Fresh Ham Cook Temp?

NautiRogue

I have a 20# fresh ham for an early Christmas dinner this weekend.  I'm currently curing it.  By the time I pull it and throw it on the Egg, it will have been in the brine for a week.  I just flipped it last night to make sure that it gets evenly cured throughout.

My question is regarding cook temp.  I've seen recipes that recommend a higher temp than I was really thinking.  I'm planning on smoking with some maple wood chunks, but the recipes I've seen call for a cook temp of 325 to 350.  It doesn't seem like much smoking is going to happen there!  Is there a reason I'm not seeing low and slow recipes for ham?  I'm thinking 225 to 250.

AlbertaEgger

I cook them at 250, plate setter, legs up. I did several this summer and they turned out great.

DMW

I have one in cure right now about to come out tomorrow as well. Charcuterie recommends 200* until IT of 155*.

NautiRogue

That sounds good to me, @DMW!  Any thoughts on cook time at 200?

DMW

Not sure, this will be my first.

Coastalcooker

NautiRogue
Please let us know how it turns out. This sounds like a good cook for a crowd. I have cooked a picnic and treated it like a low and slow butt. It came out fine, but it was not cured. Also it had more fat than a ham.
Bob

ChuckChampion

Hey Nauti, is this an uncooked ham or has it been pre-cooked?  I figured by fresh you meant that it is a raw ham, but where I live its hard to find any raw hams.  They all come pre-cooked in some form or another.  I've really been wanting to do one, but I have been nervous about trying to smoke a ham that says its already pre-cooked.  Thanks!

NautiRogue

It's a fresh, raw ham.  I had to special order it from my butcher.

I tried a pre-cooked ham on the BGE shortly after I got it last year, and it frustrates me when my wife tells me that it's still one of her favorite things that I've cooked on the Egg.;..  I could have heated up a pre-cooked ham in a toaster oven!  No, the fresh, home-cured ham is what I want to try!

NautiRogue

I'm doing both the ham and a smoked turkey for Christmas dinner this weekend. The plan is to cook the ham first because I have a better idea of the time required for the turkey. Regardless of when the ham is done, it's going into the refrigerator for reheating on Saturday morning. I think I'm going to be safe by starting the ham cook on Wednesday morning.  That'll give me plenty of time to turn the pit over for the Turkey cook on Friday afternoon/evening.

Unfortunately, we have a large family with lots of conflicting schedules this weekend.  My brother-in-law and nephew have to leave at 3:00 to be able to get back to Illinois for a hockey game that evening, so I need to pin-point the timing of this!  The good thing is that my sister-in-law has a flight that won't arrive until it's time for leftovers in the evening, and my son won't get off work until around the same time, so they'll get to have the turkey sandwiches slathered with butter and cranberry sauce!

LBC Dawg

Also doing my 1st fresh ham for Christmas. got a 20 lb'er in the cure right now. will smoke it Christmas Eve. can't wait to try it

NautiRogue

How long are you planning to cure the ham, @LBC_Dawg?  I've seen recommendations from several days to a couple of weeks.

NautiRogue

I put the ham on the smoker yesterday afternoon.

After 18.5 hours, it turned out fantastic with an apricot bourbon glaze!

LBC Dawg

Looks great. Mine wiull come out after 9 days in the cure and i'll smoke it tomorrow. i'm planning to cook it about 250, maybe a little higher depending on time. 

jscarfo

Is Himalayan pink sea salt the same as pink curing salt?

DMW

jscarfo said:

Is Himalayan pink sea salt the same as pink curing salt?

No it is not. Pink Curing salt is also known as DQ Curing Salt, Prague Powder #1 and Instacure #1. Himalayan pink salt is just regular salt with a pink hue. Do not sure Himalayan pink salt in place of curing salt.

Here's one source for curing supplies:

http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=237_12