Twice Smoked Ham results

[thsmormonsmokes]

So here's the final results from my twice smoked ham the other day. I followed Bear's suggestions, except I didn't use any glaze or dry rub. I figured the curing and first smoke should have given it plenty of flavor. Plus I've had hams from this butcher shop before and they're exceptional (fellow Utahans, do yourself a favor and buy a ham from Springville Meat sometime. They're the best hams I've ever had by far. Seriously, it's not even a close call).

Anyway, I trimmed a lot of the fat, and put it in an aluminum roaster with a few holes in the bottom and put it on the rack above the ham to baste. Great idea, Bear. I also notched the ham to catch juices. I might try it without notching next time just to see how it compares because I'm not sure how much it helped, and some of the notched portions were a tad dry. But that could also be from trimming too closely.

Smoked for about 5 hours at ~300 until 150 IT in my WSM with Ridge charcoal (it was cheap at Lowe's this fall) and peach (coral star) from a tree we lost to a wind storm last year. The results speak for themselves.

It was honestly top 3 best things I've ever smoked. Everyone at the party was all

And then I used an InstantPot to make bone broth. I'm still trying to decide if I should do a white bean or lentil soup with that. Either way, I'm sure it's going to be spectacular.

 

[Steve H]

That is a very nice ham! Big like!

 

[JLeonard]

Oh man! White beans, ham, and corn bread is my call! Ham looks great.
Jim

 

[GaryHibbert]

That ham looks perfect to me!! Great job.
Gary

 

[ofelles]

Senate Navy Bean soup. Used 2# in some a couple of days ago. Ate the last of it last night.

 

[GATOR240]

Nicely done. I've done this 3 or 4 times and it always comes out great.

 

[Brokenhandle]

Good looking ham! They always turn out really good.

Ryan

 

[thirdeye]

Senate Navy Bean soup. Used 2# in some a couple of days ago. Ate the last of it last night.

Oh boy, I have to ask.... what is your recipe? I love this recipe and make it often, usually with double smoked hocks from the store.

I think my recipe was from one of the George Herter (of Waseca, Minnesota fame) books (Herter's Outdoor Store), and if you know of him, he is quite the story teller.
The lead in to an article I wrote many years ago gives some history, but I'm drawing a blank on the source... and I believe it is Herter.
"The origin of this famous soup is unknown. There are two stories about the first request of this soup in the Senate. Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho and Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota are both linked to the first request to serve the soup. The Dubois version has mashed potatoes added as a thickener. The recipe served in the Senate today does not include mashed potatoes."

Everyone claims to have a recipe for “Senate Bean Soup”. The core of this recipe is from the famous Belgian cook Jean Debruyn and is prepared every day in the U.S Senate Restaurant. About 4 servings. My optional ingredients are included.

SENATE BEAN SOUP
2 cups dried Great Northern (or Navy) beans, pre-soaked in water overnight, then drained.
2 quarts water
2 smoked ham shanks (or smoked ham hocks or ham bone with some meat left on)
1 medium onion - diced
2 green onions (with tops) - diced
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (only use this if you want extra smokey beans)
¼ cup butter (or 1/8 cup of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil) I use much less butter than this.
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic – crushed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon summer savory (optional)
1 teaspoon epazote (optional)
salt to taste. Add the salt at the end, otherwise the beans will be tough.
Garnish with chives or chopped parsley.

COOKING METHOD
Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until browned. Put the beans and the water into a large pot or dutch oven. Add the onions, ham, bay leaf, pepper, garlic and liquid smoke and optional spices. Cover and boil gently until the beans are tender. The beans can be cooked in the oven, just be careful to adjust and monitor the temperature (250 to 300 degrees) to maintain a gentle boil. Add a little more water if needed. As the beans become tender, add salt to taste.

Remove the ham and shred the meat, then return to soup. For a heartier and thicker ham and bean stew simply add more ham and cook down the broth. If the beans become too thick during this stage of cooking, add chicken broth (not water) to thin.

 

[smokerjim]

sure looks good from here!

 

[ofelles]

Oh boy, I have to ask.... what is your recipe? I love this recipe and make it often, usually with double smoked hocks from the store.

Here ya go, it is a modified CooksCountry.Com recipe

Senate Navy Bean Soup
Yield: 6- 8 servings

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 1 pound Dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
• 8 about cups ham & chicken stock or chicken stock and water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or bacon fat or lard)
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 celery ribs, chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 whole cloves (Use whole cloves because ground cloves turn the soup an unsightly gray color.)
• 2-12oz smoked ham hocks
• 2 pounds smoked ham, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 8-16 ounces russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼" pieces
• 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preparation:

1. In cold water in a large container add beans and soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Later or the next day; insert cloves into skin of 1 ham hock. In a large stock pot add 8 cups chicken broth and water to just cover ham hocks and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, covered with lid slightly ajar for 1½ hours.
3. Drain the beans and add to pot and then simmer uncovered until beans are tender, 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally and watching liquid level. Save soaking liquid to add to beans if needed.
4. Meanwhile; heat oil in skillet oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and celery then cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion mixture to stock pot.
5. Stir potatoes into soup and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes; remove pot from heat. Transfer ham hocks to cutting board and let cool slightly. Discard cloves then shred meat, discarding bones and skin.
6. Using potato masher, gently mash beans and potatoes until soup is creamy and lightly thickened 10 to 20 strokes. (see note) Add ½ tsp pepper, chopped ham, and shredded hock meat to pot and return to simmer over medium heat to warm the meat up. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt (very carefully because of hocks) and pepper to taste. Serve.
   Note: The finished texture of the soup should be creamy but not too thick. Use whole cloves because ground cloves turn the soup an unsightly gray color.