How long to smoke Kentucky hams?

[rick-in-ajijic]

I've made salt cured Kentucky hams in the past but I've never had a smoker big enough to smoke them until now.  How long would an old timer cold smoke a ham? The weights are 8.4 pounds and 13.5 pounds.  I'm looking at aging them after they're done smoking. I'm currently using Peach wood for smoking.Any advice is appreciated. 

IMG_20170110_113827.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 10, 2017

IMG_20170110_113838.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 10, 2017

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Are you cold smoking them or wanting to hot smoke them?

Did you use cure of any sorts or just salt.

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

I used salt, cure #2 & pepper. 1.5 days per pound of meat. The larger hams I let go for another 3 days. I'm cold smoking them keeping it under 100 degrees.  I know my Great Uncle in Kentucky used to just let them hang in the smoke house forever. 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I guess smoke them until you're happy with how they look. That's what I do with bacon.

Man you have my mouth watering now!

 

[dls1]

Rick,

One small producer I'm familiar with in Murray, KY has been using the same simple procedure for several generations. The hams are cured in a salt box for 3-4 weeks, depending upon their size. They then get a coating of red and black pepper, and are hung to slowly cold smoke for 5 weeks. Beyond that, they're hung and aged for at least 1 year.

Hope this helps with what sounds like a great project. Good luck with it.

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

Thanks for the responses! :-)

dirtsailor2003  I have two sides of bacon been curing for 4 days now but still have another 3 days to go. Then I'll have them in the smoker along with the hams. Now that the smoker is done being built (last week or so) I'm getting geared up for a lot of smoking. I have another 100 kilo pig coming in 3 weeks. With that I'm going to make some Pancetta, coppa, sausage, smoked ribs and other various things. :-)

dls1 sounds like I'm in the general ball park on the salt time. The two smaller hams I'm wanting to be a little less salty and those I'm hoping turn out more like a prosciutto being less salty. The large hams stayed in the salt a day or so under 4 weeks. 

 

[dls1]

Rick, I question I forgot to previously ask you pertains to the cure. The folks I'm familiar with in KY use no cure other than salt followed by smoke. Use chose to use a curing agent, which is fine, but why did you use cure #1, rather than cure #2 which, in my mind, would be more appropriate for a long-aged country ham?

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

I'm looking for the recipe. Also I need to look at the cure I used, it might have been cure #2 . I started them in Mid December and since then I've started many other things. I might have got confused when I wrote.

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

dls1

I'll try to find the link to the instructions (recipe) and post it after I get back from picking up my wife and kids. 

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

DSL1, my mistake in writing.. I checked the recipe and the cure I have and I used Cure #2 

https://gallatin.ca.uky.edu/files/how_to_make_a_country_ham.pdf

Got me worried for a bit that I used the wrong cure.

(Will edit above posts)

 

[daveomak]

Rick, morning....  those hams look awesome....   Good choice on the cure #2...   

Looks like a lot of smoke for a long smoking session...    Looking at the pan, and all the wood chunks...  think about cutting the wood chunks down to 2 or 3 so less smoke is added over a longer period...  the finished product may have a better flavor...   Also, a cover over the chunks with a hole in it, will stop the chance of a flame up, and burning the hams...    If you have a disc, put it over the top....  that will keep heat in and help the chunks burning using less heat in the burner...   it will keep any dripping fat out of the fire also...    I have had a smoker full of food burn up from dripping fat...

Disc blade.jpg

• daveomak
• Jan 11, 2017

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

Thanks for the tips!

I'll try finding a lid today. At this time I've been having them in the smoker for 4 to 6 hours at a time then I take them out and put them into the curing chamber to cool a little. Then the next day do it again.

My first time and just getting to know the smoker, I'll cut back on the number of chunks of wood also. (the wood I use is sort of scarce here)  

So far it's not been hot enough to start the hams to dripping any fat. 

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

DaveOmak,

I worked on the smoker yesterday. I installed two temp guages and also found a cover for the smoke chip tray. 

I also moved the hams to the back of the smoker to get them out of the direct line of smoke. 

IMG_20170112_081726.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

IMG_20170112_081752.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

Smoke chip tray cover I made.

IMG_20170112_081818.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

New temp guages.

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• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

Bacon, Prosciutto, Kentucky hams! Back into the curing chamber for the night

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• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

.

 

[atomicsmoke]

Those are some beauties.

 

[pc farmer]

That looks like a happy chamber.

Following this.

 

[rick-in-ajijic]

I think it is! :-) 3 more weeks and I'll be getting a 100 Kilo hog and making 2 more of each hams, bacon and a bunch of different sausages and goodies. :-) Our goal is to make the retirees in Ajijic fat and happy!

coffeblack&white-exterior-2014.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

 

[masondixon]

Wow! Those look fantastic! :drool

 

[dirtsailor2003]

 
DaveOmak,

I worked on the smoker yesterday. I installed two temp guages and also found a cover for the smoke chip tray. 

I also moved the hams to the back of the smoker to get them out of the direct line of smoke. 

IMG_20170112_081726.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

IMG_20170112_081752.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

Smoke chip tray cover I made.

IMG_20170112_081818.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

New temp guages.

IMG_20170112_094310.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

Looks like I need to retire to Ajijic!

 

[daveomak]

 
DaveOmak,

I worked on the smoker yesterday. I installed two temp guages and also found a cover for the smoke chip tray. 

I also moved the hams to the back of the smoker to get them out of the direct line of smoke. 

IMG_20170112_081726.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

IMG_20170112_081752.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

Smoke chip tray cover I made.

IMG_20170112_081818.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

New temp guages.

IMG_20170112_094310.jpg

• rick-in-ajijic
• Jan 12, 2017

Looks really good....     How was the smoke ??   were you able to get what you wanted with the cover over the wood chunks ??      That cover should have made good smoke with less wood chunks...  do you think that was the case ??

Anyway, very impressive smoker... a real commercial operation...     If I was closer I'd surely come try it out....   I think you will be very successful ...   You are sincere in your learning...

Keep us posted on your success.....

Dave and all of SMF...