Ok, Question for the experts

[DATsBBQ]

Just got off the phone with my sis. Told me they bought a 20# hunk of pork and wanted instructions for pull pork. I asked where she got a 20# shoulder? Long story short she got a country ham, uncured.

Any recommendations. Leave skin on? Never done a country ham, there's a song in there somewhere?

[OSD]

In different areas country ham means different things. Is it raw meat? Did it come in a sack? Sometimes country hams are not smoked cured but salt cured. Raw hams are also called green hams and fresh hams.
You can remove the skin, season the meat and then lay the skin back over the ham until almost cooked then take it off. Keeps from drying out the meat. I usually score the skin in a cris-cross pattern, season and then smoke. Makes great smoked ham.

[SteerCrazy]

Just got off the phone with my sis. Told me they bought a 20# hunk of pork and wanted instructions for pull pork. I asked where she got a 20# shoulder? Long story short she got a country ham, uncured.

Any recommendations. Leave skin on? Never done a country ham, there's a song in there somewhere?

never smoked a fresh ham myself, done a cured one before. Here's one from cooks.com

ROAST FRESH HAM

1 fresh ham
1 clove garlic, cut up (or garlic powder)
Salt & pepper
4 sliced onions
2 sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, cut in pieces
Caraway seeds (opt.)
1 bay leaf
1 c. water
1 c. dry wine
3 whole cloves

Score ham. Rub garlic, salt and pepper on all sides well. Put onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf and cloves on bottom of pan. Add water. Lay ham, skin side down, on vegetables.

Roast uncovered at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Baste frequently with pan juice and wine. Turn meat skin side up and roast until done.

Roasting time is about 4 1/2 hours for a 5 pound ham, from the time the meat is put in the oven. Roasting time is 25 minutes per pound, or roast to 185 degrees on a meat thermometer. Baste often with pan juices and wine.


You could probably smoke it at 325* and get the smoke flavor or smoke it lower, probably take 45 min per lb. if she smokes it at 250*

[DATsBBQ]

It's a fresh ham. Brother in Law should be calling me in a few minutes, so I can confirm that. Smoke to an internal of 190 since they won't be pulling?

[SteerCrazy]

It's a fresh ham. Brother in Law should be calling me in a few minutes, so I can confirm that. Smoke to an internal of 190 since they won't be pulling?

185*-190* sounds right

[OSD]

SC, that recipe sounds good. I do think there is a misprint in the roasting times they list. 4 1/2 pounds takes 5 hrs. or 25min per pound. That only comes out to about 1 hr. 50 min. Fresh ham takes about the same time as a pork butt.

[SteerCrazy]

SC, that recipe sounds good. I do think there is a misprint in the roasting times they list. 4 1/2 pounds takes 5 hrs. or 25min per pound. That only comes out to about 1 hr. 50 min. Fresh ham takes about the same time as a pork butt.

I thought about those times but didn't do the math. came from cooks.com not me

[OSD]

I went back and checked my notes on the last fresh ham I did. I smoked it at 250* for 14 hrs. It weighed 16 1/2 pounds and I pulled it at 180* internal.

[DATsBBQ]

Great info guys. He's using a barrel grill. Suggested that he puts coals on the side opposite the tail pipe and ham on the tail pipe side with a drip pan underneath. Tilt the pan if necessary to a build up of fat next to the coals...(fires are no fun and with a 20# ham it could be a big fire )

I've passed along all the suggestions. Suggested that they join the forum and then they can post their questions

[SteerCrazy]

Great info guys. He's using a barrel grill. Suggested that he puts coals on the side opposite the tail pipe and ham on the tail pipe side with a drip pan underneath. Tilt the pan if necessary to a build up of fat next to the coals...(fires are no fun and with a 20# ham it could be a big fire )

I've passed along all the suggestions. Suggested that they join the forum and then they can post their questions

Yeah, and tell 'em don't forget the pics either!

[Big Mike]

Since it is a fresh ham (uncured), it will basically cook like a shoulder.

[bigwheel]

I handle the skin like this. Cook it for a while (3 hrs or so) then skin it. The skin come off like stepping out of an old house shoe. Then rerub the wet spot and cook the ham and skin as separate units. I agree with whoever said 180-185 internal temp since it needs to be tender but sliceable. You start getting to 190 and above it liable to turn to mush and wind up like some of that yankee push pork. Pit temp around 250 should work just fine.

bigwheel