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smoked ham

Holiday Ham Recipe

James Brown
This Holiday Ham is brined for three days with warm spices and citrus, salt-cured overnight, and slowly smoked over apple wood. 
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Servings 16
Calories 2138 kcal
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Prep Time 4 days
Cook Time 10 hours
Total Time 4 days 12 hours

Ingredients
  

  • 26 lbs raw ham, the rear hind leg of a hog/piggy
  • 4 lbs Ice

The Brine

  • 2 tbsp Cardamom seeds 
  • 3 tbsp Fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp Dried rosemary
  • 1 tbsp Celery seed powder
  • 3 tbsp Black peppercorns
  • 4 Orange peels
  • 6 Turkish bay leaves
  • 3 sticks Cinnamon
  • 4 cups Kosher salt
  • 3 cups Turbinado sugar

Salt Cure

  • 3 tbsp Distilled Vinegar
  • 3-4 cups Kosher salt (or enough to fill cover the whole ham skin)

Dijon Bourbon Glaze

  • 2 cups Dijon
  • 1 cup Honey
  • ⅔ cup Brown sugar
  • ½ cup Hot sauce
  • ½ cup Bourbon

Instructions
 

  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the cardamom, fennel, rosemary, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Toast for 4–6 minutes.
  • Fill a large pot with 4–5 gallons of water. Add the toasted spices, celery seed powder, kosher salt, and turbinado sugar.
  • Bring to a light boil for 6 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.
  • Add a bag of ice to a large cooler and pour in the cooled brine. Add the ham and enough water to completely cover it. Add another bag of ice.
  • Seal the cooler and brine the ham for 3 days, adding ice daily as needed to keep it cold.
  • Remove the ham from the brine and place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Let it sit for 2 hours.
  • Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern. Rub the surface with distilled vinegar, then completely cover the skin with kosher salt.
  • Refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
  • Remove the ham from the refrigerator and wipe away as much of the salt as possible.
  • Preheat the smoker to 250°F with apple wood. Place the ham on a wire rack in the smoker with a drip pan underneath and a water pan nearby.
  • Smoke for 8–10 hours, or until the ham reaches 165°F internally.
  • When the ham reaches 150°F, combine the Dijon mustard, honey, bourbon, hot sauce, and brown sugar in a saucepan.
  • Simmer the glaze over medium heat for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 6–8 minutes.
  • Brush the ham generously with glaze. Cook for 20 minutes, then apply another coat.
  • Cook for another 20 minutes, then remove the ham from the smoker.
  • Place the ham on a wire rack over a baking sheet and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Rest for 1 hour.
  • Slice against the grain and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 2138kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 160gFat: 124gSaturated Fat: 44gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 58gCholesterol: 457mgSodium: 58629mgPotassium: 2232mgFiber: 2gSugar: 70gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 144mgIron: 8mg
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