Smoked Picnic Shoulder, I Meant to Smoke It. I Really Did!

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disco

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Oct 31, 2012
11,135
5,265
Canadian Rockies
The other day I was in the supermarket and they had a good sale on smoked picnic shoulders. These are not precooked smoked pork but are smoked and need to be cooked. I love them. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to pick one up. I was going to try and cook it with a double smoking in the Bradley.

When I got home, She Who Must Be Obeyed asked me to do it the way I usually do.

I really like this forum. I really like smoking meat. I owe a debt to all who have helped me on this forum. However, the missus has ways of rewarding that I can not resist. So, I made the smoked picnic shoulder the way I have before and that she likes. If I am stripped of my smoking stripes, so be it.

Here is the smoked shoulder.


For some reason beyond my ken, they always come in a netting that is absolutely useless. I always remove it and throw it out.


I also remove the skin and some of the fat. When I was a kid, this would be left on for cracklins but I am trying to avoid an early coronary.


Here it is all trimmed up.


Then I cover it with cold water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then I simmered it for 2 1/2 hours. I find this really cuts on the salt in the pork but leaves enough for a good flavour.


I then take it out of the poaching water and score the surface in a diamond pattern over all edges. 



Then I brush it with my Passing Wind Estates Maple Glaze:

Maple Glaze

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 ½ tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 clove garlic finely chopped

½ tablespoon Dijon

½ teaspoon salt

Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. May be stored for a couple of weeks in refrigerator.

You will only need 1/2 of this recipe for this.


Then it is into a 180 F oven for an hour to let the glaze start to soak in. After the hour, take it out of the oven and turn the oven to 350 F. Brush the shoulder with glaze again and put it back in the oven for an hour. Here it is after baking.


Cover it with foil and let is sit for 30 minutes.


It is time to carve.

ADDICTION ALERT!

You will come across bits of fat that have caramelized with the glaze on the surface of the shoulder. DO NOT EAT THESE! They are delicious but very bad for you as they are pure fat and sugar. If you start eating them, you will become addicted and will not be able to stop.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Here are pictures of the finished product.




Of course, it had to be served with scalloped potatoes.


The Verdict: This is a tested recipe that I know is great. The taste is less salty than ham but there is a nice ham/salt taste. The glaze is sweet and caramelized. It is moist but has a great texture. I love it.

Excuse me while I go hang my head in shame for not smoking it.

Disco
 
No shame in that.

That looks awesome.

We don't always cook in the smoker. It is preferred thou. JK.

Very good thread as always.
 
No shame in that.

That looks awesome.

We don't always cook in the smoker. It is preferred thou. JK.

Very good thread as always.
Thanks. It is an old standby and I would have liked to try smoking but the meal was fine, the missus is happy and that usually ends well.

Disco
 
NICE ......
but looks like ya went a little stingy on the spuds ...   ha ha ha
leftover ham for a week and no spuds !!!!!!
:0)

great sauce recipe, i have already logged it

thanks for all delicious stuff
 
That really looks good Disco, even after already pigging out tonight.

Cajuns call those devil bites of caramelized food that is slightly darker in color sometimes at the bottom of a pan "Graton" and usually any good coonass knows to sweet talk the server to get some. I have heard 'em called many other things but I think you've hit on the best name, simply addictive.

Lots of smiles in those pictures, and its close to the holidays so best to stock in some brownie points while still possible.

Thanks for sharing.
 
 
NICE ......
but looks like ya went a little stingy on the spuds ...   ha ha ha
leftover ham for a week and no spuds !!!!!!
:0)

great sauce recipe, i have already logged it

thanks for all delicious stuff
Thanks, Rackrat. It is true I only made potatoes for 2 meals. However, lots of the pork will be going in the freezer for great ham sandwiched, casseroles and soups.

Disco
 
That really looks good Disco, even after already pigging out tonight.

Cajuns call those devil bites of caramelized food that is slightly darker in color sometimes at the bottom of a pan "Graton" and usually any good coonass knows to sweet talk the server to get some. I have heard 'em called many other things but I think you've hit on the best name, simply addictive.

Lots of smiles in those pictures, and its close to the holidays so best to stock in some brownie points while still possible.

Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Foamheart. I am definitely addicted to those crisp little bits. I would also love to cook the skin on it for cracklins. When we were kids, we'd fight over them. Now that I am an adult, I can't eat it because I know how bad they are for me. Sigh.

Disco
 
Hello Disco.  Great looking ham.  I say go for the cracklins.  We all gotta die of something, may as well be from something we like.  Of course, everything in moderation.  Keep Smokin!

Danny
 
Nice work on that ham, it looks delicious
Thanks, Dan. It tastes great too.
 
Hello Disco.  Great looking ham.  I say go for the cracklins.  We all gotta die of something, may as well be from something we like.  Of course, everything in moderation.  Keep Smokin!

Danny
Thanks, Danny. I agree with you to a point but I would need you and armed security to get away with it around the missus. She keeps mumbling about keeping me alive or something.

Disco
 
Looks GREAT Disco. As always a fantastic write up with pictures that would make a blind person hungry
drool.gif
.

Happy smoken.

David
 
 
Looks GREAT Disco. As always a fantastic write up with pictures that would make a blind person hungry
drool.gif
.

Happy smoken.

David
Thanks, David. Now I just have to get the missus to like smoked meat as much as me!

Disco
 
great looking meat.  im doing one of those for the first time this week.  wife got it on sale for 0.99 /lb.  i plan on smoking it though on the weber.

my question is: if i did want to cook up the skin, what is the best way?  Deep fried? Pan fried?
 
 
great looking meat.  im doing one of those for the first time this week.  wife got it on sale for 0.99 /lb.  i plan on smoking it though on the weber.

my question is: if i did want to cook up the skin, what is the best way?  Deep fried? Pan fried?
In the old days, people would put the skin cut in strips on a tray in the oven while the roast was getting glazed. Sometimes they'd brush it with glaze, sometimes not. After about an hour, the crust was crisp and chewy and the fat was hot and cooked. I don't do it anymore because it just too bad for you. 

I have read about people deep frying it but haven't tried it for the same reason.

There are several posts on making pork skin but those aren't cured. 

Sorry, that's all I got on doing the skin off a smoked shoulder.

Good luck with your shoulder. It should be great double smoked.

Disco
 
 
The other day I was in the supermarket and they had a good sale on smoked picnic shoulders. These are not precooked smoked pork but are smoked and need to be cooked. I love them. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to pick one up. I was going to try and cook it with a double smoking in the Bradley.

When I got home, She Who Must Be Obeyed asked me to do it the way I usually do.

I really like this forum. I really like smoking meat. I owe a debt to all who have helped me on this forum. However, the missus has ways of rewarding that I can not resist. So, I made the smoked picnic shoulder the way I have before and that she likes. If I am stripped of my smoking stripes, so be it.

Here is the smoked shoulder.


For some reason beyond my ken, they always come in a netting that is absolutely useless. I always remove it and throw it out.


I also remove the skin and some of the fat. When I was a kid, this would be left on for cracklins but I am trying to avoid an early coronary.


Here it is all trimmed up.


Then I cover it with cold water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Then I simmered it for 2 1/2 hours. I find this really cuts on the salt in the pork but leaves enough for a good flavour.


I then take it out of the poaching water and score the surface in a diamond pattern over all edges. 



Then I brush it with my Passing Wind Estates Maple Glaze:

Maple Glaze

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon packed brown sugar

2 ½ tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 clove garlic finely chopped

½ tablespoon Dijon

½ teaspoon salt

Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. May be stored for a couple of weeks in refrigerator.

You will only need 1/2 of this recipe for this.


Then it is into a 180 F oven for an hour to let the glaze start to soak in. After the hour, take it out of the oven and turn the oven to 350 F. Brush the shoulder with glaze again and put it back in the oven for an hour. Here it is after baking.


Cover it with foil and let is sit for 30 minutes.


It is time to carve.

ADDICTION ALERT!

You will come across bits of fat that have caramelized with the glaze on the surface of the shoulder. DO NOT EAT THESE! They are delicious but very bad for you as they are pure fat and sugar. If you start eating them, you will become addicted and will not be able to stop.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Here are pictures of the finished product.




Of course, it had to be served with scalloped potatoes.


The Verdict: This is a tested recipe that I know is great. The taste is less salty than ham but there is a nice ham/salt taste. The glaze is sweet and caramelized. It is moist but has a great texture. I love it.

Excuse me while I go hang my head in shame for not smoking it.

Disco
This looks amazing Disco.   see we have the same baking dishes LOL.  Me and "She who Must be Obeyed" have the same taste.  I am so going to try this recipe.  Josie
 
Looks Awesome Disco!!!
drool.gif
drool.gif


Same problem here----You & I would Double Smoke it, but both of our wives have similar "You don't have to smoke everything" attitudes!!! 
wife.gif


You played it about right !!
icon14.gif


Bear
 
 
This looks amazing Disco.   see we have the same baking dishes LOL.  Me and "She who Must be Obeyed" have the same taste.  I am so going to try this recipe.  Josie
Thanks, Josie. I am very fortunate the missus has good taste in everything except men.
 
Looks Awesome Disco!!!
drool.gif
drool.gif


Same problem here----You & I would Double Smoke it, but both of our wives have similar "You don't have to smoke everything" attitudes!!! 
wife.gif


You played it about right !!
icon14.gif


Bear
Thanks, Bear. I played it with extreme cowardice. In other words, about right.

Disco
 
Great looking ham and taters Disco! I bet the Missus was Happy! Should've bought two and saved the other for the double smoke. I did a double smoke in one in the mini last year and it was fantastic! Used a glaze very similar to yours, Yumm!
 
DISCO, great job!! Ty for information. Was wondering if you added anything to the poaching  water? TYVM
 
Disco that is one hell of a sexy ham! I would eat that for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Oh and for snacks thru the day!
This is an old post that got revived but it was good. The downside, now I want a smoked picnic shoulder and they aren't on sale.
Great looking ham and taters Disco! I bet the Missus was Happy! Should've bought two and saved the other for the double smoke. I did a double smoke in one in the mini last year and it was fantastic! Used a glaze very similar to yours, Yumm!
Thanks Case. The ham was great, the potatoes are something we both like and the missus did reward me. After 39 years of marriage, that means she was happy!

Disco
 
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