150 Lbs of Christmas Hams (pic heavy)

[Phrasty]

Hey Everyone. A couple weeks ago I decided to take on the idea of selling some hams for Christmas. I was planning on just doing 2 cases of leg hams but had to order another case to fill orders we were getting. My fridge was SO full for the past 2 weeks, heard it from the wife quite a bit. But they came out great and they are all gone now! Notes have been taken and hopefully the process will be more streamlined for next year. :becky:

Here is the basic brine I used (minus the spices and secrets :wink: but you know how it is, a little cloves, cinnamon, allspice, bay leaves... :thumb:)

For a 12-15lb ham use:
1 Gallon Water
1.5 cup Kosher Salt
2 cup Brown Sugar
8 tsp Cure #1 (Pink salt)

Add whatever spices & herbs you want (uncrushed) & bring to a boil, stir to dissolve. Let steep & cool to room temp and brine for 2-3 lbs a day (12lb ham = 4-5 days) Then you remove from the brine, wash it off, dry it & smoke + glaze. There you go.

I smoked with almond & lychee & glazed with an apple/guava/pineapple/rum glaze that was unconventional but amazing! I didnt get any shots of the glazed hams cuz it was getting so late I was just too tired and forgot (working all farking day mod). My apologies guys! :doh: Well here are the pics I DO have to share:

Here are the hams I got out the case
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/c2ab2c75.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/496c8a6f.jpg

Skinning & taking out the hip bone
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/1f853447.jpg

soaking in the brine.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/5ada8aa3.jpg

All tied up and injected waiting to go on the smoker
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/3cbff94b.jpg

On the smoker
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/f7754ef3.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/82e8204c.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/72ec80a4.jpg

Ham hocks off (for beans and the likes)
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/5ab6b6e4.jpg

Then the rest of the ham shots
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/e2d3b7bd.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/841ffa15.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/f6ad04db.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/f80d4a95.jpg

OH right... THEN when the hams came off we had to put on a dozen racks of ribs for a gig I had the next day. They went on at about 1 am! Yah was that kinda night/DAY. A LOT of work, but it was fun and for the most part everything went smooth!

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/8f2cc652.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/c7e7647c.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a84/phrasty/2010%20Hams/839432b8.jpg

At the end of the day I did 6 bone-in hams, 6 boneless hams, 12 lbs of ham hocks, 4 small shoulder hams, and 12 racks of ribs. Not too shabby for a days work. :heh::thumb:

So thats all folks! Thanks for looking!

Cheers

[aquablue22]

dang, I'll be right over......That all looks great! Good work.

[bigabyte]

That was magnificent! Nice work!:cool:

[gtr]

Beautiful! I've been wanting to do cure & smoke a ham myself.

If you don't mind my asking, what temp did you smoke at? What internal temp did you take the hams to?

[thomasjurisd]

That looks incredible! You have inspired me....but where to get a whole uncooked ham?

One other question: That ham didn't make any suspcious phone calls or emails aimed at helping it recover funds from a deceased relative did it? :-D

[Phrasty]

Thanks guys, smoked at around 250 and took them to 155 and took them off to coast up to 160.

Cheers

[big brother smoke]

Looks tasty!

[Phrasty]

That looks incredible! You have inspired me....but where to get a whole uncooked ham?

One other question: That ham didn't make any suspcious phone calls or emails aimed at helping it recover funds from a deceased relative did it? :-D

You can get fresh hams easily. Just ask your butcher for the back leg, regular grocers will more than likely carry them as well.

As for your other question I'm totally lost!! :shock::confused::doh: lol If there are funds to recover I'd have to bust a couple more hams to find out! lol

The trick to brining is to find the balance in the brine with the sweet and salt. If your brine tasted way too salty the ham will come out too salty (learned that the hard way).

Cheers

[jasonalan724]

did you inject with the brine, or something else?

[deguerre]

That's all? That's all?!? Jeeze Louise! That's beautiful! Our 19 pounder will be getting a similar treatment except without the pink salt. You have just inspired us, and Redhot says thanks again!

[chillcoolcold]

At the end of the day I did ....

Man that would take me at least a day and a half. And then after the smoker was lit....

[peppasawce]

I did one that was 22 LBS. this past Thanksgiving and I followed the Dizzy Pig Recipe and I am here to tell ya that it was the best Ham I ever tasted, and everyone else that ate off of it said the same...Everyone who is an avid BBQ and Smoked meat Cook should try doing their own Fresh Ham Cure at Home....I took the fat and skin off mine and injected the Brine then I let mine set for 9Days.... And yes those Wives will Razz you about it being in the way, mine did LOL, but I will bet that she was one of the first people to take a piece of Ham....There is nothing like it, plus it is just a plain all out joy!!! Way to go partner you really did it:thumb::clap2::bow::becky:...Got me hongry too!!! Peppa

[peppasawce]

did you inject with the brine, or something else?

The Dizzy Pig guys suggest you Inject with the Brine

[Gore]

Well, yeah, I could probably do that too if I wasn't spending my time shoveling snow ... :rolleyes:. Looks great!

[deguerre]

IAnd yes those Wives will Razz you about it being in the way, mine did LOL, a plain all out joy!!! Way to go partner
Actually, Redhot pretty much insisted we do one.:becky: Of course, I got very lucky.:-D

[qndummy]

Awesome looking cook, that meat looks great. I've never tried to cure and cook a ham before, I just do the Dr BBQ double smoked hams. In fact I'll be doing one of them for Christmas.

[peppasawce]

Actually, Redhot pretty much insisted we do one.:becky: Of course, I got very lucky.:-D

Lucky guys all the way:clap2:

[jeffjenkins1]

That is awesome! Maybe for Easter.

Jeff

[rescue_ranger]

Damn nice Brother!!:clap2:

[Buster Dog BBQ]

Hams look fantastic.

[bluetang]

Now those are some fine looking hams, no wonder they all sold! Ribs ain't no slouch there either.

[42BBQ]

Phrasty!

An inspiration to us all. I love seeing your hand built bad a$$ pit (that I followed religiously during the build) all stuffed full of pork goodness. Love it.

[Phrasty]

did you inject with the brine, or something else?

No I don't inject with the brine, I found out it gets a bit salty. I inject with something sweeter about an hour before it goes. I use some fruit juice & stock that has been raised to a boil with some spices and a little honey to counter the saltiness of the brine.

That's all? That's all?!? Jeeze Louise! That's beautiful! Our 19 pounder will be getting a similar treatment except without the pink salt. You have just inspired us, and Redhot says thanks again!

You guys are most welcome Guerry, I cant wait to see what you & Redhot do with it. I am actually doing a special request ham with no pink salt either. I have never done one before. Very curious to see how it comes out. BTW with your big leg try inject about 10% weight of brine deep into the leg also around the bone to be sure its uniform with the short brining time. :becky:

Well, yeah, I could probably do that too if I wasn't spending my time shoveling snow ... :rolleyes:. Looks great!

What are you talking about? I was freezing here! I think it got down to about 68F. Man, It was cold! :shock::wink::becky: haha no snot here!!


Phrasty!

An inspiration to us all. I love seeing your hand built bad a$$ pit (that I followed religiously during the build) all stuffed full of pork goodness. Love it.

Thanks brother! Yah... I kinda catch myself getting lost staring at it with all that meat on there. She's doing well, need to give her another coat of paint soon. Thanks for the kind words! Hopefully I can get her on a trailer early 2011.

Cheers!

[FattyMac]

Those look Fantastic!!

I have always wanted to do my own ham but never have. Your post may have just inspired me! :idea:

[Moose]

Wow, that is some amazing looking Porkage. You've just inspired me to do my own ham...THANKS!

[deerslayer8153]

Wow, those sound and look great!

About how long did it take to bring that batch in the photo to temp? And, If you don't mind me asking, what do you sell them for?

[abangs]

I have a stupid question. Why did you use twine on the hams? Was that merely to give them a cris-cross effect?? Sorry for the retarded question. My local Kroger has a few of these fresh hams in stock...thinking about picking one of them up....they are stupid cheap....

[Mister Bob]

That's what I call a good day! Beautiful work!

[Bluesman]

No words can describe that........NONE!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap2::thumb:

[Phrasty]

Wow, those sound and look great!

About how long did it take to bring that batch in the photo to temp? And, If you don't mind me asking, what do you sell them for?

Thanks, The largest of the lot took about 10+ hours to reach temp. They didn't all come off at the same time.

I have a stupid question. Why did you use twine on the hams? Was that merely to give them a cris-cross effect?? Sorry for the retarded question. My local Kroger has a few of these fresh hams in stock...thinking about picking one of them up....they are stupid cheap....

I used the twine on the Boneless hams to keep them together. (not a stupid question :thumb:)

Cheers

[Crazy Harry]

That looks amazing. I need to get another refrigerator for brining and things like that.

[blackdog043]

Wow, that all looks so good:thumb:

[leanza]

Now I know why God invented Porkage.

[BigDaddyJT]

Keep it up and you're gonna put Honebake out of business... Nice. Very nice. I just put smoked ham on my TTD list.


JT

[BobBrisket]

WOW! Beautiful. I'd hit it all very hard!

Bob

[keale]

Phrasty, way to go! You put that big cooker to good use! But I think you could have put a couple more hams on that rack! You missed a spot!:-P

[Phubar]

You gotta be kidding me!:shocked:
Phirst thread I read this morning and I get smacked in the Phace like this!

[garyk1398]

WOW.... very nice!!!

[Pa_BBQ]

Looks fantastic, too late to do this for Christmas, but thinking New Years, this thread is getting bookmarked.

Years ago I had some ham that was the best we ever at, a guy selling from a smoker pulled behind his truck. I have never had any, or been able to cook any that matched it. I am willing to bet he did his a lot like this.
Thanks

[Black Dog BBQ]

Very Very Nice! That is a lot of pork! I read your thread on the smoker build the other day. Nice work on that also.

[zippo]

Looks fantastic, too late to do this for Christmas, but thinking New Years, this thread is getting bookmarked.

Thanks

What he said

[che22879]

Those pics look awesome!

[do0d]

Wow looks amazing!

[Alan in Ga]

You do spectacular work Pharsty and I'm sitting here Starving....:clap2:

[Phrasty]

Thanks guys! I've discovered once you have your brine down, it's pretty hard to beat a homemade ham. It's like homemade bacon! I say try it out! It's a slow learning curve (curing time) but the outcome is so worth it!

Cheers