A Christmas ham gone bad: The final chapter

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dadwith4daughters

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jul 21, 2007
225
11
Orlando, FL
(For those who want to see the beginning of this adventure, check here...
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=85983 )

Well, as they say, failure is the first rule of success (or at least that's what I'm saying to my hungry family). I wouldn't claim a complete failure but I challenge anyone on this site to find an uglier piece of meat (see below). In fact, it was so ugly my dog barked at it. So no picture-perfect Christmas dinner. The good news is that the kids ripped at it last night (hence the mangled top) and they loved it.



Here it sliced just for show. That was about as pretty as I could make it. The hatchet job came next and I was just too embarassed to put that on film.



Finally, here it is in all it's diced-n-sliced glory. I started with an 11lb'er and ended up with 4 lbs of ham, a nice hambone, and about 3lbs of scraps which will be used for our next blackbean soup.



It was a great experience, but there are definite lessons from this trip down ham lane:
1. The Net: I think my net worked fine to hang it but it didn't confine the meat into more of a tight ball, so instead it hung out there and dried out.
2. Rytek Kutas does say you can use a butt or picnic instead of a fresh ham. Don't believe him! The picnic is just too hard to maneuver around that dinasour bone. A butt may work but I think that would be a bit too fatty.
3. I should have learned from the many posts on this site...never try something the first time for a special event/meal. Duh!!! Luckily I went out last night a found the last leg of lamb available so all is not lost.

Merry Christmas everyone and may your smoke be thin, your stomachs full, and your heart filled.

Mike
 
Hey Mike, beauty is only skin deep!!!! lol
Sounds like you had success to me, yer kids loved it and that's what counts. Meat is like people, it's what's on the inside that counts.
Those slices looked pretty darned good to me!!!!
PDT_Armataz_01_34.gif
 
Looks mighty tasty to me. Just think what it would look like if the pig hadn't given it up. I'll bet your black bean soup will be one of the best batches ever.

Don't be so hard on yourself.
points.gif


Thanks for sharing in the trials as well as the victories.
 
Thanks for sharing, it's whats on the inside that counts. Your slices look pretty good.
 
Looks great to me , I have yet to try a ham, And I'd be happy with something as nice as that one.
 
Yeah, don't be so hard on yourself. I think it looks great. And if it tastes good, well then its a winner.
 
Hey DW4D,

Ham looks pretty good from where I'm sitting. Besides, you will get to enjoy some awesome bean soup outta that Dino Bone. That right there is worth the effort in my book.

Way to stick with a tough smoke, too.
 
I don't get it?
What am I a moron?
What the heck's wrong with it.
It looks good from here.
Is it the shape or color?
It doesn't look dry to me.
Are the pieces too small?
Too much bone to get big slices?
I give up.

Hmmm, must be me.
icon_confused.gif


Bewildered Bearcarver
 
That looks OK to me - how does it taste? That is the most important question
 
Like they and you said beauty is only skin deep. It looks great to me now the turkey was alittle ugly but once you carve it up all you see is pure wonderful and juicy meat. Great job and some
points.gif
for keepin on going for it.
 
Here's some wisdom from an old guy. If you have a perfect ham with no bone and no fat, just beautifully textured moist ham, you really wouldn't want to cut into it and spoil the perfection would you? What you have there is some fine looking meat. Just pass me a hand full and I'll show you how good it is.
biggrin.gif
 
Thanks for all the positive feedback...I guess I was hoping for something that looked a little less muscle and bit more hammy-something like a smithfield. But I've already served it for lunch and for dinner and the reviews are really good.

Ho-ho-ho!

Mike
 
I didn't see a thing wrong with it. If it tastes good that is all that counts...
PDT_Armataz_01_37.gif
 
ditto with the rest, looks like it was a great cure job on it, great color to it... can only imagine the taste but it has to be good. i would take a ham sammy from that any day!!!
PDT_Armataz_01_34.gif
 
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