Cinnamon Honey Glazed Baked Picnic Ham (GF)

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Picnic ham is the perfect size for your weekly meals, but it can also be a great option for family holiday meals or gatherings.

This recipe for Cinnamon Honey Glaze Baked Picnic Ham is amazingly fragrant and flavorful, which makes it ideal for serving at Christmas, Easter, and even as an ‘outside the box’ Thanksgiving entrée.

And folks, there’s nothing better than having glazed baked ham leftovers. You can use them for sooooo many other meals. And talk about quick and easy meal prep solutions! Just bake this ham at the beginning of the week, and use it to create fuss-free yet totally flavorful meals all week long.

Yeap, just whip up some leftover picnic ham sandwiches, chop it and toss into salads and soup, add it to your favorite casseroles, and more. The possibilities are endless with this Honey Glazed Baked Ham. 

Not only does this tasty Honey Baked Picnic Ham rock with leftovers, but it pairs with just about any side dish. My absolute favorite side to serve with this ham has to be roasted sweet potatoes. #somuchyum

Why You’ll Love ♡ This Recipe 

• Feeds a crowd – great for family gatherings or holiday meals
• Cheaper – usually more inexpensive than the traditional ham 
• Versatile – can be used in so many dishes like salads, soups, sandwiches, casseroles and more

What Is A Picnic Ham

Most people hear the term glazed picnic ham and think it’s just the right sized ham that’s perfect for a family picnic. While this isn’t completely off track, there’s a little more to the story. 

A picnic ham is not really a ham, at least not the traditional butt/leg cut of ham you’re used to. Baked Honey Glazed Picnic Ham is a shoulder cut of meat which is usually cheaper than the hind and leg traditional cut. 

Tools You Need 

• Mixing bowls.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A sharp knife.
• A cutting board.
• Bakeware.

How To Cook A Ham

You can cook a shoulder ham a few different ways. Oven-baked and in a slow cooker are the most common ways to cook a ham. Cooking a ham is great in the fall and winter, the cold months, when you don’t mind having the oven on for a few hours. 

Ready to learn just how easy it is to make this Honey Glazed Baked Ham recipe? Then gather up these ingredients and I will show you…..

How To Cook A Picnic Ham 

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C and place the pork shoulder in a large stockpot.
2. Add the vinegar and enough water to cover. Then add the bay leaves, onion, and 4 or 5 cloves to the pot.
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Then, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours.
4. Transfer the pork shoulder to a roasting pan and reserve the stock.

• In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey. It will be a sticky paste.
• When the pork is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to remove the skin/rind, and then make diagonal cuts in the pork shoulder about ¼ inch deep making diamond patterns.
• Using your hands, rub the honey glaze over the pork shoulder.
• Stud with cloves by placing one in the middle of each diamond.
• Next, pour the cooking stock into the bottom of the roasting pan around the ham until it’s about a half-inch deep.

• Bake for 30 minutes, basting occasionally. The exterior of the pork shoulder will be crisp and golden.
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the ham to make sure it has reached 160F / 71C. 
• Remove from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

How To Bake A Ham

For pre-cooked hams, simply reheat the ham in a 325F / 163C oven. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the ham reaches 140F / 60C. 

For hams that you have to bake, bake in the oven at 325F / 163C until the internal temperature reaches 160F / 71C. Then add the glaze within the last hour of cooking. 

Chef’s Tip: cooking time will vary depending on the size of the ham. As a general rule, allow for 15-20 minutes per pound of ham.

Recipe Tips

• Raw pork should be stored at 40F / 4C in the refrigerator. 
• You should use your ham within 3-5 days of the sell-by date. If you can not, freeze the ham to use later. 
• If cooking from frozen, you will need to increase the cooking time by 1.5 times or more. Start with less additional time and increase until your ham is fully cooked. 
• Do not thaw a frozen ham on the counter. The outer portions will thaw faster than the interior and is a chance of developing bacteria. 
• To avoid drying out the meat when reheating, place the ham on a roasting rack in a pan with a little water in the bottom and cover with aluminum foil.

• If you cut a little deeper when scoring the ham, don’t worry! The glaze will soak in farther and add more flavor. 
• Don’t skip the resting stage before cutting the honey cooked ham because you will lose too much juice and flavor. 
• Keep the smoked picnic shoulder bone to make an amazing stock or to use for flavoring other dishes. 

Meal Prep And Prep Ahead

Baking a ham isn’t just great for holiday meals, it’s perfect for using leftovers for sandwiches and other meals and it tastes even better the next day.  

Prep Ahead – The ham can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-5 days after the sell by date. Once you’ve prepped it, you should cook it within 24-48 hours. Before cooking, allow the ham to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. 

Storing – Stored properly in the fridge, this will last about 4-5 days.

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below on how to freeze this.

• Let ham cool down then transfer into these convenient Ziploc freezer bags.
• Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags.
• Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer.
• Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Defrost – Thaw overnight in the fridge.

FAQs

How Much Ham Per Person Do You Need?

When buying a ham, keep these serving sizes in mind: 

• Boneless ham – plan for 1/2 pound per person 
• Ham with a bone – 3/4 pound per person 
• Ham with a larger bone – you’ll need to allow about 1 pound per person

What’s The Difference Between A Pork Shoulder Picnic Ham And A Traditional Ham? 

Picnic ham is a different cut of pork than a traditional holiday ham, but it tastes very similar since it is prepared and cooked the same way. 

A smaller cut of meat than a traditional ham, picnic hams weigh between 5-8 pounds, which can be a better serving size for a regular everyday family meal. A traditional ham is usually a larger cut of ham that is better for serving a larger holiday gathering meal with more than just one family. 

Are Honey Glazed Picnic Hams Precooked? 

Folks, some Smoked Picnic Hams are pre-cooked and smoked, but you still need to cook them before serving. Make sure to check the label when purchasing your picnic ham.

And it’s important to know that these hams have more fat than traditional holiday hams, so they need to be cooked a little more, not just reheated, before serving your guests.  

What’s The Difference Between A Fresh Ham And Ready-To-Eat Baked Ham?

Ready-to-eat ham is pre-cooked, so all you have to do is heat and serve. Fresh ham is a raw cut of pork that needs to be smoked, cured, and cooked before eating.

How To Check Internal Temperature Of Baked Ham? 

To get an accurate internal temperature reading, make sure the tip of your meat thermometer reaches the center of the ham or the thickest part, without touching the bone. 

How To Carve Honey Glazed Picnic Ham?

Follow these simple steps to learn how to carve a ham:

• After ham has finished resting, place it on a carving board.
• Using a sharpened carving knife, start by cutting off a few slices of the thinner side, cutting parallel to the length of the ham.
• Turn the ham so that it rests on the flat side you just created. 
• Holding the ham firmly with a carving fork, start at the shank end and cut slices down to the bone across the ham. 
• Then cut the other way, parallel along the bone, so the ham slices can fall.
• Turn the ham as needed to continue to carve until ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

• Instant Pot Collard Greens.
• Southern Squash Casserole.
• Creole Hasselback Potatoes.

More Pork Recipes

• Hawaiian Instant Pot Pulled Pork.
• Southern Fried Pork Chops and Gravy.
• Easy Instant Pot Vietnamese Style Pork Tenderloin.

Thank you for reading my Picnic Ham recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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