By Traeger Grills
Everyone thinks "ham" means smoked, but it's actually a cut. This year try roasting a fresh (meaning raw, uncured and unsmoked) ham for the holidays—or a special Sunday supper. The cut, hailing from the hind leg of a pig, is not always easy to find fresh (also called green), so you may need to ask your butcher to order it. But its flavor, rich and porky, is worth the effort. And because you’re cooking it on the Traeger, this fresh ham will get a slight smoky flavor, too. The skin and meat taste best if salted a day or two before cooking, so plan ahead.
Prep Time
Cook Time
Pellets
8
Activating this element will cause content on the page to be updated.1 | 1 half raw fresh ham (meaning not cured or smoked; also called a green ham), butt or shank end (about 10 lb) |
2 Tablespoon | kosher salt |
1 1/2 Teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper |
1 Cup | apple juice |
2 Tablespoon | maple syrup |
2 Tablespoon | bourbon or more apple juice |
Cup | brown sugar |
1/4 Cup | dry mustard |
2 Teaspoon | kosher salt |
1 Teaspoon | freshly ground black pepper |
1/2 Cup | apple cider vinegar |
2 Cup | heavy cream |
4 | egg yolks, beaten |
1
The day before you plan to roast the ham: Using a very sharp knife, cut through the skin and fat (or just through the fat) in a horizontal or diamond pattern; avoid cutting the meat. Combine the 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then sprinkle and rub it all over the pork massaging it into the crevices. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, place the ham on the rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
2
About 1 hour before you plan to start cooking let the ham sit at room temperature.
3
When ready to cook, preheat the Traeger to 450°F; this will take at least 15 minutes.
450 ˚F / 232 ˚C
4
Insert a leave-in meat thermometer into the meaty part of the ham avoiding bone. Place the ham directly on the grill grates, close the lid, and roast for 30 minutes.
450 ˚F / 232 ˚C
00:30
5
Meanwhile, make the mop: Combine the apple juice, maple syrup, and bourbon.
6
After 30 minutes at 450°F. reduce the heat to 300°F and cook, basting or spritzing the ham with the apple-maple mixture about every 30 minutes or so until the ham has reached an internal temperature of 140°F. This will take 2 ½ to 3 hours depending on the size of your roast, the weather, and your grill model.
300 ˚F / 149 ˚C
140 ˚F / 60 ˚C
7
Toward the end of cooking, make the mustard sauce: In a medium saucepan over low heat on the Traeger Induction cooktop or the stove, whisk together the brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and pepper, breaking up any lumps. Add the vinegar and whisk well to combine. Add the heavy cream and egg yolks and whisk to incorporate. Cook, stirring constantly and lowering the heat as necessary, until the sauce is thick and smooth. Keep warm until ready to serve.
8
When the ham is done, transfer it to a cutting board, preferably one with a trough to catch any juices, tent it with foil, and let it rest for 30 minutes during which its internal temperature will continue to rise.
9
To carve the ham, use a carving fork to locate any bones, then, avoiding bone, cut off large chunks of boneless meat. Slice the meat thinly across the grain. (Reserve any bones to use in soup.) Serve the roast ham warm and pass the mustard sauce. Enjoy!
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