Pardon the explanations, but I find a lot of people don't know the "old" terms for meat cuts.

When we got our latest pig last fall, I asked the processor to give me fresh hams (the upper part of the rear legs) rather than cured hams. We also have some uncured shanks (lower part of the rear leg.) These are cuts I've never dealt with except as cured meat, but my wife really isn't a big fan of ham and asked for something different. Bottom line, we have a LOT of leg meat, and I need to figure out what to do with it!

What should I make from them? Do these cuts make decent pulled pork, or should I treat them more like a roast?
 
I do a fresh ham usually around Easter.
If you do a search on here you'll find some hits.
Look for Kevin Krugers fresh ham threads.
 
You can do anything with that you can with picnics or shoulders. Pork roasts, ground pork, sausage, pulled pork, buckboard bacon, and don't forget the cracklins'.
 
I found one thread .
tvwbb.com

Fresh ham butt portion bone in

Hi folks, did a quick search and didn't find anything. I have one that's almost 9lbs that I'd like to cook on my 18" WSM. Any links or suggestions would be great. I'm thinking to cook it like a butt at about 225 for roughly 1-1.5 hours per lb., does that sound correct? Thanks!
tvwbb.com tvwbb.com
 
Quick update (and sorry I forgot to take pics): Thanks to Timothy for finding that thread. I followed the link trail from K Kruger, and used his recipe (with a few minor changes to suit our tastes.)

The fresh ham was a half-cut, weighing in at 8-1/2 lbs. Brined it for 48 hrs, then smoke-roasted (using maple wood) on the E6 for 3 hours at 350-375 degF. Internal temp was 150 degF when I took it off, and let it rest for about an hour before serving.

Verdict: absolutely delicious! Tender, moist, with good pork flavor all the way to the center. I will be making another small tweak or two to the recipe to fine-tune it, but it was a definite success. The ham has now gone from my least favorite cut on the pig to one of my favorites. Good thing, because I have 3 more of them in the freezer!
 
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