Thanksgiving Butt Ham - Help

[chasenr]

Hi All!

Going to start by thanking everyone for sharing their expertise. I have enjoyed gleaning the threads for information and am learning day by day.

I pretty well started smoking this year but I have a few bacons under my belt. A special thanks Bear for your recipes and step by steps! You make it look so simple!

Anyways, to cut to the chase, I am attempting to cure and smoke a ham for thanksgiving. I have used Bears dry cure for a few bacons, including Canadian bacon, and they have turned out fantastic! I foolishly shared the Canadian bacon with my in laws, which resulted in my MIL asking if I could make the ham for Thanksgiving... After failing to convince her that Canadian bacon is quite different then ham and shouldn't really replace the ham, I gave in and said I would attempt a "ham". So I started reasearching:

Because so many on this forum love Pops brine, I decided I would give it a try. I purchased a 5lb shoulder and decided to remove the bone.
After creating the brine based off of Pops recipe, I injected the various muscles on the shoulder and laid the whole thing in a bucket with the brine. I decided to hold off on the trussing for the first week so that the brine could penetrate everywhere. Then a week in, I took the brine out, trussed it, and then back in the bucket for the remaining week.

And this is where I sit.... pondering what I should do next. It will come out tonight and air over night , possibly 2 nights, to form the pellicle. I am planning on cold smoking it for a day and then letting it rest in the fridge for 2 days and then into the crockpot Thanksgiving day.

Do you guys think this is a good way to prepare?

I do have to admit that I currently only have a big cheif... :*/ this limits my hot smoking abilities..
I'm in the process of getting a UDS built but I won't have it complete in time to hot smoke the ham...

Thanks for reading!
Nate

 

[chef jimmyj]

You can cold smoke, smoke at 180 to an IT of 145 and it will be ready to eat, but either way, I would only heat or reheat to 145. It will be tender and juicy sliced. Crock Pot is ok but watch the IT, unless Pulled Ham is the goal...JJ

 

[chasenr]

Thanks Jimmy. Good advice... I struggle with the idea of smoking same day as eating as the loins I have tried right after smoking have had a very harsh smoke flavor. I find resting them makes a huge difference.
But... I don't want to serve a cold ham either..


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[chasenr]

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• chasenr
• Nov 20, 2016

Seasoned with CBP, garlic salt, and onion powder.

I think I'm going to smoke to 145it tomorrow as JJ suggested, let rest for a couple days, and then briefly reheat again Thanksgiving day.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Sounds good. I cook ahead for Thanksgiving. Past years with the smells and tasting all day, I didn't want to eat with the family. Now everything done by Wed., I reheat and an hour later we all sit and enjoy the meal and each others company...JJ