How Do You Cook a Shoulder Picnic Ham?

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Roasting in the oven or boiling on the stove are two ways to cook a half or whole bone-in shoulder picnic ham. The meat must register 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally, no matter which method is used.

Cooking in the oven is done based on the weight of the shoulder picnic ham, while on the stove it is done by time.

Oven method

Step 1: Preheat oven and prep ham

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Remove the ham from the packaging. If cooking a half ham, place it cut side down in a shallow roasting pan with a rack. Otherwise, place a whole ham with the fat side up. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast the ham

For a half ham, roast for 18 to 28 minutes per pound. For a whole ham, roast for up to 33 minutes per pound.

Stove-top method

Step 1: Prep ham for cooking

Remove ham from packaging and place in large stockpot. Add enough water to cover ham.

Step 2: Cook the ham

Bring water to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for up to 3 hours.