Advice for "shoulder picnic" cut of pork....

[mikebrandon]

Advice for "shoulder picnic" cut of pork that has been cooked....

Hello. I was wondering if anyone can help me with a little dilemma I have. I mistakenly bought a Farmer John California Natural Bone-In Shoulder Picnic thinking it was a ham....for Easter. Well the problem is I baked it in the oven for 5 hours before I realized this. I obviously do not want to throw perfectly good food away but I do not know what I can do with it. I was thinking maybe pulled pork but am unsure if it is usable since it is already cooked. Any advice?

Warm regards,
Mike

 

[Hungry]

Pulled Pork

Mike,
I have been tempted to buy one of the pork shoulders for pulled pork.
I usually use the Boston Butt, but here lately they have been too fat.

I ALWAYS cook my pork roast before I pull it.

I would think after roasting for 5 hours it would be ready to pull.

If not finish it off on the BBQ with some hickory or mesquite smoke and then pull away!

Enjoy,
Hungry

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

The picnic is actually the lower end of the front shoulder rather than the top end (called Boston Butt) that you typically make pulled pork from. Around here it is usually sold pre-smoked (but still uncooked) and labeled "Smoked Picnic Shoulder".

I actually grew up having shoulder quite a bit, and we treated it almost as you would corned beef. Simmer it in water with carrots. After two hours add some cabbage. After 3-3.5 hours you can pull the falling-apart meat from the bones and fat and serve it with the carrots, cabbage, some boiled potatoes, and whatever condiments you wish. Horseradish, dill pickles, mustard, or even a sauce made from thickening some of the reduced cooking liquid with a roux and whisking in some cream, mustard, horseradish, and white pepper (this is my favorite - let it simmer for at least an hour though).

It also makes fantastic pan-fried potato "hash-cakes". Chop up some of the meat and mix it with some of the cooked diced potatoes that have cooled (you can even include some carrot if you want). Mash the potatoes just a little to make a binder, and then make some hamburger-like patties. Pan-fry in 1/4" of canola oil on both sides until golden brown. Additions such as minced chives or caraway seeds are great too.

I actually prefer pork picnic shoulder in a boiled dinner over corned beef.

 

[toni1948]

Nicholas, thank you for posting this one. I would never have thought of treating the shoulder like a corned beef brisket. Since horseradish is in the markets now, I can't wait to try this one.

 

[Chicks]

You could make black bean chili or soup or old fashioned bar-b-que
C