Sunday was a special day in our house when I was a boy. We went to Church every Sunday, often just to Sunday School, but when we came home, the house was filled with the heavenly smells of dinner cooking. We called it “dinner” not lunch, because it was our main meal for the day. That night we would eat leftovers and watch Walt Disney on TV, but a Sunday afternoon was a time for dinner.
Sunday dinners were always special – sometimes we’d have beef roast in the oven and sometimes it would be chicken frying in a skillet. I remember one Sunday that we had baked walleye – a friend of Daddy’s had caught a heavy 8-pounder. That was truly outstanding. We also enjoyed chicken and dumplings, an occasional meat loaf and roasting hens. One of our special go-to entrees for a Sunday afternoon spread was a fresh picnic ham. With the leftover juices Daddy concocted a ham gravy and it was superb over a bed of mashed potatoes.
I still enjoy a fresh picnic ham – had one yesterday, as a matter of fact. Food Lion had them on special at $1.79 a pound and I bought an 8-pounder.
It’s getting harder and harder to find picnic hams in the meat section anymore. Mostly, all they offer are whole loins or Boston butts – the shoulders. Boston butts are good and make great BBQ, but I much prefer the less fatty meat of a fresh picnic. I also delight in the great ham sandwiches that follow because few families can eat an entire fresh picnic ham at one sitting. I also like to make BBQ out of my hams.
There’s really nothing to cooking a fresh picnic. Set the oven on 325 and cook it 25 minutes per pound, then turn the oven back to 225 and let it simmer in its juices. An hour or two later, take the ham from the oven, peel back the thick skin, carve into thick slices and slather it with the juices (or make some gravy if you dare). You don’t have to add any seasonings or fancy glazes. With a little salt and pepper, the ham is perfect as it is.
Next time, skip the Boston butt and go with a fresh picnic ham. You will not be disappointed.
