Which Ham do you buy?

We like the Fricks Ham and usually buy the Butt.

Thanks, do you know what type of ham it is? I used to always by Cooks, but when I looked at them real close they were the last two types, both with a lot of water in them.

My preference is the Ham with Natural juices. I'm not sold, Butt vs Shank. Every year I buy one and then say next year I'll buy the other.

i really like the honey baked hams. they good.

quote:

Originally posted by smoke025:
i really like the honey baked hams. they good.

Have you ever smoked your own? I'm all for honey baked, but I like doing my own at home. Nothing wrong with their, just a little pricey.

My wife and daughter love Honey Baked. I smoked a ham earlier this year, and they were the naysayers, wanting to stay with Honey Baked. They wound up loving my smoked version. Can't remember what I bought, but it was an unenhanced resmoke. Tasty.

So far- I've only done 2 hams in my SMO45.
Both were raw hams- not "store bought"
first one wasn't so good- but a good learning experience, 2nd one turned out great- more work with the brining process, but I thought worth the wait.

I usually get either Cooks or the store brand. Either with juices or the water added. Although in the past I haven't smoked mine, I make Alton Brown's City Ham. Been a hit for years, but been thinking of trying to smoke it for the first stage of cooking.

"OK" Ham by definition has been cured by some method. I purchase so called "fresh ham" and smoke it . It is fresh pork, and i treat it like any other large chunk of pig. Brine, inject, and smoke. Why would you do it any other way, unless you cannot get uncured pork?

Like Smokin' says this is getting to be a very tough category.

About a decade ago, Smithfield had picked up over thirty brands,so you tend to get the Smithfield "manufacture" on much of what you buy.

No,not the Smithfield Virginia country ham.Now, the one I received as a gift last year listed so many varieties we couldn't figure out how to cook it.
AS a Kentuckian much of my life,we do cook fine country hams.

Folks in the South tend to cook a lot of hams and tend to buy the shank.

Now,as far as hams being cured by definition,that could be what you see in the grocer's case at Easter.

Ham:
"The back leg of the hog is where we get FRESH, smoked or cured hams. Serrano ham and prosciutto are made from hams that are cured, smoked and then air-dried. Fresh hams are usually roasted, but they can be cut into ham steaks as well."


Memphis in May,the comps of the South, and the largest all pork contests in the country, accept the fresh rearend[ham] of the hawg as the same as the pork shoulder.

In Fl with a Cuban and Puerto Rican population, at the holdays the special order meat shops are stand in line for suckling pigs and the chain grocers are loaded with 20-25 lb fresh hams .

Hmmm.

Like Smokin' says,it would be nice to find good,wellcured hams without special order.

That said,the shank,pumped, store brand city ham is about it.

Cook's which we used to prefer,always recommended shank end.

Most, are cooking several hrs to dry out the extra water and laying on a layer of smoke,before glazing.

We have a locate meat packing company here in central Ar called Petit Jean meats. I try to always buy my pork products from them. Tomorrow is our Thanks Giving dinner and I'm smoking a 16.5# bone in shoulder black pepper ham. I plan to shoot a little maple syrup in it and smoke with pecan. I'm pretty pumped to see how it turns out.

Ah, S&H you bring back memories.

Papa Shaka, a former member who passed away a few years ago, sent me one of those and it was great. I think of him when I pass through that area of Arkansas. He was a good friend.

I'm Smokin a butt not a shoulder. Not sure were my head was it when I posted that.

Smokin, we can be pretty good folks down here in hillbillyville.

I remember Papa Shaka's daughter got him into that bbq and fine ham shop in the shopping center,when he retired from the service and needed something to do.


I guess she closed the shop then?

Im not sure Tom but I'll check into it and let you know. I hate to say I never got to his place. Sounds like I missed a good one.

It was still open after he passed away, don't know if it's still there, haven't been back since last years Smoke on the Water.