THE ULTIMATE Holiday Ham (Cured, Glazed & Smoked)

Who doesn't love a traditional holiday ham, right? Our main player, the ham, which is essentially the back leg of a pig, has been a staple in holiday feasts for years, not just for its succulent taste, but also for its cultural significance. In many cultures, the ham signifies prosperity and celebration, which is fitting for occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving. However, the world of ham is much more expansive and intricate than you might think. There's a wide variety of hams, including fresh, wet cured, dry cured, smoked, roasted, and glazed ham, and not to forget the culturally specific ones like Spanish Jamon and Country ham. While it might seem daunting, I am here to guide you through creating your own classic American holiday ham, a piece that is not only delicious, but also visually striking. It's a journey that involves curing, drying, smoking, glazing, and carving, but trust me, it's all worth it.

Our technique begins with selecting a whole, fresh ham, not the shank end, not the butt, the whole leg. We'll create a checkerboard pattern by scoring the skin, not only for aesthetics but also for better cooking results. To achieve the ham's signature pink hue and unique taste, we'll be curing it with curing salt, a method of preservation that has been around since the time of the Romans. This curing process takes about a week, with occasional brine injection and mixing to ensure an even cure. After curing, we dry the ham for another 12 to 24 hours to form a protein layer, known as the pellicle, which allows smoke to cling to the meat better. Now comes the exciting part - smoking. We'll transform a standard charcoal grill into a smoke machine, smoke the ham at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours, then glaze it using a mixture of dark brown sugar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, ground clove, and garlic powder. After a few rounds of glazing and smoking, we finish the ham in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit, then let it rest before carving. The total execution time for this recipe is about a week and a half, and it can serve a crowd of 10-12. 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: Enough to feed a large gathering

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THE ULTIMATE Holiday Ham

Ingredients

My Ham Measurements

• Total Ham Weight - 14.5lb (6578g)
• Total Ham Weight (w/o bone) - 10.5lb (4762g)
• Bone Weight - 3-4lb (1814g)
• Water - 4qt (1 gallon) = 3800g * 3 = 11400g
• 5% Salt of water weight = 570g
• 3% Sugar of water weight = 342g
• ***(Salt %) x Water Weight = Total Kosher Salt weight
• ****Use the same equation to calculate Total Sugar Weight
• Pink Salt (.25% of meat weight) - (4762g * .0025) = 11.92 ~ 12g Pink Salt aka Prague Powder #1

Maple-Dijon Ham Glaze

• 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Dark Maple Syrup
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground Clove

Instructions

Smoking the Ham

1. Soak your wood chips in water for about 30 minutes before you plan to start smoking. This will allow them to produce smoke for a longer period of time.
2. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (107 degrees Celsius).
3. While the smoker is preheating, prepare your ham by scoring the surface in a diamond pattern. This will help the glaze stick to the ham and penetrate more deeply for a better flavor.
4. Apply the first layer of your Maple Dijon Glaze to the ham.
5. Once the smoker is preheated, add the soaked wood chips.
6. Place the glazed ham in the smoker.
7. Smoke the ham for about 3 hours.
8. After the first hour, baste the ham with more glaze every 30 minutes. This will help to build a nice crust on the outside and keep the ham moist.
9. After about 3 hours, or when the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), remove the ham from the smoker.
10. Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. This will help the juices redistribute throughout the ham, making it more moist and flavorful.

Maple-Dijon Ham Glaze

1. Combine all the ingredients into a small saucepan.
2. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
3. Whisk the mixture until all the ingredients are fully combined.
4. Continue stirring the mixture over the heat until it starts to reduce slightly. This process should take around 3-4 minutes.
5. Once the glaze has thickened to your liking, remove the saucepan from the heat.
6. Your Maple Dijon Glaze is now ready to use. It can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for future use. If you store it, ensure to give it a good stir before using it again.

Adam's Notes

• I’ve spoken to many amazing professional cooks, chefs and butchers about pink salt and everybody gave me a different answer in terms of how to use it. However one thing was constant - a little goes a long way. Too much of this stuff can be toxic, so take it easy. Less is more.
• A "green" ham refers to a ham that has not been cured or smoked. "Green" ham is just a straight up raw pork leg.

Stuff that I Use:

Meat Injector

Weber Chimney Starter

Apple Wood Chunks

Pecan Wood Chunks

All-Clad Stainless Steel Roasting Tray

"High School" Scale

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