Smoking a "Green" ham, first try: FAIL!!!

JazzmanK

After consulting many of your expert posts on how to do a ham from "scratch" using an uncured "green" ham.  I followed the recipe, and cured the 13.5 pound pork leg for a week.   Today I smoked it over apple wood for six hours.  I learned many things.

1.  Curing a ham is slow process that takes a lot of space in the fridge and can frustrate the Mrs!
2.  I must have screwed up somewhere, because the outside of the ham was WAAAAAAY TOO SALTY, and the inside was not salty at all.  The inside tasted like good port roast, but it sure wasn't ham. I think injection and a shorter cure may be a better way to go if I ever try this again (I probably won't!!)
3.  My dogs love the ham bone, and the overly salty outsides of the ham. I guess it wasn't a complete failure:  the dogs love me!!
4.  The flavor was ok, but not worth the work for this recipe.
5.  I like the new hardwood pattern that I used in the heat box.  It kept the smoke even for the entire six hours.  Next time I will put a bit more wood near the center to concentrate the smoke during the first two hours.
6.  I cooked the meat to an internal temperature of 157, bit the outside was a bit over done, and the center was undercooked.  Frustrating!!
7.  I love the rub I put on the ham before smoking:  spicy dijon mustard rubbed on the ham, course black pepper, garlic powder.  (And I don't even like mustard!!) 

So I call this one a $55 education session.  My wife is already talking about making ham soup out of the good parts that we cut out of it.  So I guess it would be a C- to a D, but not quite a fail.  On to the next experiment.  

SGH

Sorry to hear that your ham did not turn out to your liking. After reading your post carefully, I see a few things that may have caused your disliking. That said, it would take volumes of typing to retort the above. If you are interested in making a red ham from a green ham, I will be more than glad to talk you step by step through the process. To me, a home cured ham is outstanding when done proper. They are well worth the effort. That said, I will be tied up tomorrow at my BIL's funeral. Any day after that feel free to give me a call and I will gladly help you in any way that I can my friend. If interested, my number is: 228-627-5400. Name is Scottie.

NPHuskerFL

Not sure what wet cure recipe you used. Mine was 17.5# and was in the cure just over 11 days (skin off). Rinsed well, patted dry, covered and placed in refrigerator another two days and smoked at 190℉ or so with no rub. Glazing applied toward the last 1 hour and got IT of 150℉. Do you have pics. To remove salt after cure multiple rinses in fresh water would be a solution. @nolaegghead‌ and I spoke briefly and this is good advice (thanks ). Same goes with most charcuterie if I'm not mistaken.

fiver29

Just curious.  You say you cured it.  Did you cure it wet or dry?  A dry cure would produce an overly salty exterior with a pork roast interior.  Ham is supposed to be cured in a wet brine.  Gallons worth.  Last summer I used a brine bag from Williams-Sonoma.  A little pricey.  But I was able to fit the whole thing in a produce drawer for the week.

Also, pork is the other white meat.  That is its natural color.  Nitrates or nitrites gives it the unnatural pink color we are used to.  Works great as a preservative though!

I used Michael Symons recipe.  Message me your email address if you want me to send you a copy.  Its worth another try!!

JazzmanK

Darn, I didn't think to take pictures. I'll remember that for next time.  It looked great.  I did use a "wet brine" type cure.  soaked the ham in the brine for a week in the fridge in the largest tupperware I  have ever seen.  (My grandmother used to put cakes in it.  Fourty + years old, and it still works great!!) 

SGH, thanks for the very generous offer.  I am sorry about your loss.  I have never even had a "home cured ham", so I don't yet know what I am missing.  My mother certainly never tried anything like this!!  If I decide to try again to cure a ham myself, I will take you up on your offer.  I think I had better stay out of the wife's fridge for a few weeks!  I think I will try using an already cured ham, and smoke that on the BGE first.  I want to get the rub, the smoke, the glaze, and the seasoning right first.  Then I will come back around to curing.  Thanks again for your generous offer.  I may still give you a call later in the week. 

SGH

@JazzmanK‌- Feel free to call anytime my friend. Always glad to help in any way that I can.