smoked pork picnic shoulder cook

poster

I picked up one of these for thanksgiving tomorrow (Canada) as the only other option was spiral hams and I dislike those. Instructions say to basically boil it?? Anyone ever try one of these on the egg? I was thinking of cooking at 250 until I hit 165, then put a glaze on for another 20 min.

anton

If a picnic is the same as a blade roast or shoulder,(also known as a butt), I have not liked cooking them for slicing, only chunked or pulled. I have low and slow cooked them, and turbo cooked them at 350 and done in 4 hrs for a little 6 lber. I still am not sure a picnic and a blade/shoulder/butt are the same thing though, hopefully a more experienced cook will chime in. Good luck, and Happy Thanksgiving in Canada eh!

stemc33

I didn't know Canada celebrated a Thanksgiving Day.

I think you can slice or pull a picnic shoulder. I'm sure someone will chime in soon. Keep bumping if you don't get a response. @SGH‌, any thoughts?

R2Egg2Q

The picnic is not the same as the shoulder butt. However, it comes from right below the shoulder butt and is really the lower shoulder down into the start of a leg. Please don't boil it and do cook it on the Egg like you would a butt. If you want to slice it I'd cook it to 175-180. Otherwise cook to a higher internal temp and chunk, pull or chop as you like. Keep in mind that it'll have a layer of skin on it. If you want more bark, you can cut the skin off. If you want crispy skin you may want to slice a crosshatch on the skin and cook at hotter temps. I don't do a full low & slow with the skin on as in my experience the skin won't crisp up (some folks remove the skin and fry it for chicharrones).

poster

the only thing with this one and I should have been more clear is that its already smoked. It does say it needs to be cooked though not just re-heated. Its in a package with a cheesecloth around it. Im assuming its more like a cottage roll 

Coastalcooker

A cottage roll? We obviously don't speak the same English. I cook just like a butt. Dome at 250 about two hours per pound until around 200. It pulls nicely. I apparently do not have the highly developed taste buds of some of the others on here. I tastes like butt to me. If the "smoking" includes injecting or curing, it might taste like ham. It has enough fat for low and slow for sure. I cook half a picnic often for the two of us.
Bob

CarolinaCrazy

If it is already cooked and is in a cloth bag, it sounds like a southern style smoked ham. If so it will be very salty, and is best 1) sliced on a biscuit, or 2) Chopped and used more like bacon, as a salty-pork addition.

paqman

Picture of the package? I have a really hard time finding pork butt here in Canada but picnic is always available and I cook it exactly like a butt. That being said, I never seen it already smoked. If it is cured, the texture will be like ham.

poster

here it is. I want it to be like ham, its just the instructions say to boil? which I didn't want to do. id like to egg it. I imagine its gonna be salty, but will it be extremely dry without the boiling or steaming stage?

Ive never tried one of these and my options were limited at the time of sale. I think im just gonna skin it and slow cook it and see what happens. I think im most excited for Pea soup tomorrow anyways

l guess a cottage roll is a Canadian thing? its a pickled or brined small boneless ham

gdenby

If the instructions say it should be fully cooked, my guess is that it was only smoked, and not cured. That is, the surface has been made sterile and flavorful by smoke, but the meat has not been preserved by salt and sugar. Needs to be cooked to at least 145F internal.

Check the label and see if if there was a brine injection, or something similar. If so, boiling is recommended to remove some of the salt. You can immerse it in fresh water, and change the water every few hours. That will remove some of the salt cure, but also some of the smoke. But then any smoke that is added by an Egg cook will bring back the flavor. The salt content should not be too bad.

Picnics can be injected w. additional fluids. This will add flavor, and dilute the salt if its there. Assuming the injection does not have salt.

paqman

I looked at the ingredients on Olymel's website and it contains sodium nitrite. It is cured. I would stab it with a filet knife and insert whole garlic cloves in the holes. 350F until an IT of 160F and you will have a nice pork roast. I guess you could also smoke it until it reaches 200-205F for some pulled pork but nor sure how it would turn with the cure. I am sure it can't be bad.

poster

came out good, just like a normal ham with a bit more flavour. Should make a deadly pea soup tomorrow. The prime rib turned out awesome as well