HAM

DR. CHICKEN'S DOUBLE SMOKED HAM

Ham should be a fully cooked or partially cooked ½ shank variety or can be shoulder variety (water added can be used, as long as the water added does not exceed 23% water added product.) If it is pre-smoked with hickory, that seems to work out best. Patti/Jean or Cooks among the best, but other varieties can be used!

Dr. Chicken's Sweet Kiss of Death Injectable Marinade

1 Cup of Good clean water (if your city or well water has an offensive taste, please use bottled water)

1 Cup of light Karo syrup (make sure it is light Karo brand syrup)

1/8 Cup of Amaretto liqueur (use the real stuff it makes a difference)

2 TBS of Watkins brand Butter Pecan extract (this is the only Butter-Pecan extract I could find)

1 TBS of Rum extract (again, I used Watkins because of the better taste than store bought)

1 tsp of Orange extract (this compliments the orange juice concentrate used in the glaze or basting sauce)

1 to 2 TBS Vanilla extract (again, I used Watkins because of taste after the first run)

Directions for blending:

Into a medium size sauce pan add the water, Karo syrup and Amaretto. Stir frequently and heat very slowly to avoid scorching the sugars in the syrup.

Then, add all the remaining ingredients and continue to stir and heat slowly. When the mix looks uniform in color and smooth, remove mix from the stove and allow it to cool to almost room temperature.

Directions for use:

Wrap ham in 2 layers of plastic wrap before starting the injection process.

Using a marinade hypodermic syringe, inject at least 2 fluid ozs. Per pound of meat in a grid pattern through out the entire ham and don't be afraid to use up to 3 ounces per pound of meat.

Continue to inject the marinade into the ham until the entire amount of marinade is injected evenly into the ham.

Cook the ham as shown in the "Double Smoked Ham" recipe. Be sure to you your favorite wood for smoke flavoring.

Do not cook the ham beyond 145° internal to prevent over cooking and drying out the ham.

Glazing Sauce:

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup (use dark grade B real maple syrup if available)(dark grade B has more flavor than grade A)

¼ cup honey

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 – 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp instant coffee granules (use a good brand because it makes a difference)

1 Tbsp dry ground mustard

2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate (a good brand provides better flavor)

Blend all ingredients in a sauce pan with a wire whip and heat slightly until everything combines into a viscous or thick looking sauce.

Cooking instructions:

Score outer skin of ham to a depth of ½ inch in a crisscross diamond pattern. This will allow the glazing sauce to penetrate below the skin, into the actual ham. Place ham (un-glazed) into a shallow roasting pan or roasting rack. If pineapple and cherries are desired on the outside, add them when you start the glazing process. Cook in oven @ 275° – 300° with a loose tent of aluminum foil over the top for 25 to 30 minutes per lb. Baste with glazing sauce the last hour of cooking time and continue to cook until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°. Remove from oven and allow to sit covered for 20 to 30 minutes before carving!

Cooking instructions for outdoor cooking:

 

FORMULA FOR CURING HAMS

For 100 pounds of Ham and/or Shoulders use:

14 cups of salt

4 cups of white sugar

4 tablespoons of saltpeter

4 oz black pepper

1 oz red pepper

2 oz ground cloves (optional)

Mix ingredients carefully and divide into three equal parts. Apply one-third to ham and shoulders which have been closely trimmed and thoroughly chilled. Spread meat on table or shelf. One the third day, brush off the mixture and apply another one-third. After five more days, brush off the mixture and apply the last one-third. Leave hams and shoulders in cure one and a half days for each pound of weight or about 35 days. Do not count days when the weather is very cold.

When taken out of cure, wash off remaining mixture and let meat soak in cold water for two hours. Then hang up to dry before smoking. If not prepared to smoke, a coat of liquid smoke will help some.

Before any danger of skipper flies, hang meat in a paper bag or other tight bags with no meat touching bag. Tie bag tightly about the string or wire by which the meat hangs and apply lime, ashes, or borax in top of bag to keep flies from entering along the wire. If done early, no need for skipper compound.

CHEESY HAM BISCUIT PULL APARTS

1 (16.3 oz) Pillsbury Grands Flaky Layers Biscuits (I used the buttery flavor).
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup diced ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 11 x 7 or 12 x 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat egg and milk with a wire whisk until smooth. Separate dough into individual biscuits and cut each biscuit into quarters. Gently stir biscuit pieces into egg mixture to coat evenly. Fold in ham, cheese, onions and granulated garlic. Spoon mixture into prepared dish, arrange biscuit pieces in a single layer. Baked at 350 for 23 - 25 minutes or until golden brown. You can either cut into squares or just pull apart and serve.

MAPLE-BOURBON HAM*
Maple-Bourbon Paste (recipe follows)
10-12 # cooked, ready to eat ham (bone-in Butt or Shank section)
1/2-1 cup Maple Syrup
Cherry and Apple Chunks
Maple-Bourbon Paste
2 Tbs. pure Maple Syrup
2 Tbs. freshly ground Black Pepper
2 Tbs. Dijon or Honey-Dijon Mustard
1 Tbs. Bourbon
1 Tbs. Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs. Paprika
1 Tbs. Onion Powder
2 tsp. coarse Salt, either kosher or sea salt

The day before smoking, place ham in a pan flat side down. Inject in multiple locations with maple syrup (use more than 1 cup if it will take it). Smear the Maple-Bourbon Paste all over the exposed surfaces (except flat side). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until ready to smoke (You can remove ham from refrigerator up to one hour before cooking). Stabilize egg at 250° with plate setter (legs up) regular grid with raised grid attached. Put 3 or 4 good size chunks of wood on coals, then place ham on raised grid. Cook until internal temperature reaches 140° (this should take about 5 hours).

INJECTOR RECIPE
1 cup of Aunt Jamima Butter flavor syrup
1 cup Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

GLAZE RECIPE
1 cup of Dr. Pepper
1.5 cups of light brown sugar
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Bourbon
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
6-8 whole cloves
2-3 stick of cinnamon
Bring to a boil and simmer till thickened to a syrupy consistency.

DR. CHICKEN'S DOUBLE SMOKED HAM

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (dark grade B has more flavor than grade A)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 -2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate (or orange juice to taste)
Glaze Recipe
 Blend all ingredients in a sauce pan with a wire whip and heat slightly until everything combines into a viscous or thick looking sauce.
Ham Cooking Recipe
This can be done on a grill over indirect heat or in a water smoker or other type of cooker, again over indirect heat or “low & slow” type cooking. Do not tent over ham if done on grill, water smoker or other cooker; as this prevents smoke from penetrating the ham. Place water soaked chunks of mesquite, hickory or pecan in smoker 5 minutes before putting ham in the smoker. If even more smoke flavor is desired, place ham in freezer for 1 to 1 ½ hours prior to cooking to allow outer edges of ham to start to freeze. You don’t want the ham frozen hard. If using a water smoker, fill water pan ¾ full with hot water and add 2 cups of orange, pineapple, or orange/pineapple mix, sweetened grapefruit or apple juice to the water. (all of them act as tenderizer as the steam penetrates the meat.). With smoker temperature maintained at approx 225F, cook for 25 to 30 minutes per lb. until internal temp on the ham shows 135F-140°F After removing from the heat, wrap in foil and it will climb up to approx 145F internally. The ham will retain it moistness and the flavor will go thru out the ham this way. Baste ham with glazing sauce every 10 to 15 minutes during the last hour of cooking time. Glazing compound will burn, so do not start glazing the ham until the internal temp of the ham reaches 120°.
Cooking instructions for the oven:

Score outer skin of ham to a depth of ½ inch in a crisscross diamond pattern. This will allow the glazing sauce to penetrate below the skin, into the actual ham. Place ham (un-glazed) into a shallow roasting pan or roasting rack. If pineapple and cherries are desired on the outside, add them when you start the glazing process. Cook in oven @ 275° - 300° with a loose tent of aluminum foil over the top for 25 to 30 minutes per lb. Baste with glazing sauce the last hour of cooking time and continue to cook until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140°. Remove from oven and allow to sit covered for 20 to 30 minutes before carving!

DR. CHICKEN’S SWEET KISS OF DEATH INJECTABLE MARINADE
1 cup Good clean water (if your water has an offensive taste, use bottled water)
1 cup Light Karo syrup (make sure it is light Karo brand syrup)
1/8 cup Amaretto liqueur (use the real stuff it makes a difference)
2 Tbsp Watkins brand Butter Pecan extract
1 Tbsp Rum extract (again, I used Watkins because of the better taste)
1 tsp Orange extract (this compliments the orange juice concern. used in the glaze)
1½ Tbsp Vanilla extract (again, I used Watkins because of taste after the first run)
Into a medium size sauce pan add the water, Karo syrup and Amaretto. Stir frequently and heat very slowly to avoid scorching the sugars in the syrup. Then, add all the remaining ingredients and continue to stir and heat slowly. When the mix looks uniform in color and smooth, remove mix from the stove and allow it to cool to almost room temperature. Wrap ham in 2 layers of plastic wrap before starting the injection process. Using a marinade hypodermic syringe, inject at least 2 fluid ounces. Per pound of meat in a grid pattern through out the entire ham and don’t be afraid to use up to 3 ounces per pound of meat. Continue to inject the marinade into the ham until the entire amount of marinade is injected evenly into the ham. Cook the ham as shown in the “Double Smoked Ham” recipe. Be sure to you your favorite wood for smoke flavoring. Do not cook the ham beyond 145° internal to prevent over cooking and drying out the ham.