Precooked ham is a staple Sunday lunch in many American homes. It tastes great, but it is also easy to prepare and goes well with almost anything. However, what if you want to add your own twist to the meal and take the flavors to the next level? Basically, how long would it take you to smoke precooked ham?
Because the ham is already cooked, you don’t have to wait until the center of the ham reaches a specific temperature. So, your precooked ham should be ready after two hours with a smoker at a moderate temperature. At this point, it should be between 120F to 140F.
If you are still unsure about smoking precooked ham, don’t worry. After reading through this article about smoking precooked ham, you will be able to smoke the ham to perfection.
We need to go through a lot and don’t forget to bookmark this page in case you forget any of the points mentioned. Let’s get into it.
How Long To Fully Smoke Precooked Ham at 225F?
I recommend setting your smoker to 225F (107C). At this temperature, you don’t risk overcooking the meat. It also gives you enough time to not check on the meat every two or three minutes.
At 225F, your precooked ham should reach approximately 140F (60C) at its center after about 2 hours.
Please note that if you are smoking the precooked ham straight after it comes out of the refrigerator, you might have to wait around 2 hours. I always recommend taking the precooked ham out of the fridge at least 25 to 30 minutes before you start smoking it.
How Long Does It Take To Smoke Precooked Ham At 200F?
There is not much difference between 225 degrees Fahrenheit and 200F. So, you can still expect a time frame anywhere from two to three hours.
If you decide to try and smoke the ham at below 200F, you might run into a small problem. While there is less chance of the precooked ham burning, you will need to let the precooked ham sit in the smoker for a little longer to get the meat to your desired temperature.
The longer the precooked ham sits in the smoker, the more chance you have of the meat becoming dry.
How Long Does It Take To Fully Smoke Half A Precooked Ham?
A half a precooked ham weighs approximately 4 pounds, which is just shy of two kilograms. Unfortunately, you can’t just half the time because you are cooking half the meat. However, you will need to check the ham more throughout the smoking process just to be sure.
A four-pound precooked ham should take approximately one and a half hours to reach 140F at its center, which means that the ham is ready.
What If You Do Not Smoke Precooked Ham For Long Enough?
Because the ham is already cooked, you could eat it as it doesn’t need any further preparation. However, almost everyone I know always heats the ham to a comfortable eating temperature.
So, if the ham does not smoke for long enough, the only problem you might run into is that it does not get the flavors you are hoping for. Also, if you don’t enjoy eating cold meat, you might not enjoy your meal as much as you would have if you were to smoke the precooked ham for long enough.
What If You Smoke Precooked Ham For Too Long?
Overcooking your precooked ham in a smoker is worse than not cooking it for long enough. I am not saying you have to watch over the ham for the full one to two hours; however, checking as often as you can is always best, or else you could cook it for too long, and here’s what will happen:
- The precooked ham will become too dry.
- You might burn the precooked ham.
- The smokey flavor might overpower the precooked ham’s original flavors.
Smoking any sort of meat is a challenge. Not many people get it right, and for some, it takes a few attempts to start getting things perfect.
Precooked meats are the easiest to smoke. At the same time, because the smoking process takes a fraction of the time, it is possible to overcook the meat.
The Best Way To Smoke Precooked Ham: 3 Easy Steps
This section aims to help you get the best end result possible. Once you have perfected all of these easy steps, you can shorten the cooking time. Also, with these steps, you will not overwhelm the precooked ham with smoky flavors.
Get The Ham To Room Temperature
You don’t want the ham to be cold to get the most out of the smoking process. This means that the precooked ham would have to sit in the smoker for longer, which gives it more opportunity to dry out.
One of the best things to do before placing the ham in a smoker is to place the ham on the kitchen counter, preferably under a stove light if you can. Allow it to rest for approximately 20 to 30 minutes before smoking.
Set Up Your Smoker
Once you put the ham on the kitchen counter, you want to set up your smoker and its temperature.
As recommended, set the temperature to 225F. If you do not have a smoker that allows you to set the desired temperature, you could check up on the smoker every 5 to 10 minutes.
Remember, you can put the precooked ham into the smoker before it reaches 225F. However, you don’t want to put the ham into the smoker if it is hotter than 225F. Again, you risk overcooking the meat.
Do Not Brine Or Spice The Ham
Precooked ham already has spices that enhance its flavor. If you try adding more spices or even brine to the ham, you will lose those flavors, and instead, the meat might be too overwhelming for your taste buds.
However, I always like to keep a small bottle of brine that I can use to spritz the meat. Make sure that the spray bottle is clean before adding the brine.
Spritzing your meat while it is smoking might add a few minutes to the time; however, it will help to keep the precooked ham moist while it is smoking.
Know When The Ham Is Ready
If you keep checking on the ham every 30 minutes, you will likely have good results.
Because the ham is already cooked, you will have to judge using the internal temperature of the ham rather than the way it looks. For example, if the internal temperature is 140F, the ham is ready.
Final Thoughts
If you are new to smoking brisket, ham, or precooked meat, the best advice I can give is to practice, and if you are worried that you are going to mess up, you can start with smoking half a precooked ham.
Smoking precooked ham is not difficult once you have a general idea of what to do. The more you use your smoker, the less help you will need smoking your favorite meat, precooked or not.
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