First time doing ham

[Chefmjg4635]

I’m try my first crack at a ham. Have a 7 lb picnic shoulder. At what temp do I smoke it and what temp should I pull it off
Thanks
Mike

 

[SmokinEdge]

How was it cured? Process and recipe.

 

[Chefmjg4635]

I have a stick burner. I am planning on curing it first then smoke it with hickory

 

[tallbm]

I’m try my first crack at a ham. Have a 7 lb picnic shoulder. At what temp do I smoke it and what temp should I pull it off
Thanks
Mike

Hi there and welcome!

I smoke mine at a hot temp since I only take the Internal Temp to like 153F or so.

I just did an 8 pound and 9 pound together last week and at a smoker temp of 250F it took like 5.5 hours for the small one to hit that temp and a total of 6hr 45min for both to be done.

If I wanted them done faster I would have smoked at 275F.

Now lets talk a little bit about during these things.
Make sure you have the proper amount of cure #1, you cure for a long enough time, and you inject your liquid curing solution (that has cure#1) all over as well as deep inside and along the bone.
Like you cannot over inject this thing. I go about every 1-1.5inches and inject my curing solution and then submerge it in the cure.

Cure#1 and salt travel at like 1/4 inch every 24 hours so in 1 day you get about 1/2 inch penetration (top to bottom, left to right).
When you inject inside like crazy you also get that penetration happening inside out. So depending on how thick it all is I give it enough days (7 is pretty good) to ensure it is cured through.
I do an equilibrium cure so I will never get too salty and I could leave it in the cure for a whole month if I wanted, I just never get that much time to wait on it and don't plan it that far ahead. I usually need my garage fridge space for something else so only do the amount of time that is necessary without hogging up all my time.

I hope this info helps and be sure to ask all the questions you have to get on the right track :D

 

[TARM]

Hi there and welcome!

I smoke mine at a hot temp since I only take the Internal Temp to like 153F or so.

I just did an 8 pound and 9 pound together last week and at a smoker temp of 250F it took like 5.5 hours for the small one to hit that temp and a total of 6hr 45min for both to be done.

If I wanted them done faster I would have smoked at 275F.

Now lets talk a little bit about during these things.
Make sure you have the proper amount of cure #1, you cure for a long enough time, and you inject your liquid curing solution (that has cure#1) all over as well as deep inside and along the bone.
Like you cannot over inject this thing. I go about every 1-1.5inches and inject my curing solution and then submerge it in the cure.

Cure#1 and salt travel at like 1/4 inch every 24 hours so in 1 day you get about 1/2 inch penetration (top to bottom, left to right).
When you inject inside like crazy you also get that penetration happening inside out. So depending on how thick it all is I give it enough days (7 is pretty good) to ensure it is cured through.
I do an equilibrium cure so I will never get too salty and I could leave it in the cure for a whole month if I wanted, I just never get that much time to wait on it and don't plan it that far ahead. I usually need my garage fridge space for something else so only do the amount of time that is necessary without hogging up all my time.

I hope this info helps and be sure to ask all the questions you have to get on the right track :D

And if your not paying attention like me and end up with a deboned green ham and use injeciion, it will not hold as much. Its opened from deboning even though its tight in sock net it will not hold as much injection but it hopefully will cure just as quick given the brine is all inbetween the cuts from deboning so the thickness is far less.

I tried to get all 10% in the ham using a spit jack magnum injector. There was just nonway it could hold it all. The pockets you would normally get by the bone usually hold half or more of the brine from what I can tell. (First time doing a ham) No bone no pocket and a good deal runs out. I made 100 x 5-10 ml injections every square inch if not more. Fit the 16.5lb ham in a huge vacuum seal bag and sealed it up with the remaining brine liquid. (Got to use my new 16" vaac sealer)

I used Dave Omak's bag injection brine recipe. Can not image it not being fully cured with 14 days time. With a 100 holes thru it and it not being intact from deboning I can only hope and see what get when I slice it.

 

[tallbm]

And if your not paying attention like me and end up with a deboned green ham and use injeciion, it will not hold as much. Its opened from deboning even though its tight in sock net it will not hold as much injection but it hopefully will cure just as quick given the brine is all inbetween the cuts from deboning so the thickness is far less.

I tried to get all 10% in the ham using a spit jack magnum injector. There was just nonway it could hold it all. The pockets you would normally get by the bone usually hold half or more of the brine from what I can tell. (First time doing a ham) No bone no pocket and a good deal runs out. I made 100 x 5-10 ml injections every square inch if not more. Fit the 16.5lb ham in a huge vacuum seal bag and sealed it up with the remaining brine liquid. (Got to use my new 16" vaac sealer)

I used Dave Omak's bag injection brine recipe. Can not image it not being fully cured with 14 days time. With a 100 holes thru it and it not being intact from deboning I can only hope and see what get when I slice it.

I'm pretty sure it will be cured all the way through :D

 

[TARM]

I'm pretty sure it will be cured all the way through :D

I hope so. I am kicking myself for being in a rush when buying it and then not even checking it when I put it in the freezer. Not like me at all.

I can say to anyone looking for a injector for brining that those all metal SS brining injection guns like the spitjack and similar are extrenely nice and do a fantastic job. All the types of different needles you will need and plenty long or short as needed. The adj for volume of injection per trigger pull is super nice. Easy enough to clean.

I am doing two costco chickens tonight and will be smoking them in a few days after givingn the cure time to work. Using chopsaw lower salt % of Pop's brine so they can cure longer. Will spatchcock them for good crispy skin. Its to beak in my new smoker before the Christmas cook

But I am excited to see how the injection only b4ine ham cures turn out My plan is to smoke the ham same way as recommento the OP. Pulling @ 150°F then to the oven to glaze before serving.

 

[SmokinEdge]

clean.

I am doing two costco chickens tonight and will be smoking them in a few days after givingn the cure time to work. Using chopsaw lower salt % of Pop's brine so they can cure longer. Will spatchcock them for good crispy skin. Its to beak in my new smoker before the Christmas cook

The lower salt version of brine is also Pop’s as he went through life. It got lower also, but is still Pops.