Smoked Ham
Smoking ham is easy, deeply satisfying, and the flavor will absolutely WOW you!
Ingredients
- 7 pound fresh bone-in ham , rinsed under cold water (see blog section above: "Select a Ham") NOTE: If selecting a ham with the skin on, cut a criss-cross pattern into the skin about 1/2 inch deep
- FOR THE BRINE:
- 6 quarts cold water , divided in half
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Prague powder (curing salt #1)
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- FOR THE GLAZE:
- 1 batch Brown Sugar Glaze (click link for recipe)
- FOR THE RUB (Optional - see NOTE):
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- wood chips (popular choices included maple, pecan, hickory, and apple)
Instructions
- To make the brine: Place half of the water and the remaining brine ingredients in a large stockpot that's big enough to fit your ham and deep enough to allow the ham to be fully covered by the brine. Alternatively you can use any clean bucket.Bring the brine to a boil and stir until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Turn off the heat. Pour in the remaining water to cool down the brine and then let it cool completely.Place it in the brine and ensure that it is completely submerged under the brine. If it keeps floating to the top, weigh it down. Cover and refrigerate. Let the ham cure for 7 days. Once the curing period is over, remove the ham from the brine, thoroughly rinse it under water, then blot the ham with paper towels and place on a rack to continue drying in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or overnight.Optional: At this point you can apply the rub to the ham if you wish.
- Prepare your smoker according to manufacturer instructions and get it to a temperature of 250 degrees F.Place the ham in the smoker. Plan on about 4-5 hours but start checking for doneness sooner. Add about one cup of wood chips roughly every 45 minutes throughout the smoking process or less frequently for a milder smoke flavor. Smoke the ham until it reaches an internal temperature between 130-140F (use an instant read thermometer). It's now time to apply the glaze.Once the ham reaches an internal temp between 130-140 degrees, apply some of the glaze.Brush the ham all over with a coating of the glaze.After 20-30 minutes brush the ham all over with some more of the glaze until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.Periodically check the internal temperature towards the end so that you do not exceed 165 F.
- As soon as the internal temperature reaches 165 F, remove the ham from the smoker and wrap it in aluminum foil.Place the wrapped ham in a warm place to let rest until ready to serve. At this point you can also let it cool completely, refrigerate, and then gently reheat in the foil when ready to serve.Slice the ham against the grain in 1/4 inch slices and serve with the remaining glaze.
Notes
Do I Need to Apply a Rub? The brine will infuse the ham with flavor as it slowly penetrates the ham over the course of a week. For this reason using a rub later on is somewhat redundant. Plus, unlike the brine, the flavors from the rub will not penetrate into the meat while it's smoking, they will simply remain on the surface. You can still apply a rub if you wish but it isn't necessary. Between the brine, the smoke and the glaze, your ham will be wonderfully flavorful!
How to Smoke a Pre-Cooked Ham: See blog post
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