First I must say that I am glad to have found this forum which to me seems like a great resource to compare notes and to learn from each other's achievements and failures. This is my very first post here in what I hope to be many.
I had shot a wild boar and decided to smoke the hams. I have a fairly large smoker and I stoked the fire until I had a nice bed of natural coals from oak I had trimmed in the spring. (I've got some acreage here in N. Texas and its everywhere)
I had decided to follow a recipe and process that had been taught to me by an old timer who used to live by us when I was growing up. To say he was eccentric would be to put it mildly.
This guy had been the real deal. He did not like modern living. Hated telephones and cars. Through him I learned how to set up a wagon or to rig a carriage or saddle a horse. I learned blacksmithing, how to reload ammunition, how to hunt and butcher game, to tan leather, how to farm and collect seeds, canning, drying and best of all how to smoke foods for preservation.
Even in the 80's and 90's he lived in an old log cabin that his great, great Grandfather had built. No running water or plumbing. Outhouse out back. He also had an old farm house nearby where at times he would stay and even bring his horse in for the winter. No joke.
Not really having a Dad growing up my Mom had no problem hanging out and learning so much from this guy. Getting nearer to 40 I can relate to him even more in these hard times with the rising cost of getting by and I am deeply thankful for all that he has taught as while my Wife, Kids and Myself do have running water, plumbing and power, we have saved so much money by hunting and farming and food preservation. Even though he is long gone his legacy continues, the old methods that are tried and true are preserved and my Kids are always eager to learn.
But back to the hams. I had been setting up a regular feeding spot for these boars next to the spring fed creek on my place. I had been putting corn out for the boars through the year and towards the last two months we had been putting out acorns for them to feed on. My family had been collecting acorns for some time and the boars were more than happy to gorge themselves on it. In the process it makes the meat so much better when it comes time to cull the boars and to butcher them.
I had let my smoker burn some oak for several hours to build up a bed of coals. These I pushed to one end of the smoker and left the other side empty. This is where I sat the two hams. Each was set in a shallow metal pan with pineapple on the bottoms and water and pineapple juice. I used a combination of pecan wood and shells, wild grapevines, corn cobs and oak that had been soaked in water overnight to smoke with.
I sat a liberal amount of these items I used to smoke the hams with on the coals, let just enough air in to cause a slow burn and soon enough I had billows of smoke coming out from the smoker. The temp was around 200f. I let the hams smoke like this for six hours which led to a great smoke ring in the ham and yet did not overpower the meat.
From there I mixed a large bowl of Honey Dijon Mustard, brown sugar, real maple syrup and some corn mash whiskey. This I spread on the hams and let the heat of the smoker dry it on it for about 20 minutes. I then returned ad again coated the hams and repeated the process until the mix was exhausted.
This in essence sealed the hams letting most of the juices stay inside. I stoked the heat to 350f and let the smoker do its work for another five hours.
By the time I took the hams out the aroma was pure heaven and the family was excited and more than ready to sit down for a great dinner. The mix had formed a soft yet firm crust and the smoky sweet mustard flavor just made the ham taste out of this world. The ham was nice and rich and all together very satisfying.
The only addition I have made to the process was the pineapple. It helps to prevent any issues of scorch when the temperature rises later in cooking. Otherwise it is the same process I learned all those years ago that had been passed down generation to generation through that old timers family.
I enjoy using the wild grapevine because it imparts a sweet fruity taste to the meat. The corn cobs for the same reason. The pecan shells and small pecan branches add a rich tone to the flavor and the oak lends a touch of bold flavor.
I've heard many doubters in my time about the use of pecan or grapevine or even oak in smoking. All I can say is that it's about balance. Not using too much of one fuel to smoke with. It's all in heat used and the time and care taken. You have to remember than in many cases when Texas and other places were being settled, people made do with what they had access to. Frankly I think it's some good choices.
My family loves the hams. My wife hates smoked foods because she feels the flavor is too strong yet she can't get enough of the hams I smoke.
I had shot a wild boar and decided to smoke the hams. I have a fairly large smoker and I stoked the fire until I had a nice bed of natural coals from oak I had trimmed in the spring. (I've got some acreage here in N. Texas and its everywhere)
I had decided to follow a recipe and process that had been taught to me by an old timer who used to live by us when I was growing up. To say he was eccentric would be to put it mildly.
This guy had been the real deal. He did not like modern living. Hated telephones and cars. Through him I learned how to set up a wagon or to rig a carriage or saddle a horse. I learned blacksmithing, how to reload ammunition, how to hunt and butcher game, to tan leather, how to farm and collect seeds, canning, drying and best of all how to smoke foods for preservation.
Even in the 80's and 90's he lived in an old log cabin that his great, great Grandfather had built. No running water or plumbing. Outhouse out back. He also had an old farm house nearby where at times he would stay and even bring his horse in for the winter. No joke.
Not really having a Dad growing up my Mom had no problem hanging out and learning so much from this guy. Getting nearer to 40 I can relate to him even more in these hard times with the rising cost of getting by and I am deeply thankful for all that he has taught as while my Wife, Kids and Myself do have running water, plumbing and power, we have saved so much money by hunting and farming and food preservation. Even though he is long gone his legacy continues, the old methods that are tried and true are preserved and my Kids are always eager to learn.
But back to the hams. I had been setting up a regular feeding spot for these boars next to the spring fed creek on my place. I had been putting corn out for the boars through the year and towards the last two months we had been putting out acorns for them to feed on. My family had been collecting acorns for some time and the boars were more than happy to gorge themselves on it. In the process it makes the meat so much better when it comes time to cull the boars and to butcher them.
I had let my smoker burn some oak for several hours to build up a bed of coals. These I pushed to one end of the smoker and left the other side empty. This is where I sat the two hams. Each was set in a shallow metal pan with pineapple on the bottoms and water and pineapple juice. I used a combination of pecan wood and shells, wild grapevines, corn cobs and oak that had been soaked in water overnight to smoke with.
I sat a liberal amount of these items I used to smoke the hams with on the coals, let just enough air in to cause a slow burn and soon enough I had billows of smoke coming out from the smoker. The temp was around 200f. I let the hams smoke like this for six hours which led to a great smoke ring in the ham and yet did not overpower the meat.
From there I mixed a large bowl of Honey Dijon Mustard, brown sugar, real maple syrup and some corn mash whiskey. This I spread on the hams and let the heat of the smoker dry it on it for about 20 minutes. I then returned ad again coated the hams and repeated the process until the mix was exhausted.
This in essence sealed the hams letting most of the juices stay inside. I stoked the heat to 350f and let the smoker do its work for another five hours.
By the time I took the hams out the aroma was pure heaven and the family was excited and more than ready to sit down for a great dinner. The mix had formed a soft yet firm crust and the smoky sweet mustard flavor just made the ham taste out of this world. The ham was nice and rich and all together very satisfying.
The only addition I have made to the process was the pineapple. It helps to prevent any issues of scorch when the temperature rises later in cooking. Otherwise it is the same process I learned all those years ago that had been passed down generation to generation through that old timers family.
I enjoy using the wild grapevine because it imparts a sweet fruity taste to the meat. The corn cobs for the same reason. The pecan shells and small pecan branches add a rich tone to the flavor and the oak lends a touch of bold flavor.
I've heard many doubters in my time about the use of pecan or grapevine or even oak in smoking. All I can say is that it's about balance. Not using too much of one fuel to smoke with. It's all in heat used and the time and care taken. You have to remember than in many cases when Texas and other places were being settled, people made do with what they had access to. Frankly I think it's some good choices.
My family loves the hams. My wife hates smoked foods because she feels the flavor is too strong yet she can't get enough of the hams I smoke.
