Venison on the smoker

Need some experience here. I can smoke a deer tenderloin that would make your tongue slap your forehead but have never tried any other parts like a ham or roast on the smoker. I have a little bit of deer left form last year I need to cook and make room for this year.

So what do you think of slow smoking a deer ham? I would think dryness would be the first concern. What about brining it first? A good rub and cook it like a Boston Butt (which is fattier).

Thoughts?

Wrap that thing in bacon and/or cook a cheap shank ham on the rack above it so it bastes down.

Yep I am getting a ham or shoulder out tommorrow night and get it ready for this weekend. Thanks for the motivation 3toe.

I inject the ham with a whole bottle of Creole Butter Marinade and put it on the smoker in a pan covered with bacon. Smoke it like a boston butt changing the bacon out ever so often. The cooked bacon makes for a good snack while waiting for it to get done. Most of the time, about half way through, I'll cover the pan with foil and leave a corner open for smoke.

Why don't you inject it with some Zesty Italian Dressing

I didn't think of that!

i talked to a guy today that said he brines his hams before he smokes them...says it really keeps them moist.

Hey 3toe, I was wondering if you would mind sharing how you smoke that tenderloin you mentioned. I have a hard time getting it cooked with out it drying out. I dont need it well done, just about medium well and still moist if thats possible.

The trick to smoking a tenderloin and not drying it out is indirect heat. Until I got my Kamado Joe I smoked them on a Brinkman barrel smoker, not the upright, but the kind with the firebox on the side. Cooking time varies on how big the tenderloin is. I like mine medium rare. I would smoke at about 275 deg for about an hr. I would cut into it and check the center a few times till it was where I liked it. Remember it will continue to cook a little once you take it off so account for that.

I almost never marinated it, just threw it on raw and let the smoke flavor it. I since have done several where I marinated it overnight in Moores teriyaki. If you only leave it in the marinade for about 8-9 hours it leaves it with just a hint of sweetness to go with the smoke flavor, no overpowering teriyaki flavor. It you want to make it really good, after you marinade it cut some 1/4 inch slits down the tendeloin and slide in cut pieces of garlic cloves about every couple inches. Smoke to desired doneness and you are lip smacking ready. It will be real moist and I'll put it up against anything beef tenderloin you might buy in a restaurant. I need to kill about 10 or 15 this year because I get requests at every get together to bring tenderloin and there is never anything left. I have one ternderloin left and it is being cooked next weekend for the AL/LSU game.

How did it turn out? You get to cook it?

Ned that sounds pretty good. Do you wrap the loin in bacon or do you put it by it self on an indirect smoker??? I never tried smoking a loin but I always thought you could keep it moist with bacon.

Never done bacon, just threw it on. High direct heat is what I have found dries them out quick. I said I usually cook around 275, but this is with the loins at the far end of the smoker (furthest from fire box) so the temp is probably a little less. Pending your type of smoker, I may would start around 225-250 till you get the hang of how it cooks. Go slow and you shouldn't mess it up if you check it fairly often. The marinade will assist in keeping it moist as well.

Have you ever injected the loin with the marinate???

Nope, didn't get it layed out and ready. We ended up not being here last weekend and this weekend we planned on white and red chili. I will get one done before long!

Thanks for the info 3toe. All I have is a barrel smoker, so im gonna give it a shot.

Marinate in Moore's sauce, plug with fresh garlic cloves,put it on a Big Green Egg w/ hickory chips.