easter ham q's

reader40

for all my ham smokers out there...i followed egret's ham recipe and it was phenomenal.

I did run into, in my opinion, a problem. i bought a sprial and and followed directions. after about 1.5hrs i cam back home to find the ham at about 300 degrees and the flat peice was a decent amount burned and the further in you went was dry at the top an moister towards the bone. i pulled after 5 hrs.

I think it still turned out great but after seeing some pics, i know initially the thermometer on my medium was hitting the ham, so adjusted. and i think that first 1.5hrs or so was just too hot and even though indirect just worked against me.

For some of you guys, i noticed a wonderful carmel color on your hams and the glazing didn't seem like it burned. my glaze looked more like bark.

Could just me my noviceness coming through.

Any thoughts? i think the temp just did me in and was thinking that the next time i make it i would try and pay more attention and possibly wrap in foil after a couple hrs to help ensure that it deosn't burn.

WHat do you all think?

stike

was there anything between the ham and the fire? a barrier/ foil, platestter, firebrick, pizza stone... anything like that? or were you actually 'grilling' it?

when you say the 'ham was at 300', do you mean the ham temp, or dome temp?

reader40

it was on a plate setter and the dome was up to 300.

I think the fire just go t a little too hot.

Grandpas Grub

 
Usually the spiral cut hams are ready to eat and just need heating. A 10# ham would take about 2.5 hours to heat (and add some smoke flavor). I usually cook at 350 dome. Cooking too long will dry the ham out which will manifest by the sprial cuts separating and looking almost over cooked (beginning to curl).

I am guessing you just cooked it to long. There will be re-heating instructions for the over, just use those same instructions for cooing int he egg.

If your thermometer was touching or within 2 inches of the ham your temperature was mostly reading wrong.

If you see the bark developing too much on any cook and you feel it will over develop then just loosely 'tent', the meat. You will get a nice cook and a good flavor. Foiling will somewhat steam the meat and prevent further absorbing of smoke.

GG

fishlessman

i find those difficult to reheat unless i add liquid to the pan and bast often. ill actually lay it side ways and rotate and baste in a pineapple, brown sugar, honey etc flavored juice. they just dry out too quickly if your not paying attention

PA Dutch Egger

I have used egret recipe without a problem in the past
i have dome temp at 250 and if the recipe with the ham calls for 350 whatever the time they figure it will take should take roughly 2 times that at 250
mever had a problem with burning the glaze using those times

stike

300 isn't too hot. mine was at 300 for an hour at then end.

you had lots of exposed sugar in the rub, probably from the start maybe? that would explain any blackening

as for too dry... the spiral sliced hams can dry out quickly. don't they advise heating in foil first? been a while since i did one

reader40

Stike, I probably should have paid more attention to the directions on the ham itself now that you say that.

Thank you guys for the info. i think i know what to do for the future and despite the "setbacks" it sure did come out good.