Easter Ham Questions

bmaddox

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Original poster

Jan 5, 2015

1,705

144

Central FL

• Mar 13, 2015

• #1

So I have done Bear's pulled butt ham before with great success. Now I am attempting to try and make a ham for Easter. I don't have enough room in my fridge for an actual "ham" leg so I opted for bone-in, skin on picnic shoulders. I will be curing them in Pop's brine for 2-3 weeks then smoking them a few days before Easter. Here are my questions:

Should I remove the skin or leave it on?

Should I de-bone it prior to curing so the finished product is easier to slice?

I plan on smoking it to about 145 then reheating it in the oven with some glaze to about 150. If time permits, should I double smoke it?

Any advice is appreciated. I know that this is not a traditional ham but I am trying to get as close as possible.

Thanks

 

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP

OTBS Member

Group Lead

Sep 12, 2009

45,279

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Macungie, PA

• Mar 13, 2015

• #2

If you didn't already buy the Fresh Pork, the following is the only Ham we eat. 

We've been buying Double Smoked Hams for many, many years.

I've been Double Smoking cheap store bought Hams for 5 years now & they are the best Hams we have ever had.

Like This:

Double Smoked Hams Times 4         

Simple & Super Cheap, yet unbelievable flavor.

Bear

 

bmaddox

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Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 5, 2015

1,705

144

Central FL

• Mar 13, 2015

• #3

Bearcarver said:

 
If you didn't already buy the Fresh Pork, the following is the only Ham we eat. 

We've been buying Double Smoked Hams for many, many years.

I've been Double Smoking cheap store bought Hams for 5 years now & they are the best Hams we have ever had.

Like This:

Double Smoked Hams Times 4         

Simple & Super Cheap, yet unbelievable flavor.

Bear

Click to expand...

My wife bought the picnics last night. I could always freeze them and use them later down the road but I really wanted to make the ham start to finish from fresh pork (I enjoy the long drawn out process of curing).

 

mdboatbum

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Apr 22, 2011

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Washington, DC

• Mar 13, 2015

• #4

I've done one ham from a picnic shoulder so certainly no expert, but I'll share my experience. I skimmed it thinking it'd take the cure and spices better. I didn't really see any advantage to leaving it on. I didn't debone because I wanted a solid ham. It wasn't too difficult to carve, and I also wanted the smoked bone for beans.

If you don't debone it, Make sure you inject into and around the bone!!
Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

Bearcarver

Gone but not forgotten RIP

OTBS Member

Group Lead

Sep 12, 2009

45,279

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Macungie, PA

• Mar 13, 2015

• #5

bmaddox said:

 
My wife bought the picnics last night. I could always freeze them and use them later down the road but I really wanted to make the ham start to finish from fresh pork (I enjoy the long drawn out process of curing).

Click to expand...

It was just a suggestion. Try mine next time. 

I can't help you with the full smoke way, because mine are so good that I never bothered.

They're even better (a lot) than the Double Smoked Hams we used to buy.

I can very much understand wanting to do your own from scratch.

Bear

 

bmaddox

Master of the Pit

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 5, 2015

1,705

144

Central FL

• Mar 13, 2015

• #6

Bearcarver said:

 
It was just a suggestion. Try mine next time. 

I can't help you with the full smoke way, because mine are so good that I never bothered.

They're even better (a lot) than the Double Smoked Hams we used to buy.

I can very much understand wanting to do your own from scratch.

Bear

Click to expand...

I appreciate the suggestion. I "borrow" a lot of my techniques from your posts so I am always looking to see what your opinions are.

 

twisted minds

Fire Starter

Apr 24, 2014

74

12

Western Wisconsin

• Mar 13, 2015

• #7

I have done picnics for Easter and Christmas for last few years, and I always remove the skin (keep to make pork rinds), I have done with bone in and removed, if you want nice easy slices then de-boning is the way to go and smoke it hanging in a net.  I prefer to double-smoke for the simple fact that I can and it is really tasty, but if time doesn't allow, cooking in oven for dinner service is fine.  They make a really good ham, better than any store bought.