Wife bought a bone in pork shoulder picnick roast that she wants to smoke and add nitrates to make a fresh type ham. Or something like that. Not sure I even understand the proper terms. But she has been doing some research about how to smoke/cure it.

I will be interested in the replies you get. Wife is not a big ham fan but I like it (for ham is just "ok") so she is trying to do one for me without sugar. We try to eat zero sugar and nearly all commercial hams have added sugar.

One thing I might be concerned about pork belly is if so much fat in that cut, will it render our to the bottom of the smoker? Maybe depends on temperature? I don't know, just speculating. Maybe cold smoke??? (wife has been checking on cold smoking for cheese).

John