Baked picnic ham (pork shoulder ham) is one of my favourite types of ham to cook. It is a different cut of pork than a regular ham, but it tastes a lot like a ham because it has been cured and smoked the same way. In the end, it tastes just amazing and a great ham to serve the family.
I cook ham a lot, especially in the winter when I don’t mind leaving the oven on for long periods of time. A full-sized ham would be too much for my family to eat, so a picnic ham is perfect! I buy two of the smoked picnic pork shoulder hams whenever they go on sale and store them in the freezer.
Smoked picnic hams are the perfect size for my family. Our family of five usually eats two full meals from these hams, which weigh between 5 and 8 pounds. I love having the bone to use in my Instant Pot or slow cooker to make soup!!
Lay the picnic ham in a roasting dish. I use my large lasagna pottery baking dish. It is the perfect size for the ham. Make sure that you lay it down, fat side up. Just put the ham in the baking dish. If there was cheesecloth or anything else in the package, take it out.
As a busy mom who loves making hearty, delicious meals for my family, I’m always on the lookout for easy dinner solutions that require minimal prep but deliver maximum flavor. That’s why Smithfield’s smoked pork shoulder picnic has become one of my go-to staples. This pre-seasoned, ready-to-heat cut of pork makes whipping up a mouthwatering family meal easier than ever.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the incredibly simple steps for cooking a juicy, tasty Smithfield smoked pork shoulder picnic With just a few basic ingredients and hardly any effort, you’ll have tender, fall-off-the-bone pork that makes the perfect centerpiece for a cozy dinner
Benefits of Choosing Smithfield Pork
Before we get into the prep and cooking let’s look at why Smithfield pork products like the smoked shoulder picnic are so ideal for easy family meals
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Pre-Smoked for Bold Flavor – Smithfield smokes their pork low-and-slow over hardwood chips. This infuses the meat with a delicious smoky barbecue essence that everyone loves. No need to season or brine – the flavor is built right in!
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Minimally Processed – Smithfield smoked pork is free of artificial ingredients. It’s simply real pork, smoked to perfection. You can feel good about serving this high-quality protein to your family.
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Boneless and Ready-to-Heat – With the bones removed and the meat fully cooked, a Smithfield smoked pork shoulder can go right into the oven with zero prep needed. It’s the definition of easy!
With Smithfield pork, I know I’m getting tasty, smoked flavor in every bite without a ton of hands-on cooking time. Now, let’s get to making this delicious dinner!
Step-By-Step Guide for Cooking a Smithfield Smoked Pork Shoulder
Cooking a Smithfield smoked pork shoulder picnic takes about 6 hours from start to finish, but it’s mostly hands-off oven time. Here’s what to do:
Ingredients Needed
- 1 Smithfield Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic (about 5 lbs)
- 1 cup water
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Step 1 – Prepare the Pork
Start by taking the Smithfield smoked pork shoulder from its packaging and placing it in a 5-quart roasting pan. Make sure you have a pan with roughly 2-inch sides so that the pork fits comfortably with some extra room.
Step 2 – Add the Aroma
Next, pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Then evenly distribute the smashed garlic cloves around the pork shoulder. The steam from the water and fragrance from the garlic will infuse the meat as it cooks.
Step 3 – Cover and Cook Low-and-Slow
Here comes the really easy part! Cover the roasting pan very tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil. You want to lock in moisture so the pork stays nice and juicy.
Once covered, bake the smoked pork shoulder at 325°F for approximately 6 hours. I like to check it at the 5 hour mark by poking it with a fork – when it slides in smoothly, I know it’s perfect!
Step 4 – Let It Rest
After 6 hours in the oven, the pork shoulder is fall-apart tender but it needs to rest. Let it sit, still covered, for about 30 minutes before removing the foil or lid. This resting time allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat.
Step 5 – Dig In!
Now just transfer the Smithfield smoked pork shoulder from the pan to a cutting board. Use forks to pull and shred the hot, tender meat. I love piling it high on crusty rolls for delicious pulled pork sandwiches. It also makes fantastic tacos, omelets, pizza topping, salads, stuffed potatoes – anything you can imagine!
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 4-5 days, though they never last that long in my house. The pork reheats beautifully, so you can enjoy more easy meals throughout the week.
Cooking Tips for Smithfield Smoked Pork Shoulder
Over many years of cooking Smithfield smoked pork shoulders for my family, I’ve picked up some tips for making them even more foolproof and delicious:
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Play with different liquids in the roasting pan like apple juice, beer, cola, etc. They each impart subtle flavor during cooking.
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Chop up onions, celery, carrots and scatter around the pork to make “baked carrots and onions” alongside.
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If the pork seems to brown too fast, tent a piece of foil just over the top while it cooks.
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Letting the pork rest for the full 30 minutes after baking ensures super moist, tender meat.
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Use the tasty pan drippings to make a simple gravy for serving.
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Shred any uneaten pork, then freeze in portions for quick future meals in tacos, fried rice, sandwiches, etc.
Favorite Recipe Ideas for Leftover Pulled Pork
Beyond classic pulled pork sandwiches and tacos, here are some of my family’s favorite ways to use up leftover Smithfield smoked pork shoulder:
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Pulled Pork Pizza – Top pizza crust with bbq sauce, shredded mozzarella, pulled pork, red onion and cilantro.
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Pulled Pork Omelets – Whip up fluffy egg omelets filled with bite-size pieces of smoked pork, cheese and avocado.
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Pulled Pork Salad – Toss tender pulled pork with mixed greens, tomatoes, corn, crispy tortilla strips and ranch dressing.
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Pulled Pork Stir Fry – Stir fry pork with snap peas, bell pepper and teriyaki sauce served over rice. Quick and easy!
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Pulled Pork Stuffed Potatoes – Bake potatoes, cut in half and top with pork, bacon bits, cheddar cheese, scallions and sour cream.
Here are a few sides that are just ideal with a baked ham!
These recipes are great if you want to use the ham bone or extra ham meat in something.
How to Cook the Picnic Ham
Cover the roasting pan with foil. Bake the ham in a 350F oven for 1 hour. This loosens up the fat and allows the rind to be pulled off easily.
After baking for 1 hour, take the ham out of the oven and remove the foil. Peel up the rind from the ham and discard. The rind will be hot, so I used tongs. You can cut some fat off the fat cap if you want to, but I usually leave most of it on the ham.
Using a sharp knife, cut slits in a cross check pattern. Make sure you cut deep enough to cut through both the fat and the meat.
I puree the glaze in the blender so that it is smooth. Next, I use a BBQ brush to cover the ham in the glaze and make sure it gets into all the cracks.
I do not pour all the glaze on the ham. Instead I initially brush about 1/3 of the glaze before baking the ham. Then, twice while the ham is baking, I’ll brush more glaze over the top of it. This gives that ham a wonderful caramelized glaze all over the top and sides of the ham. The flavour is amazing!.
Bake the ham for another 2 hours.
After 1 hour, brush the ham with more glaze. About 30 minutes later, brush the ham with glaze one more time. Bake the ham for the remaining 30 minutes.
I let the ham rest for about 5-10 minutes after I take it out of the oven. Then, use a nice long carving knife to cut the ham into slices that are about 1/4 inch thick. I like to serve my ham with some dijon or creole mustard. Amazing! As you can see it is very easy for how to cook a picnic ham.
Ham is best served with sides that compliment the smoky and sweet taste of the ham.
Smithfield pork shoulder picnic
FAQ
Is smoked pork shoulder picnic already cooked?
What is the difference between pork shoulder and pork shoulder picnic?
Does a smoked pork shoulder need to be cooked?
Is pork shoulder picnic roast good for pulled pork?
How do you cook a smoked pork shoulder?
Heat oven to 325°F. Place Smithfield Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic into a 5-quart roasting pan. Add water and garlic. Cover with lid or aluminum foil; cook for 6 hours or until meat is tender. Using two forks, pull meat from bone; discard bone. Reserved cooking liquid can be used when reheating or freezing pork.
What is a smoked pork shoulder picnic?
A smoked pork shoulder picnic is a cut of meat that comes from the shoulder of a pig and has been smoked to enhance its flavor. It is typically bone-in and has a generous amount of fat, which helps keep the meat moist and tender during cooking. How long should I cook a smoked pork shoulder picnic in the oven?
How long do you cook a smoked pork shoulder Ham?
Place Smithfield Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic into a 5-quart roasting pan. Add water and garlic. Cover with lid or aluminum foil; cook for 6 hours or until meat is tender. Is a smoked picnic shoulder already cooked? Keep in mind that picnic hams are pre-cooked, so all you’re doing here is re-heating it and adding a glaze if you choose.
When is smoked pork shoulder done?
The shoulder is done when the internal temperature reaches 150F degrees. What is smoked pork shoulder picnic? What is Pork Picnic Shoulder?