I've tried Meathead's ham smoking method and it worked fine, but the smoke really didn't penetrate the meat much. I'm also not a fan of spiral sliced hams, because the slices get too dry for my liking.
So, I experimented with a butt portion ham using some of Meathead's tricks and some ideas of my own. I soaked the ham in water overnight like I would do with corned beef to reduce salt. For preparation, I trimmed off the outside fat and the 'factory bark', made some cuts into the meat and applied MMD rub. I figured the cuts would allow more smoke to be absorbed into the meat, and to help build up some bark during the cook.
I have a Camp Chef Smoke Vault gas smoker I've really grown to like lately, but any smoker could be used. I put some chunks of cherry roots in the chip pan and preheated to about 350 to get the smoke rolling. Of course, when I opened the smoker to put the meat on, the temperature drops quickly. Then, I reduce the heat to about 250-275 so the meat gets a chance to get some bark. I let it cook for an hour, then raised the temperature to about 350 to reach a good internal temperature, about 135.
The finished product took on a whole new flavor for ham. The smoke flavor was definitely improved (and fresher tasting). The bark is great and the meat was not dried out at all.
My wife and daughter were not crazy about ham until I tried this. They rave about it. It's worth a try, right?
So, I experimented with a butt portion ham using some of Meathead's tricks and some ideas of my own. I soaked the ham in water overnight like I would do with corned beef to reduce salt. For preparation, I trimmed off the outside fat and the 'factory bark', made some cuts into the meat and applied MMD rub. I figured the cuts would allow more smoke to be absorbed into the meat, and to help build up some bark during the cook.
I have a Camp Chef Smoke Vault gas smoker I've really grown to like lately, but any smoker could be used. I put some chunks of cherry roots in the chip pan and preheated to about 350 to get the smoke rolling. Of course, when I opened the smoker to put the meat on, the temperature drops quickly. Then, I reduce the heat to about 250-275 so the meat gets a chance to get some bark. I let it cook for an hour, then raised the temperature to about 350 to reach a good internal temperature, about 135.
The finished product took on a whole new flavor for ham. The smoke flavor was definitely improved (and fresher tasting). The bark is great and the meat was not dried out at all.
My wife and daughter were not crazy about ham until I tried this. They rave about it. It's worth a try, right?
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