Ok, we talked about the types of smokers how about the how

[Who]

To use them now. I would like to smoke a ham for thanks giving. What type of wood, how long, how do you keep it from drying out. I have plenty of mesquite but can get some apple also.
Would you also put a glaze on the ham while smoking it or after and just warm it?
Oh, also once you get your fire down to coals do you put in wood that you have been soaking in h2o?

[moosehunter21]

Yes dry tinder to start the smoke job then when it is smkoing well you add 2x the wet chips to the amount of dry you stared with.

[Tree climber]

if you want to glaze it,then wrap it in foil till it is almost done,then unwrap the top to get more smoke flavor.that way it want dry out.if you trully smoke it,then you don't want a lot of heat (like in an oven),but enough to do the job.make sure the inturneal temp. get to the heat you want.(me at least 155 degrees) that kills all the bad bugs.it will take several hr's. to do it right.

good luck.

[kevin1]

I don't glaze mine until it's within an hour or two of being done , and I don't use foil , it keeps the smoke from reaching the meat well . Most smokers have a bowl to hold water for wet smoking , this keeps the meat from drying out but you have to make sure that the bowl doesn't dry out before the meat is done . Refill the bowl with near boiling water as needed . You can also inject the meat with marinade to prevent drying , and add yummy flavor at the same time . I like a blend of Tony Chachere's Creole Butter and some pumpkin pie spice and pineapple juice for holiday hams , I always get good review with ths marinade . For glaze I like to use chinese hoisin sauce or duck sauce .

My fave for smoking hams is applewood chips or pellets , I wrap them in foil to make several "chubs" which I add as needed to keep a constant smoke going . If you're using chips soak them for 1/2 hour , then wrap in foil with just a small hole in it to promote smoldering . It sounds like you're using a charcoal smoker , just throw a chub of chips right into the bowl of coals as needed to acheive the level of smoke flavor you want . The ham will be done when it reaches an internal temp of around 160-180 , consult your owner's manual for the temperature and cooking time for the weight of the ham that you're making . It will almost certainly require adding new coals to acheive the proper cooking time , be sure to keep an eye on the temperature and time to determine when to add the new charcoal .