How Do I Smoke Ham in a Smokehouse with Wood?

Nothing tastes quite as delicious as a well-smoked ham.

The practice of salting and smoking meats has a long history in all parts of the world as a way of preserving the meat for future enjoyment. Romans learned the art of smoking meat from the Greeks. Native Americans smoked meat inside a tepee before the arrival of Columbus by hanging it in the top of a tent and building a fire below. In modern times the FDA stresses proper selection and handling of meat throughout the preservation process to avoid developing any bacteria, mold, or yeasts.

Things You'll Need

• Aromatic smoking wood
• Ham
• Hardwood
• Hickory, mesquite or kosher salt
• Brown sugar (optional)
• Cracked pepper
• Maple powder
• Twine

Instructions

1. Choose your smoking wood. There are a lot of options available, hickory and mesquite being very popular. Other tasty matches for ham include apple, cherry, maple, and pecan. You'll need approximately 150 cubic inches of wood chips for every four hours of smoking. Soak this wood for two hours before adding it to the smokehouse coals.

2. Rub the entire ham with salt or a mix of salt and sugar, using a ratio of twice as much salt to sugar and put it in the refrigerator. You need about one ounce of this mix. Treat the ham three times over three days with it.

3. Build the fire for the smokehouse using hard, dry wood. Let it burn for several hours until it has red coals throughout. Add the soaked smoking wood to this foundation. Keep this fire small and well managed, maintaining a temperature of about 90-100 degrees in the smokehouse. Add fresh wood as needed.

4. Take the ham from the refrigerator and rinse it. Cover the exterior with cracked pepper and maple powder. Wrap the ham with twine, crisscrossing it with a loop at one end suitable for hanging. Put the ham in the smokehouse and leave it for 48-72 hours. Remove it and cool. Portion, wrap, and freeze the meat.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep the temperature of your smokehouse as consistent as possible for the best results.

• Your ham is smoked; it is not cooked completely. Take proper safety measures and cook the meat thoroughly before consumption.

References

• University of Minnisota Extension: Processing Meat in the Home
• National Center for Home Preservation: Curing and Smoking Meats
• University of Missouri Extension: Country Curing Hams
• The Farm: Small Smokehouse
• Smoking Meat Encyclopedia

Resources

• "Meat Smoking And Smokehouse Design"; Stanley Marianski; 2009.