i'm gonna try it!

[duck killer 1]

i might be crazy... but i've got 2 fresh butchered 17Lb hams that'll be here friday. i want to smoke one of them for this weekend for a family gathering. QUESTION

is it ok to smoke a ham without curing it? i've seen on here where someone said a ham is only a ham if it is cured. if not cured it is a leg.does'nt really matter to me if it's a leg or a ham i just wanna smoke it! can i proceed?
thanks in advance for help!
DK

 

[bmudd14474]

The cure gives it the ham flavor. With out that its just pork and will be either sliced of pulled.

with a 17lb piece of meat I would just be concerned with getting it over 140* in 4 hours. I would use the intact muscle rule. Do not at a temp probe until about 3-4 hours. If the outside 1/2" of the meat is over 140 degrees then your ok.


Good luck.

 

[the dude abides]

What he said^^^

I just hope you're not disappointed expecting ham.

 

[scpatterson]

Just as long as you know its not a ham..basically just a butt but I like it myself. When you put it in yur smoker start yur temps a little higher and for the love of god dont open the smoker up for quite a while. This will help past the danger zone quicker. Less you open the door the quicker it will get on up in temps...

 

[duck killer 1]

so should i smoke it at say, 300* or so? for 3 hours and then check the temp and if it is over 140 then maybe switch it to 225* or so?

 

[scpatterson]

250 to 275 in my opinion.....Just until the temps rise some and then lower to 225 or so

 

[duck killer 1]

how long should i smoke it after it gets to 140* inside temp? i was wrong about the weight on these, they actually weigh 11.5 Lbs each. how long do you think it would take to get a good smoke line and attain pull-ability?
thanks!

 

[pignit]

Your gonna be fine smokin that thing at 225 - 250. If you don't inject, marinade or compromise the internal muscle with a temp probe... your safe zone rule changes. Like Brian said..... The first half inch should reach 140 in less than 4 hours from when it passes 40 degrees. That should be no problem smoking at 225 - 250. Don't insert a temp probe until then. I would wait 4 hours to insert the temp probe just to be safe. Most of the time now that I have an idea of how long things take to smoke.... I don't check temps till I'm very close to being done.

When I first started smoking and had little knowledge of curing I was assigned to bring the ham to Easter family dinner. I picked up an uncured picnic... not good. Everybody was expecting ham and ended up with pulled pork. Big big difference.

I would personally take it to 180 to 185 for slicing...... 195- 200 for pulling. There is a lot of difference in tenderness in a piece of meat that has been to 180 for 30 or so minutes compared to one pulled at a lower temp.

 

[duck killer 1]

so if i'm understanding you right it'll be tougher if it is pulled at a lower temp.?

 

[pignit]

Yep... on that cut of meat that's what your lookin at. If you pull it at 180 - 185 you can let it rest a bit and then slice it. It will be tender but not falling apart tender. If you smoke it to 195 + it's going to pull apart. If you want to slice it after you've taken it to that temp you'll probably need to let it rest then spend the night in the fridge and slice it cold.

 

[mballi3011]

Do what all theses guy are telling you cause you want to get the meat to asleast 140 as fast as you can and hopefully within the 4 hours that will keep it in the safety zone. Now for the curing if you don;t cure it it will be just like a huge pork butt with the same texture color and taste.