Doing my first ham, need help picking one out

[scvinegarpepper]

I've never done a ham before, and am planning on doing one next week. I was looking around in the grocery store and found one that was about a 9.5 pounder, "Ready to Cook, Shank Portion Ham, water added, hardwood smoked." Will this be good? What IT do I need to get it to? I plan on cooking around 230-240, will that be good? Thanks. Taking this to the beach with the girlfriend's family. Ergo, I want to make sure it's good. Want to do a good sweet glaze too but can't find one I want.

-TB

 

[adiochiro3]

That puppy will smoke just fine at that cook temp.  IT should hit 165*.  I like brown sugar and pineapple over my hams, but honey works great as well.  Don't make the glaze too complicated -- it should only compliment and enhance the smokey ham flavor.

Good luck impressing the GF's family, and don't forget the Q-view!

 

[realtorterry]

X2

 

[chef willie]

X3....and check out Bears recent post on double smoked hams. He listed glazes that were a hit and detailed info. The hams looked outstanding.

 

[Bearcarver]

Personally I like to take one (or 2) that is already fully cooked & smoked, and Double Smoke it, but since you got one that is smoked, but not cooked, you have to take it to at least 160˚ internal temp (165˚ is safer), unless the label on the Ham you got tells you different, like the one SmokinAl did on the remarkable thread I linked below. If the label doesn't say fully cooked or anything about temp, you must take it to 160˚ or more.

SmokinAl's Ham:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...ked-ham-on-wsm-update-it-s-done-sliced-bagged

Bear

 

[scvinegarpepper]

Awesome advice everyone, thanks. I definitely will not forget about the Q-view. I haven't looked at Bear's stuff yet or the link Bear referenced, but I don't need to put the glaze on until the end, right? I don't want to over cook it. I was thinking of doing hickory and apple. Good idea? I was going to put hickory chips in the chip box on the Master Forge propane unit and apple dust in my AMNS. I'm also going to take the fat I trim off and put it on the rack above it to baste it while it cooks. I saw someone (maybe Al??) did that in another post. It's probably in the one Bear referenced. I'll check it out now! Thanks.

-TB

 

[SmokinAl]

Like Bear said, check out the ham I did, the glaze is simple & it is put on before you put it in the smoker, the fat above the ham will keep it moist. I'm not sure by your post if you have already bought the ham. If you haven't I would suggest for your first ham, get a ready to eat ham & smoke that. That way you don't have to worry about temps, your just heating it up & adding more smoke flavor & you won't have to worry about it drying out. If you have already bought the uncooked ham, go by what it says on the label for IT. I prefer to smoke ham at 210. Don't put the temp probe in until the ham has been on for a couple of hours. Also put the ham in an aluminum pan. It will sit in the grease, but will not soak any up. It will keep it nice & juicy. Good luck!

 

[scvinegarpepper]

Thanks, Al. No, I haven't gotten one yet. I was just in the store and was looking at what they had while I was in there. So I'll definitely look for a ready-to-eat when I buy it next week. I'm definitely going to use your glaze! Looks good. Thanks.

-TB

 

[Fife]

I have not done a ham either. Good luck and let us know how it turns out

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks, Al. No, I haven't gotten one yet. I was just in the store and was looking at what they had while I was in there. So I'll definitely look for a ready-to-eat when I buy it next week. I'm definitely going to use your glaze! Looks good. Thanks.

-TB

If you're getting a "ready to eat" "fully cooked ham" check out the one in my signature below, called,  "Double Smoked Ham".

I thought you had already bought a Ham that was not cooked.

I think I like Al's glaze better though!

Bear