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Twice-Smoked Ham |  |
How & Why to Smoke a Smoked Ham a Second Time
Looking for a special way to cook a big ham for Easter, Christmas and other special occasions? Start with a smoked ham and then, yes, smoke it again. The second smoke transforms an already good ham into something that's smoky-good with perfect texture for serving at room temperature in a buffet or gently rewarmed in the oven for serving hot at the table.
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COMPLIMENTS!
- "... absolutely wonderful!" ~ ToyLady
- "Yummo!! We'll be doing this one again!" ~ LeAnne
- "The twice-smoked ham [was] amazing, if I do say so myself...and I do." ~ Kim
Searching for a Ham, a Very Specific Ham
The story of my obsession with ham, especially Twice-Smoked Ham, begins four years and some 200 pounds of ham ago.
Inspired by a recipe from a food magazine, I went hunting for a Christmas ham, not just any ham, mind you, but the exact one specified in that "preferably" language that recipes use – specifically, "preferably a smoked ham, bone-in, shank end" ham.
My teenage nephew was along for the search. Our first stop was Whole Foods where we found little more than blank stares. “Com’on, Auntie Al. Let’s get a honey-baked spiral ham,” he pressed, already bored with my pursuit.
Plan B, however, was what we "always" serve for Christmas, a beef roast. So off we went to Ladue Market, the only place in St. Louis to buy prime meat, where the butcher counter just happened – get this – to sport a hand-lettered sign, "WE HAVE MILLER HAMS".
Instantly curious, I asked, “What’s a Miller Ham?” Turns out, a Miller Ham is a locally cured ham, smoked. “Could I get the shank end?” Sure! Plan A was back.
The best news came at the check-out when a 15-pound ham cost about the same as maybe two pounds of prime beef. Call me hooked on ham. Since then, I’ve found a place that sells Miller hams for $2 a pound, not $3. Call me really hooked.
Why Smoke a Smoked Ham a Second Time?
Now I love a good baked ham and will share one or maybe two great recipes along the way. But a Twice-Smoked Ham, it’s almost its very own category of ham.
The first difference is in taste. It’s just sooo smoky good, somehow it tastes like what ham is "supposed" to taste like, none of the sugary-sweet business of expensive spiral-cut hams, just real meat, real ham.
The second difference is in texture. The extra time in the smoker removes some of the "wetness" that plagues hams these days. It moves closer to a country ham that’s less wet – although I promise, this ham is as moist as can be. It’s not dry, it’s just not overly wet. While I’ve never tasted a country ham, I think we’ve maybe achieved something akin to a country ham, although more smoky than salty.
Just Look at This Gorgeous Ham!
The first slices of Twice-Smoked Ham are coveted! The smokiness, the moistness, the richness are so enticing, people gather round, ready to snatch the first slices of ham.
Ham 101, a Primer
When I first started buying ham, I found all the terms confusing and couldn't figure out if ham were already cooked or not. So I've put together what I call Ham 101, What to Know Before Buying a Ham, including tips on finding a locally produced ham in your own area.
Buy a B-I-G Ham!
The trick to Twice-Smoked Ham is making sure there is enough for leftovers! You'll want to be sure to save the ham bone to make Ham & Beans but there's also the substantial Ham & Eggs. We're always happy to have lots of leftover ham!
In recent years, we've become enamored with a bone saw, an incredibly thoughtful gift. The meat saw cuts through the ham bone (or bones) for individual ham-bone chunks. It's not "quite" like cutting through butter but almost. More pots of Ham & Beans! And soup! And ...
RESOURCES Wusthoff Bone Saw (affliate link) My Disclosure Promise.
Make Special Ham Even More Special
Hungry Yet?
An Easter Menu
Mini Crab Bites
Herbed Saltines
~ Twice-Smoked Ham ~
(recipe below)
with Spicy Raisin Sauce
Asparagus Whole-Wheat Bread Pudding
(for the vegetarians)
World's Best Green Casserole
Creamy Carrot Purée
Classic Seven-Layer Salad
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables
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Upside-Down Rhubarb Cheesecake
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
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How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If smoking a big ham a second time inspires you, please do save and share! I'd be honored ...
TWICE-SMOKED HAM
Time to table: 24 hours
- 1 large whole smoked ham, skin on, bone in
- Whole cloves, optional
Soak some four-inch hickory logs in water. They should be cut to fit the smoker firebox.
Glaze the ham with a sticky mixture of water, salt and brown sugar, maybe some good mustard. Let dry somewhat and glaze again. Or stick the ham with cloves, not too many, 10 for a little spice, 20 for a lot. Or both. We like both.
Place some charcoal in the firebox and light. Read the paper. The daily is about the right length of time. Put a pan of water in the smoker. Put the ham in the smoker.
Play ball with the grandchildren. After about two hours add a little charcoal. Remember, you are not cooking the ham, you are smoking the ham. Take a nap.
Two hours later, add another log. Go for a walk or to the store or whatever you like to do on a Saturday.
Overnight, try to check the smoke output about every four hours, adding a log and charcoal as needed.
If you are so inclined, go to church on Sunday morning. If not, read the Sunday paper while enjoying a cup or two of coffee. Discuss the news with someone dear to you. Be civil.
As the noon hour approaches, bring the ham inside and let it stand for an hour. With luck, your guests will bring side dishes. If not, you should have planned accordingly. If this is a family occasion, there should be enough children to organize a baseball game. Get the local ground rules straight before the game.
After the game, the ham will be ready to slice and serve.
After dinner, put the bone in a large pot with some beans. Add onion. Simmer a long time. Eat the Ham & Beans on Monday night.
Careful readers will notice a change in "voice", this recipe versus all others. Full disclosure! Count this as the first – and perhaps ever-only – Kitchen Parade recipe I’ve never personally cooked myself. But when your favorite cook (and now husband) is a meat master – on the grill, the smoker, a China box, heavens, even a pit dug in the ground for cooking a whole hog and double heavens, even cooking whole bison three years in a row – it’s smart to let expertise speak for itself. If someone mans the smoker in your life? I suggest passing along the idea.
If you’re smoking one smoked ham, why not smoke two or three? Hams are quite inexpensive, they would make great gifts at Christmas or even Easter. Since ham doesn’t freeze well (unless you're making Easy Ham Salad), choose the size of ham enough for the main meal and leftovers for a few days.
WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 3 & PointsPlus 3 & SmartPoints 3 & Freestyle 3 & myWW green 3 & blue 3 & purple 3 & future WW points
- THE RECIPE Hot Cross Buns Sweet buns traditional for Easter.
- ANOTHER TAKE Armenian Easter Bread The buttery sweet bread called choereg or choreg.
- THE RECIPE Greek Spinach-Asparagus-Potato Gratin (Spinaki me Sparaggia Orgraten) A bit of a production but the best "creamed spinach" ever.
- ANOTHER TAKE Creamy Spinach with Artichokes Spinach artichoke dip meets steakhouse creamed spinach.
- THE RECIPE Carrot Cake Cupcakes Made in the food processor!
- ANOTHER TAKE Old-Fashioned Black Walnut Chocolate Cake A true classic, moist and earthy, studded with black walnuts.
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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.
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I have to say -- as a long-time friend of your Mom's -- that I recall you are the daughter who send not one but TWO Honey-Baked Hams for a reunion in the far reaches of Northern Minnesota. Both were delivered, one day apart, by cab from the airport over 100 miles away. But that was nearly 10 years ago. So this Twice-Smoked Ham must REALLY be good. I am hoping that sometime, somewhere I'll get to taste it. Happy Easter to all.
ReplyDeleteHello dear OCHER friend ~ Thanks for the big laugh. Yes, twas me. But I didn't actually ORDER two honey-baked hams, but when the first was routed through Alabama or somewhere far removed from Minnesota, the company sent another. That was a LOT of ham.
ReplyDeleteLast year, we picked up not one, but two hams right before Easter, which my husband smoked. It doesn't take any more effort to smoke two than one!
ReplyDeleteThey are absolutely wonderful! We took one and just cut it into cubes - packets of that went into the freezer for future soups, ham salad, casseroles . . . and the double-smoked ham bones, well, they made some mighty nice soup (one bean and one split pea)!
ToyLady ~ And here I thought we were being so original! ;-) You're absolutely right about smoking two, I have the idea, too, that at Christmas we should almost 'take orders' to give family members gifts of whole Twice-Smoked hams. Maybe someday!
ReplyDeleteYummo!! We'll be doing this one again!
ReplyDeleteThe twice-smoked ham [was] amazing, if I do say so myself...and I do.
ReplyDeleteHOW LONG DOES A SMOKED HAM LAST IN THE FREEZER?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous ~ So you have a ham that's in the freezer and want to know if it's still good. If so, the standard for cooked meats is about two to three months according to the USDA.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I don't recommend freezing ham if you can help it. The texture really changes and it's just not "ham" anymore, I'm afraid.
I hope this helps!