American Style Brown Sugar Glazed Holiday Ham From Charcuterie

The Cen-Tex Smoker

This recipe is from: Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn. You should all own this book if you are at all interested in brining, smoking, curing and using your egg to it's full potential. Great book.

This is the ham I did last year for Thanksgiving and I'll never go back to store bought again. It was destroyed in minutes.

The Brine:

1 Gallon (4 liters) of Water

1.5 cups (350 grams)  Kosher Salt

2 packed Cups (360 grams) packed dark brown sugar

1.5 ounces (42 grams) pink salt

1 12-15lb fresh ham (skin and aitch bone removed)

The Glaze:

1.5 packed cups (270 grams) Dark Brown Sugar

3/4 cup (185 ml) dijon mustard

1 tbsp (20 grams) minced garlic

The Cook:

1) Combine all brine ingredients into container large enough to hold the ham. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Submerge ham in the brine and weigh it down to keep it completely submerged. let is soak for 6-8 days (half day per lb/450 grams).

2) Remove the ham and rinse under cool water, pat dry. Place it on a rack to dry in the fridge for 12-24 hours

3) Hot smoke the ham at 200 degrees for 2 hrs (I used apple wood)

4) meanwhile mix the brown sugar, dijon, and garlic in a bowl until smooth. Brush the ham with the glaze (reserve the rest) return the ham to the smoker and smoke until it reaches 155F (68c).

5) Remove the ham from the smoker and brush with remaining glaze. Allow to cool and refrigerate.

6) To serve, slice and sere cold or reheat in 275F oven until warm to the center..We rewarmed and it was fantastic.

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And here it was 5 minutes later

Village Idiot

Thanks Centex !!!  I think I'll have to get the butcher at HEB to order one.  I bet they don't sell them normally.

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Village Idiot said:

Thanks Centex !!!  I think I'll have to get the butcher at HEB to order one.  I bet they don't sell them normally.

I got mine at whole foods downtown last year. They cut it to order off the hind quarter and had a bunch in stock. I'm headed down there in  few to grab one. I'll let you know what they have.

You will love this ham.

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If you don't have pink salt, Academy carries it this time of year. It's on the aisle with all the jerky/sausage/deer processing stuff. It super cheap and I'm going to go clean them out this afternoon. If I get there before you, I'll hold a bottle for you. If for some reason they are out, I have a pound that I bought on line. I'll gladly share some with you.

We are making bacon every week now so I go through a bit of it.

DMW

That book is on my wish list. Thanks for the notes on it, helps move it to front of the line.

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DMW said:

That book is on my wish list. Thanks for the notes on it, helps move it to front of the line.

Just get it for Christmas or earlier. I've used it dozens of times in the year I've had it. You will never regret having this book. By far the cookbook I use the most.

lakewade

Thanks.  We did a test run turkey on the egg a few weeks back and it was great.  I'm going to try this too and add them both into the holiday rotation (if I can pull this off that is - the turkey was epic).  All these years frying turkey for me has been the go to - this year it's smoked.  Nice cook dude.

Powderhound

Nice layout!  Can you please explain how you used the egg to make this ham?  I am assuming indirect.  Also, what do you mean by hot smoked with the applewood?  Thanks! 

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lakewade said:

Thanks.  We did a test run turkey on the egg a few weeks back and it was great.  I'm going to try this too and add them both into the holiday rotation (if I can pull this off that is - the turkey was epic).  All these years frying turkey for me has been the go to - this year it's smoked.  Nice cook dude.

I have all the pink salt etc. come on down and I'll get you set up.

DMW

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

DMW said:

That book is on my wish list. Thanks for the notes on it, helps move it to front of the line.

Just get it for Christmas or earlier. I've used it dozens of times in the year I've had it. You will never regret having this book. By far the cookbook I use the most.

SWMBO was doing an Amazon order tonight and asks me wasn't there a book you wanted? Its on the way, early Christmas gift.

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@dmw- score. You will love it.

@powderhound- I used the egg to do all the hot smoking of the ham. I smoked it at 200 degrees indirect with apple wood chunks. 

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lakewade said:

Thanks.  We did a test run turkey on the egg a few weeks back and it was great.  I'm going to try this too and add them both into the holiday rotation (if I can pull this off that is - the turkey was epic).  All these years frying turkey for me has been the go to - this year it's smoked.  Nice cook dude.

How did you do the turkey? let's have a beer and discuss this week. I have all that lump from the pallet buy we did coming in wed or thursday so I'll bring some down to the casa and we will solve problems. You here this week?

lakewade

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

How did you do the turkey? let's have a beer and discuss this week. I have all that lump from the pallet buy we did coming in wed or thursday so I'll bring some down to the casa and we will solve problems. You here this week?

Yes - this week is good.  Turkey:  Brined it and then smoked it in the egg.  It was outstanding.  Talk to you soon.

Eggcelsior

lakewade said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

How did you do the turkey? let's have a beer and discuss this week. I have all that lump from the pallet buy we did coming in wed or thursday so I'll bring some down to the casa and we will solve problems. You here this week?

Yes - this week is good.  Turkey:  Brined it and then smoked it in the egg.  It was outstanding.  Talk to you soon.

Jesus, get a room you two!

BigWader

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

And here it was 5 minutes later

What I don't understand about the process from Charcuterie - and maybe you know why- but most ham recipes I have seen recommend/encourage/say you must inject the brine around the bone, and even then, let it sit in brine for a longer period of time. 

Obviously your ham turned out great and was fully cured to the bone so I'm wondering why it others are so adamant about injection around the bone?

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89979/from-hog-leg-to-easter-ham

 

 

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BigWader said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

And here it was 5 minutes later

What I don't understand about the process from Charcuterie - and maybe you know why- but most ham recipes I have seen recommend/encourage/say you must inject the brine around the bone, and even then, let it sit in brine for a longer period of time. 

Obviously your ham turned out great and was fully cured to the bone so I'm wondering why it others are so adamant about injection around the bone?

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89979/from-hog-leg-to-easter-ham

 

 

wish I could tell you but this is the only one I've done so I don't have any other reference. I trust the book so I just follow what they say to do. I can tell you it was by far the best ham I've ever had and it was fully cured with no injecting

Hoov

How difficult was this process? I'm thinking about doing it, but I've never cured anything before.

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Hoov said:

How difficult was this process? I'm thinking about doing it, but I've never cured anything before.

If you can pour water in a container, you can do this. It's not hard, it just takes time for the brine to do it's work.

SmokeyPitt

Thanks for the inspiration Cen-Tex.  That looks amazing.  It does sound pretty simple- just takes some time and planning. 

Hoov

What kind of container did you use for the brine? It would have to be pretty large, but still fit in the fridge, right?

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I did it in a giant zip lock brine bag and used a cooler with ice out in the garage. I don't have a spare fridge at the moment but the cooler worked perfectly. Changed ice once in the week it was in there

Searat

Picked up the book this weekend while I was out wine tasting. Looks real interesting. Thanks for flagging the recipe.

Hoov

Thanks for the info Cen-Tex.

DMW

I just picked up one of these:

http://www.thebriner.com/

I plan to use it for my turkey, but also to soak my bacon after rinsing before smoking.

Nsdexter

The book is easily and readily available to download for free, I heard ...

Hoov

Just called the local butcher. Picking up a 20 lb fresh ham on Wednesday! I checked Academy for pink salt...but they are out. Going to check again on Wednesday I guess.

SmokeyPitt

I found this on Amazon.  Not sure how the price compares.  If you have prime it will get to you in a couple of days.  

http://www.amazon.com/D-Q-Curing-Salts-Pink-Salt/dp/B0050IM4MY

Hoov

Thanks @SmokeyPitt I have prime, so I think I will order this. I have some reading to do, as I still have no idea what the pink salt does.

DMW

@Hoov The pink salt keeps the nasties from growing. Also, the pink color is added so you don't confuse it with regular salt.

Hoov

@DMW thanks. I just ordered some with amazon prime. Should be here the same day the ham is ready to be picked up. Now I need to find some enormous ziploc bags.