Newbie Smoking My First Ham

[pgareau]

New to the forum and to smoking...wanted to start out slow so figured I couldn't mess up a pre-cooked, spiral cut ham!!  Using the same recipe I have used on the grill or oven (Coat with honey and then an OJ/Brown sugar glaze the last 30-60 min)...any advice or concerns I should look out for?

 

[scarbelly]

Good luck with the ham - sounds like you have a good plan

Please do us a favor and update your profile with your location then swing by Roll Call and introduce yourself

 

[whistlepig]

Precooked spiral sliced double smoked ham is one of our favorites. I have one rubbed in the fridge right now to smoke tomorrow. Shmeered with mustard and cherry rub and in the fridge tonight. It's a ten pound ham. I'll smoke it at 225 degrees for 4-5 hours to and internal temp of 140 degrees. Then I'll double foil it, towel it, and let it rest for an hour.

The glaze:

1/4 cup of honey

1/4 cup of pure dark amber maple syrup

Two tablespoons of good Kentucky Bourbon whiskey

One table spoon of Dijon mustard

I'll glaze the ham before I put it in the smoker. And glaze it a few times more while its smoking. Glaze is good. I like to smoke ham with cherry wood.  

 

[nozzleman]

I have done both the spiral sliced and not pre-sliced hams. I found that the spiral sliced can dry out on you if you happen to leave it on a little longer, so just watch it a little closer than you would a ham that is not sliced.

 

[slief]

I use a maple syrup and brown sugar combo. I prefer unsliced ham. I poke the hams with my finger at the grocery store and find the softest one. I usually get my ham from Von's as nobody around her has the Smith Field unsliced hams.

I cut most of the fat off and set it aside.I heat maple syrup up in the microwave and then mix in a decent amount of brown sugar which I inject into the ham. I then coat the ham with syrup and rub in more brown sugar. I smoke it cut side down in a foil pan at 225 and baste it from time to time with the syrup/sugar combo. I also put the fat on a rack above the ham and soak it with more of the syrup/sugar combo when I baste. I cook my had to 145* & everybody that has tried my ham has said it was the best they ever had.


As others have said, don't over cook the spiral cut hams as the tend to dry out. Good luck!

 

[austinl]

Buying a cured fresh (uncooked) ham from a local butcher is so much better than those precooked ones in the grocery stores.

 

[pgareau]

Welllll....we had the neighbors over and everyone said the ham was good...but, I had to finish it in the oven because I wasnt getting to temp in the smoker!  The highest I got up to was about 170 (vs an expected 240).  I dont know what went wrong...My concern is something is wrong wih the heating element since the same thing happened with the roast I did 2 weeks ago.  Any thoughts?

 

[whistlepig]

Welllll....we had the neighbors over and everyone said the ham was good...but, I had to finish it in the oven because I wasnt getting to temp in the smoker!  The highest I got up to was about 170 (vs an expected 240).  I dont know what went wrong...My concern is something is wrong wih the heating element since the same thing happened with the roast I did 2 weeks ago.  Any thoughts?

How did you check the temp of the ham?

 

[pgareau]

Used a meat thermometer...tried it in 3 different spots (once I saw I wasnt close to the temp I needed).   My wireless thermometer died on me!!! ARGGGG!!!!! What a day!

 

[whistlepig]

The ham should have been about 140 degrees when done in the smoker. Meat smoked to 240 degrees is pretty much nuked.
 

 

[pgareau]

I wasnt trying to get the meat to 240....I was trying to get my smoker there.  The smoker wouldn't get beyond 170 or so...

 

[whistlepig]

I understand. Sounds like you have a problem with your smoker.
 

 

[pgareau]

Glad to hear someone else say that!! LOL....makes me feel a little better.

I have a feeling I will be returning this one and looking for a replacement (maybe even an upgrade already!!!)  I wonder if the wife has to know????  Hmmmmmm

 

[s2k9k]

What did you check your smoker temp with?

If your wireless died I would replace it with a good Maverick and then re-check the smoker temp before I returned the smoker and make sure I knew where the problem was, the smoker or the therm.

 

[whistlepig]

I pretty much have to have a Maverick ET-732. It keeps an eye on both the smoker and the meat. I can smoke and take the receiver with me up to 300 feet away. Its the best smoking gadget that I have ever purchased. I also have a Thermopen. The Thermopen is the last word on anything that I cook. It is brutally accurate. And it is expensive.
 

 

[s2k9k]

I pretty much have to have a Maverick ET-732. It keeps an eye on both the smoker and the meat. I can smoke and take the receiver with me up to 300 feet away. Its the best smoking gadget that I have ever purchased. I also have a Thermopen. The Thermopen is the last word on anything that I cook. It is brutally accurate. And it is expensive.
 

I agree with the Mav. It has made my smoking so much less stressful. I trust it and with it I trust what is going on inside the smoker so i can relax and let it do it's thing.

 

[pgareau]

Thanks for all the advice!  Its great to get recommendations on the best tools to get to do this right- I am already eyeing up a new Maverick on Amazon!  Sure am glad I found this forum, otherwise I wouldn't have a chance!!!