Ham is often reserved for special-occasion dinners, while picnic ham is less expensive and can be eaten on a more casual occasions, like picnics, hence the name.
Writer & Food Expert
Like so many things I eat, I wonder about the origin of the name. Ham words in this case. Old cookbooks and their meat cooking charts are a great source for digging deep. But then I got confused because, as it turns out, it depends on where you live and where the book was published.
My wondering started with a smoked pork picnic – or a picnic as it’s called in the pork business. Why is it called this? One theory (named before meat met Styrofoam and we gave up outdoor meals unless we’re sitting at a restaurant patio) is that was perfect for a picnic. Duh. The pork picnic is from the shoulder, the front. A lesser cut. The front has more fat and gristle because this area gets more of a workout than the back legs. And because a picnic is a casual occasion you needn’t show off by serving a premium cut (though it’s always the right thing to show off your cooking prowess).
More ham words
There’s fresh pork, cured pork (curing makes it pink – chemical or natural curing is another story), and smoked pork (also another story). You can have smoked with fresh or cured pork. Some smoking only flavours the meat (like bacon) while some cooks it (pulled pork).
Curing is complicated so don’t try curing at home without first attending a class or having a mentor (the best being a backwoods relative – sometimes called a hillbilly – who smokes their own meat).
Once the meat is cured it’s called by another name, even though it’s the same cut of meat. A butt (which is raw) is a picnic when cured. And don’t ask why it’s called the butt; it’s nowhere near the back end. Sometimes it’s called a Boston butt except in Boston (I think we can guess why).
Generally cookbooks have two cooking charts for the pig – one for raw and the other for ham (the pink one). You need to know what you have when it’s time to cook as raw pork takes 25-30 minutes a pound and ham only takes 10 minutes a pound.
Simple Smoked Picnic Ham
FAQ
What is the difference between a picnic ham and a regular ham?
Why is it called a picnic ham?
Can I eat picnic ham without cooking?
Can you pull a picnic ham?
Is picnic ham the same as Ham?
Even though most people refer to picnic ham as ham, it is not the actual cut taken from the pork’s hind legs. Picnic ham is the cut taken from the upper section of the body that includes the shoulder. So, in terms of quality, this cut of meat is not as pure or refined when compared with ham.
What is a Picnic shoulder Ham?
Generally, the shoulder is smoked, which gives it a very ham-like flavor. Since picnic shoulder/ham is an inexpensive substitute for real ham (which only comes from the hind legs), it’s considered to be a good cut for casual dining — such as a picnic — rather than for use at a formal family dinner, such as Easter or Thanksgiving.
What is the difference between pork shoulder and picnic ham?
A pork shoulder is exactly that: the entire shoulder of a hog. It’s a fatty cut that’s sold fresh and is extremely versatile. It can be used as a roast, sliced into “steaks,” braised or smoked and turned into pulled pork. Picnic ham is a cured, smoked cut of leg meat and shoulder meat. The leg meat is leaner than the shoulder meat.
Where did picnic ham come from?
The origins of picnic ham can be traced back to the long-standing tradition of curing and preserving meat. Curing meat is a practice that dates back centuries, developed as a way to ensure that meat could be stored and enjoyed long after it was harvested.