Double Smoked Picnic Ham
To make my Double Smoked Picnic Ham, start with a smoked picnic shoulder from the store, sometimes called a "picnic ham". Smoke it again on your Traeger for more flavor, then finish it in the Instant Pot on slow cook until it's tender enough to shred.
Double Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic Recipe
Most recipes online call for cooking a smoked picnic shoulder slowly in the oven, sometimes overnight. Because I'm extra and I like to do MORE, we're adding smoke to maximize the flavor.
Spoiler alert: a picnic "ham" isn't actually a ham, since hams technically come from the back of the hog. But because this cut is typically cured and smoked before it hits your local meat counter and it takes on that traditional pink ham color, people commonly call it a picnic ham.
The picnic ham comes from the shoulder, not the back leg like traditional ham. It's cured and tastes like ham, but it's fattier and has a different texture.
Where To Find A Smoked Picnic Shoulder
Pay attention to the labels at the store. Look for "smoked pork shoulder picnic," "smoked picnic ham," or "smoked shoulder picnic." It should have a thick layer of fat on one side and won't look as smooth as a traditional ham.
Check if the label says "fully cooked," "ready to cook," or "cook before eating." Any of these will work for this recipe. If it says "fresh," that means it's uncured and you'll need a different recipe.
You might not always find this cut in the store. If it's not there, ask at the meat counter. They can usually order it for you. Some smokehouses also sell smoked picnic roasts online and ship them frozen.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Extra Smoke Flavor: Smoking it again on the Traeger gives the pork a richer wood-fired taste.
- Fall-Apart Tender - Slow cooking for a few hours brings the pork up to 200°F, making it very tender.
- Mostly Hands-Off - Just set the temperature, keep an eye on the probe, and you're free to do other things.
- Right-Sized Roast - A 6-pound picnic roast fits perfectly in an 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Easy Leftovers - The pork is great for sandwiches, soups, or casseroles.
Recipe Shopping List
Not sure if you need to go shopping? Here's what you'll need for this recipe. For exact amounts, check the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
- Smoked Pork Picnic Shoulder - Bone-in, about 6 pounds. The fat on top melts into the meat as it cooks.
- Apple Cider - 2 cups. This keeps the pork moist as it cooks. You can also use water, but I prefer cider or juice!
You'll also need a Traeger or another pellet grill, hickory, apple, or cherry pellets, an 8-quart Instant Pot, tongs, and a meat thermometer. The thermometer is important because you'll be cooking to two different temperatures.
Recipe Variations
This is a very basic recipe that is designed to be changed up according to what YOU like. This base recipe is something for you to play with. An easy way to start would be to add a BBQ Rub during the smoke phase and a glaze during the slow cook portion. Here are some options below:
BBQ Rub Options
Something with a sweet base is a great option. There are a lot of pre-made options available, or you can make your own! When I do rub on my smoked ham, I like to use a binder first to help it adhere to the meat. Mustard is a classic. I like to use Dijon as opposed to your standard yellow mustard, but you pick your favorite!
- Spiva Cooking Smokey Maple Blueberry - This rub really matches well with a ham. It has smoked salt, granulated garlic, maple sugar, and dehydrated blueberries and adds so much dimension to your picnic ham!
- Spiva Cooking Cranberry Orange - What's more "fall" than cranberry orange? Not much! If you're making a picnic ham for a fall feast or holiday, pick up a jar of this rub.
- OWYD Spicy Pork Rub - Our classic rub that will add a slight heat and ALL the flavor to your favorite pork. We add it to chili, tacos, and so much more. If you're looking for a more savory, slightly spicy flavor profile, this is the perfect rub for you.
Ham Glazes
I have quite a few ham recipes on the site using a traditional ham. I'm going to link to them here so you can grab the glaze recipes from them, which would work just as well for a pork picnic shoulder.
The process will be to add the apple cider to the bottom of your slow cooker or Instant pot. Put the ham in. Pain on a layer of glaze to the ham every 20-30 minutes. Then, if you really want to lock it in, at the end remove the ham from the slow cooker and paint on another couple layers of glaze with the meat in a 350°F grill or oven to lock it in.
How To Make This Recipe
This is just the overview so you can see what you're actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you'll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat The Traeger - Set it to 225°F and let it heat up with the lid closed. If your model has a super smoke setting, use it.
- Smoke The Pork - Remove the wrapper, place the picnic shoulder fat side up on the grate, and insert the probe into the thickest part, away from the bone. Smoke until it reaches 155°F, about 3-4 hours. (If you're using a binder and rub, do it before placing the pork on the smoker.)
- Load the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot - Add 2 cups of apple cider into the pot and place the pork inside, fat side up. (If you're using a glaze, paint on a coat now and give it another coat every 20-30 minutes.)
- Slow Cook - Use the glass lid, or the regular lid with the steam valve set to Venting. Set the slow cook function to More (High) and cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork reaches 200°F.
- Rest And Trim - Transfer the pork to a platter and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Use tongs to take off the skin and fat, then remove the bone.
- Shred and Serve - Shred the meat and spoon a little of the cooking liquid over it. The liquid is salty, so start small. If you used a glaze, you can mix in some of that now also.
Recipe FAQ
The pork is first smoked at the factory, then you smoke it again at home on your grill. This gives the meat a stronger smoky flavor than just one round of smoking.
Yes, you can. Fully cooked, ready to cook, and cook before eating all work for this recipe. The smoker adds flavor and heats the pork, and the slow cook step brings it up to 200°F so it shreds easily.
Yes, you can use a regular slow cooker. Cook on high until the pork reaches 200°F. On some Instant Pot models, the slow cook settings are labeled Less, Normal, and More. Choose More, which is the same as High in a regular slow cooker.
Yes, you can slice it. The pork will slice at 145°F. Check your package's minimum temperature and skip the slow-cook step. If you want pork that shreds easily, cook it to 200°F.
The pork is done when it reaches 200°F and the bone slides out easily. At this point, you can shred it with tongs.
Store the pork in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
This pork is delicious in soups and casseroles. For more ideas, check out my 23 Leftover Ham Recipes or try my Ham and Potato Soup.
Serving Suggestions
Use This Ham For...
I've linked a bunch of my recipes that use ham up in the post, so make sure to scroll out and check those out, but here are some I couldn't fit up above that are excellent ways to use leftover ham.
- Ham and Potato Soup
- Traeger Ham and Cheese Scalloped Potato Casserole
- Ham and Pea Pasta Salad
- Blackstone Ham & Pineapple Fried Rice
- Breakfast Casserole with Ham
Double Smoked Picnic Ham
A smoked picnic shoulder pork is smoked again on the Traeger and then slow cooked until it is perfectly shreddable. This is a great base recipe to play with flavor by adding a rub and/or a glaze!
Ingredients
- 6 pounds bone-in smoked pork picnic shoulder (smoked picnic ham)
- 2 cups apple cider
Instructions
- Preheat the Traeger to 225°F with the lid closed. Use hickory, apple, or cherry pellets.
- Remove the wrapper from the pork. Place it fat side up on the grate and insert a probe into the thickest part, away from the bone.
- Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 155°F, about 3 to 4 hours.
- Add the water to an 8-quart Instant Pot. Set the pork inside, fat side up.
- Cover with the glass lid, or the regular lid with the steam valve set to Venting.
- Set the slow cook function to More (High) and cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the pork reaches 200°F and the bone slides out easily.
- Move the pork to a platter and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use tongs to remove the skin and fat, pull out the bone, and shred the meat. Moisten with a little cooking liquid.
Notes
- Fully cooked, ready to cook, and cook before eating picnic shoulders all work. If your Instant Pot is labeled Low and High, use High.
- To slice instead of shred, stop at 145°F or the temperature on your package.
- Cooking liquid is salty.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 475Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 172mgSodium: 114mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 51g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
