Smoking Ham - Any tips?

[lego]

Around this time each year, I'm always asked by friends/family if I'm doing a smoke before Christmas, and I'm then bombarded with orders.

I've always concentrated on brisket, beef ribs, pulled pork and pork ribs. However this year a lot of people are asking me for a smoked ham. I've not done something like this, I've had a look at a few recipes and have a starting point, just wondered if anyone here has had any experience and any do's/dont's they would like to share.

 

[FrenchTart]

I presume you'll be curing it yourself too?

There's not much to say aside from the usual stuff with curing and smoking meat really. As it's a Christmas ham consider some of the usual festive additions (cinnamon, cloves, etc). Glaze is also an important part of it. You can't go wrong with maple and it matches with smoke well. Alternatively I guess something with a lot of orange zest.

 

[mangobreeder]

There are two ways of smoking ham, I've tried both, and both are good.

1: Smoke a already cooked ham
Or
2: Smoke a unsmoked gammon (gammon becomes ham once you have cooked it)

I have a Weber Smokey mountain, so my advise based on that.

1) For an already cooked, ham. Criss cross the fat, and stud with clovers. Smoke at 220 to 250F. Fill the water pan, and add 2 chunks Oak, and 3 Chunks Cherry, and smoke until the internal temp is around 120 - 140. During what you think will be the final hour, add your glaze. I use a honey mustard glaze mixing 1 cup of brown sugar to 1/2 cup of mustard, and 4 tablespoons of cider vinegar. But Marmalade is also excellent.

2) For a gammon you will need to smoke at a higher temp, and cook the gammon right thru. So l leave the water pan dry (foil lined of course), and heat the smoker to 350F, and add 2 chunks Oak, and 3 Chunks Cherry, and cook according to the instruction. The gammon below is particularly easy, as it say cook at gas mark 4 for 30 mins per 500g. and what do you know. Gas mark 4 is 350F to which you have heated your smoker. So it's really easy to get good results. During what you think will be the final hour, add your glaze. I use a honey mustard glaze mixing 1 cup of brown sugar to 1/2 cup of mustard, and 4 tablespoons of cider vinegar. .

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/produ...ir-dried-unsmoked-gammon/894590-524469-524470

both can be finished in the oven for 10 mins to get the Glaze perfect.