A close friend of mine has been making these Cajun smoked hams with this rub for a long time. He has shared the recipe with me years ago, but has finally given me permission to post it here. This recipe is not "hot" though it does have a deep, intense flavor.
I use a standard brine like pops:
1 cup table salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP. cure #1
1 gallon water
For each gallon of brine add:
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 TBSP. File' powder
12 bay leaves
24 allspice berries
1 tsp. celery seed
Heat 2 cups of water for the brine, add spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of ice to chill, add 3 more quarts of cold ice water and mix up brine solution for ham.
Cajun Spicy Ham Rub Recipe for (1) 12~16lb. ham
4 tsp. Paprika
1 TBSP. raw turbinado sugar (for color)
1/2 TBSP. dried oregano leaves
1/2 TBSP. granulated garlic
1/2 TBSP. granulated onion
1 tsp. table salt (surface salt to seal in juices)
1/2 TBSP. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground file' powder (slight root beer accent)
spice blend:
10~12 Allspice berries
2 tsps. ginger
1/2 TBSP Cardamon
1/2 TBSP. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/4 tsp. tumeric (bitter note to balance the sweet)
Grind both to a fine powder in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. (can grind together)
Pour into a small spice shaker.
Cure ham following brining directions. Towel dry and apply ham spice rub. Dry ham 24 hours to form pellicle. Cook to 140* INT (allow to rise to 145*) Smoke with 50% hickory, 25% cherry, 25% apple wood.
I used his rub to season the pork loins I cured recently to slice as ham.
Here they are hanging in the fridge after brining to dry with the rub applied:
2 hours @120~130* to get some smoke on them, 2 hours @150*, then 2 hours @260* to finish @140* INT for a very juicy ham.
Of course I had to make a sandwich the next day when they hams cooled!
I will freeze them to get stiff and slice them tomorrow.
I use a standard brine like pops:
1 cup table salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP. cure #1
1 gallon water
For each gallon of brine add:
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 TBSP. File' powder
12 bay leaves
24 allspice berries
1 tsp. celery seed
Heat 2 cups of water for the brine, add spices and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of ice to chill, add 3 more quarts of cold ice water and mix up brine solution for ham.
Cajun Spicy Ham Rub Recipe for (1) 12~16lb. ham
4 tsp. Paprika
1 TBSP. raw turbinado sugar (for color)
1/2 TBSP. dried oregano leaves
1/2 TBSP. granulated garlic
1/2 TBSP. granulated onion
1 tsp. table salt (surface salt to seal in juices)
1/2 TBSP. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. ground file' powder (slight root beer accent)
spice blend:
10~12 Allspice berries
2 tsps. ginger
1/2 TBSP Cardamon
1/2 TBSP. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/4 tsp. tumeric (bitter note to balance the sweet)
Grind both to a fine powder in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. (can grind together)
Pour into a small spice shaker.
Cure ham following brining directions. Towel dry and apply ham spice rub. Dry ham 24 hours to form pellicle. Cook to 140* INT (allow to rise to 145*) Smoke with 50% hickory, 25% cherry, 25% apple wood.
I used his rub to season the pork loins I cured recently to slice as ham.
Here they are hanging in the fridge after brining to dry with the rub applied:
2 hours @120~130* to get some smoke on them, 2 hours @150*, then 2 hours @260* to finish @140* INT for a very juicy ham.
Of course I had to make a sandwich the next day when they hams cooled!
I will freeze them to get stiff and slice them tomorrow.
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