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I sent out a newsletter last week that included all the details needed to smoke a turkey breast for Thanksgiving, but a Thanksgiving meal isn’t truly complete without smoked ham on the table.
Many people are unaware that while store-bought hams that are pre-smoked and ready to eat are tasty, they can be even better with a little assistance from your personal smoker.
There is a huge difference when you take that ham and smoke it in your own smoker for about three hours. I’m not sure what the factory does to smoke the turkeys or if it’s done chemically.
I’ll walk you through the simple process of turning an ordinary ham into something that will surpass the turkey and every other dish on the Thanksgiving table in this newsletter.
Smoking a ham and turkey together is a great way to save time and effort while enjoying two delicious smoked meats. This guide will walk you through the process, from choosing the right meats to smoking and serving.
Can You Smoke a Ham and Turkey Together?
Absolutely! Smoking a ham and turkey together is not only possible, but it’s also a great way to optimize your smoker and create a delicious feast. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure success.
Choosing the Right Meats
The first step is choosing the right meats. For the turkey, you’ll want a fresh, whole bird that is between 12 and 16 pounds. For the ham, you can choose a pre-cooked spiral-sliced ham or a bone-in ham that you’ll need to cook yourself.
Preparing the Meats
Once you have your meats you’ll need to prepare them for smoking. For the turkey, remove the giblets and neck from the cavity. You can also brine the turkey for a few hours to add flavor and moisture. For the ham if it’s pre-cooked, you can simply remove it from the packaging and score the fat. If it’s uncooked, you’ll need to follow the cooking instructions on the package.
Setting Up the Smoker
Next, you’ll need to set up your smoker. Use indirect heat and aim for a temperature of 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit. Add your favorite smoking wood, such as hickory or apple, to the smoker.
Smoking the Meats
Place the turkey on the top rack of the smoker and the ham on the bottom rack. The ham will cook faster than the turkey, so you’ll need to remove it from the smoker when it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The turkey is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Resting and Serving
Once the meats are done cooking, let them rest for at least 30 minutes before carving and serving. You can serve the turkey and ham with your favorite sides such as mashed potatoes green beans, and stuffing.
Tips for Smoking a Ham and Turkey Together
Here are a few additional tips for smoking a ham and turkey together:
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meats are cooked to the proper temperature.
- Don’t overcrowd the smoker. Make sure there is enough space between the meats so they can cook evenly.
- Baste the turkey with melted butter or your favorite BBQ sauce during the last hour of cooking.
- Let the ham rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This will help keep it moist.
Smoking a ham and turkey together is a great way to create a delicious and impressive meal. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily smoke these two meats to perfection. So fire up your smoker and get started!
Additional Resources
- Smoking Meat Forums: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/smoking-turkey-ham-same-time.173015/
- The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board: https://tvwbb.com/threads/can-i-smoke-a-turkey-and-ham-at-the-same-time.63259/
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I smoke a ham and turkey together if they are different sizes?
Yes, you can smoke a ham and turkey together even if they are different sizes. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. The smaller meat will cook faster than the larger meat.
- What kind of wood should I use for smoking a ham and turkey?
Hickory and apple are both good choices for smoking a ham and turkey. You can also experiment with other types of wood, such as oak or cherry.
- What temperature should I smoke a ham and turkey at?
The ideal temperature for smoking a ham and turkey is 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- How long does it take to smoke a ham and turkey?
The cooking time for a ham and turkey will vary depending on the size of the meats. A 12-16 pound turkey will typically take 4-6 hours to smoke, while a 5-7 pound ham will take 2-3 hours to smoke.
- What should I serve with a smoked ham and turkey?
There are many delicious sides that you can serve with a smoked ham and turkey. Some popular options include mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
Here’s what you’ll need
- Ham (already cured and smoked)*
- Yellow mustard
- Jeffs rub recipe
- Jeffs sauce recipe
*Spiral-sliced hams are my preference because they allow the smoke and seasoning to penetrate the ham more deeply. This time, I tried a different brand of ham without slices, but generally, spiral-sliced ham is a no-brainer.
Get the Smoker Ready
You can smoke the ham in ANY smoker whether its electric, charcoal, gas or wood. As long as you have heat and good smoke. it will work. I am writing instructions for popular smoker models, instead of attempting to instruct everyone on how to smoke these in every kind of smoker.
The following list should give you an idea:
This ham was cooked at the same time as the turkey breast that I wrote about in the last newsletter in the GOSM propane smoker.
I ignited the gas burner and set it to high to warm the smoker’s interior and the metal. I usually leave it on high for about 20 minutes to let the metal come up to temperature. I then adjust the temperature of the smoker to maintain about 240 degrees.
Anywhere between 225-240 is ok for smoking the ham.
Shortly before I put the ham in the smoker, I added pecan pellets to the wood chip box. I try to time it so that I have time to place the meat on the grate and take a few pictures before the smoke really gets going because it takes about five minutes before I see smoke.
This smoker has a water pan so I filled it up with hot water. My suggestion has always been to use the water pan anytime one is available.
The water pan..
- does an excellent job of maintaining moisture in the air, which lessens the drying effect.
- Helps to regulate the temperature of the smoker
- makes a pleasant partition between the food and the heat in the smoker.
I put the wood chip box inside the smoker and put the ham directly on the grate after the smoker was ready and maintaining a temperature of about 240 degrees.
Leave the ham directly on the grate for about 3 hours for medium sized hams. I usually try to get hams that are between 8 and 12 pounds, but if it’s really big or small, you may want to adjust your time a little.
If you have a digital probe meat thermometer you can insert it and the ham is finished when it reaches about 145 degrees.
Glazing the ham (optional)
- 1/2 cup Jeffs sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup peach nectar (sold in most grocery stores)*
Combine the aforementioned ingredients to create a lovely glaze that you can apply to the ham several times while it cooks. I usually brush it on at about 2 hours then again about 30 minutes later.
*adjust according to how thick you want the glaze to be.
Need to travel with the ham?
To keep the ham warm when traveling, simply wrap it in foil, cover it with a thick towel, and set it inside an empty ice chest. Fill in any remaining space with more towels, pillows, blankets, etc. to further insulate the box and keep the ham hot for up to 4 hours.
Leftover ham?
Use the leftover ham in beans, soup, etc. and you might find yourself smoking hams for this specific purpose from now on. Some of the leftover ham from this cook was used by my wife to make a pot of navy beans, and the smoky goodness is incredible!