Entertaining a crowd and showing off our new smoker was key when we decided smoking a green ham would be a great alternative.
Hosting a family gathering for about 25 people, we didn’t want to smoke the same ol’ pulled pork – although our family loves our version.
We decided to smoke a “green-ham; a ham, usually the entire hind leg section of a pig, NOT cured, nor pre-cooked.
Typically, a green-ham is placed in a brine for an extended period of time; however, due to the difficulty of locating a green-ham (it took us two days), we injected our pork.
Vaughn Packing Company has a huge selection of beef and pork.
Injecting a Green Ham
After much research for ham injections, we discovered it was ideal, to treat a green ham, much like you prepare and smoke a pork shoulder. This is enough for an 18 1/2 lb ham.
Injection Recipe:
2 cups apple juice
2 cups water
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup table salt
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Immediately, we put the ham in a cooler, with ice, as soon as we got home.
On the evening of the cook, we removed the ham from the cooler and injected it around 7 PM.
After injecting, we covered it with foil, placed in a tray, and sat outside. It was 30º outside.
Meanwhile, the Stump Smoker was started….see Doug’s FaceBook Live broadcast
Dry Rub for the Green Ham
Since our family is familiar with our “home-cook” pulled pork, we used our Butt Rub Improved recipe.
Which is commercially available Butt Rub with a few added ingredients, courtesy of Smokin J’s Barbeque; a good mix of heat and sweetness.
We applied our rub at approximately 9 PM.
See Doug’s FaceBook Live broadcast of applying the rub to the ham
Heat the smoker to 235ºF. for two hours.
We put the ham in the smoker. We added peachwood and one yellow onion to the ash compartment, at 10:50 PM.
The smoker stayed a consistent temperature all night long.
At 5:30 AM, after smoking for approximately 6 1/2 hours, we removed and wrapped the ham in aluminum foil.
The ham was a beautiful bronze color.
We placed the ham back in the smoker and continued smoking until 1 PM.
After approximately 14+ hours of cooking, it reached 190ºF.
Remove the ham from the smoker; pull the foil slightly back, and allow steam to escape.
Place the ham in an insulated cooler to rest for an hour. Ideally, it should rest for an additional 1/2 hour.
Delicious Green Ham Results
We brought the ham inside; sliced and some shredded, much like a picnic butt.
We could not believe the intense smoke ring on the ham.
The meat was tender and retained some moisture from the long cook.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PREPARING FOR A DINNER PARTY!
Smoked Green Ham
Equipment
- Gravity Fed Smoker
Ingredients
For the ham injection
- 2 cups apple juice
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup table salt
- 3 Tbsp Soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 18 lb Green Ham
- 1 - 2 cup dry rub
Instructions
For the Injection
- Mix the apple juice, water, sugar, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, and soy sauce in a large bowl.
- Inject the ham with the mixture and refrigerate.
- Prepare your smoker.
- Just before cooking, remove the ham from the refrigerator and apply a liberal amount of rub all over the ham.
- Heat the smoker to 235ºF and place the ham inside the smoker.
- After 6 - 6 1/2 hours of smoking, remove the ham and completely wrap with foil. Place the ham back inside the smoker for an additional 7 - 8 hours.
- Ham needs to reach 190ºF before removing from the smoker.
- Remove from the smoker and carefully pull back the foil slightly to allow steam to escape from the ham.
- Place in an insulated cooler and allow to rest for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove from cooler, slice, chop, or cube for serving.
