In Huntsville, AL, I am now making the move from my trusty tried & true four-burner gas grills to a 40" MES.
My first experiment (not by choice - forced by spouse!) is a 26-pound fresh pork hind/leg she got at a local meat market. After digging deep for guidance, I still only have a guess as to how long it will take, but am thinking about as many hours as it weighs for the desired outcome. So, any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
The 'desired outcome' is a ham for slicing. I will first inject the pork with my liquid concoction, cross-hatch the fat, rub it down with a syrup mixture and apply a dry rub of brown sugar and spices, then let sit in the fridge overnight. From what I can gather. an internal temperature of about 165-170 is good for slicing, so I guess that is what I will shoot for unless convinced otherwise. So far as smoker temperature, Jeff and a few others have shown 225, so I'll start and hope to finish there. During cooking, I will be smoking with hickory chips, a mixture of water-apple juice in the water bowl, and shooting it every two hours with an apple juice-cider vinegar spray.
I look forward to hearing any well-wishes and feedback, plus hope to share my new MES experiences well into the future with all.
My first experiment (not by choice - forced by spouse!) is a 26-pound fresh pork hind/leg she got at a local meat market. After digging deep for guidance, I still only have a guess as to how long it will take, but am thinking about as many hours as it weighs for the desired outcome. So, any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
The 'desired outcome' is a ham for slicing. I will first inject the pork with my liquid concoction, cross-hatch the fat, rub it down with a syrup mixture and apply a dry rub of brown sugar and spices, then let sit in the fridge overnight. From what I can gather. an internal temperature of about 165-170 is good for slicing, so I guess that is what I will shoot for unless convinced otherwise. So far as smoker temperature, Jeff and a few others have shown 225, so I'll start and hope to finish there. During cooking, I will be smoking with hickory chips, a mixture of water-apple juice in the water bowl, and shooting it every two hours with an apple juice-cider vinegar spray.
I look forward to hearing any well-wishes and feedback, plus hope to share my new MES experiences well into the future with all.
