Fresh Picnic Ham Shoulder Recipes

HOW TO COOK A PICNIC HAM - SMOKED PORK SHOULDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Place picnic ham on a large roasting pan or baking dish, fat side up. Pour 3/4 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish.
• Cover roasting pan with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour. This allows the rind to be removed easily.
• Remove the foil and peel the rind off the top of the fat cap. Cut cross check slits into the fat and about 1/2 inch into the meat of the ham.
• Puree remaining ingredients (oranges, brown sugar, vinegar, honey, mustard, cinnamon, salt and cayenne) in a blender to make the glaze. Brush some of the glaze all over the ham, making sure to get into the slits.
• Bake for another 2 hours, uncovered. Brush the glaze after 1 hour cooking time and then again about 30 minutes later. Bake the remaining 30 minutes.
• Once done cooking, the fat should be starting to crisp and the glaze nicely caramelized. Let the ham rest for about 5 minutes before carving.
• Carve the ham into nice sized serving slices. Serve with glazed carrots, potatoes, squash and more!

SLOW COOKER PICNIC HAM

Steps:

• Trim thick skin (rind), and fat off ham.
• Spread about 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar on the bottom off the slow cooker crock.
• Place the ham flat side down into slow cooker. Rub remaining brown sugar onto top of ham.
• Cover, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.

FRESH PICNIC HAM TWO WAYS: CUBAN STYLE & BBQ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. While the oven heats score the skin by slicing through the skin and fat to the meat below. Be careful not to cut to deep.
• Then rub the ham all over with spices, you can rub on a little olive oil to help the spices stick. Put the ham on to a roasting rack in a pan and place in the oven for at least 4 hours.
• The longer you cook it the more the internal fat and muscle will break down; my mother cooks a fresh ham for at 6+ hours, she wants it falling apart. I like mine to have a little more substance left so I go more like 4-5. It's your choice.
• Right before you remove the cooked ham from the oven turn it up to about 425 degrees and let the skin on top brown, don't let it burn. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the cooked ham from the oven and let it rest at least 20 minutes so the juices can redistribute.
• Now it is time to start cutting this big boy up. Begin by removing that lovely crispy skin. The skin is very similar to chicharon, Latin American dish of fried pork skin. I serve the skin on the side like a lovely pork flavored appetizer, my mother finds this gross so do what you would like. You can also dice the skin up small and sprinkle it over the sliced pork to serve it. Or if you want to break my heart you can discard the skin.
• To slice the ham cut parallel to the bone and you will be able to free large wedge shaped sections of the ham from the center bone. It's not going to be as pretty as you thanksgiving turkey carving but oh well.
• I serve the meat with a squeeze of lime, sprinkle of cilantro, and dash of salt. I always serve this "Cuban style" pork with rice and black beans. Find my recipe for black beans here.