I smoked a fresh ham for Christmas day. It was delicious. I bought a 22 lb fresh ham from a local country butcher shop not cured or smoked, right off the pig. It didn't have the skin on and there was very little fat. Less than a half inch of fat on the outside. I had the butcher cut it in half and I froze half for Easter.
I brined the other half for 6 days using 2 C salt, 1 C sugar, and 2 Tbs Cure #1 from Con Yeager in 2 gal of water. I kept it in a 20 quart pot in the fridge making sure it stayed under 40 degrees F. I was going to smoke it for Christmas eve but I tasted it before I smoked it and it was way too salty. I read in a book on curing meat that you should always taste it before cooking it because that's the only time you can fix it. To taste it take a thin slice from the face of the ham and cook it in frying pan. To fix it, I soaked it in water for 1 day changing the water about 4 times. When I tasted again it on Christmas day morning it was perfect.
I smoked it in my CS50 set at 225 for 6 1/2 hours until it was 170 degrees. I used 3 chunks of wood. Everyone said it was delicious.
I think I used too much salt for the brine. For Easter I will try 1 C salt, 1/2 C sugar, and 1 Tbs Cure in 2 gallons of water for 6 days again. Anyone have any suggestions?
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