Pulled pineapple and white beer ham
- Preparation 10 min
- Cooking 3 h
- Servings 8 to 10
- Freezing Absolutely
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🥇 My favorite ham, hands down
I’ve got a handful of ham recipes on the site, and this one wins every single time. Every time I serve it to someone, they lose their minds over it. It’s simple, it’s good, and if you only try one ham off this site, make it this one. I make it more often than any other, more than my maple beer glazed ham, which is still a solid recipe. It just never wins when I put the two side by side.
🍍 Pineapple and beer, a combo I didn’t know I needed
I wanted a classic pulled pineapple ham, but something felt like it was missing. Adding white beer to the mix brought in flavors I wasn’t expecting, a bit of spice and fruit that pineapple juice alone can’t touch on its own. One bite of the result and it turned into a kitchen staple.
🎄 A holiday ham that works all year
I always make this one for the holidays, with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes seasoned heavy on the salt. It just works. But this ham doesn’t need a special occasion to be good: serve it on a random Sunday and it’ll hit the same. It’s just that around the holidays, with everyone at the table, people lose their minds over it even harder.
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🍲 A genuinely big pot, no way around it.
This is the first thing that goes wrong if your pot is too small. The pork shoulder plus all that liquid takes up real space. Grab the biggest one you own.
💧 The ham sits almost fully submerged.
The liquid (pineapple juice, beer, maple syrup) should cover the meat almost completely. That’s what gives you an even braise from start to finish.
🐷 Rind side down, though I’m honestly not sure it matters.
I always place the shoulder rind side down, since the fat renders and adds flavor as it cooks. Is it actually necessary? Not entirely sure, if I’m being honest. But I keep doing it anyway.
🔥 Bring the liquid to a boil before it goes in the oven.
Get the liquid up to temperature on the stovetop before you close the oven door. Otherwise the oven wastes a ton of time just getting it to boil, and you lose real cooking time for nothing. That’s true for any braise, not just this one.
🌡️ 350°F for 3 hours, the sweet spot.
A braise needs enough time to melt down the collagen. 350°F for 3 hours is the number I tested over and over, and it’s what gets the meat falling apart on its own.
✂️ A picnic shoulder holds a lot of fat.
You’ll run into a fair amount of it while shredding. Pull it out as you go, it makes the final texture a lot more pleasant.
🐌 The real slow cooker version.
Make a big batch of this one in the slow cooker, it’s genuinely built for it. Dump everything in the same way as the stovetop version, lid on, 8 hours on low. Don’t watch the clock too closely, the fork decides: once the meat pulls apart without any resistance, it’s done. If it still fights back a little, give it more time. The result holds up just as well as the oven version, with way less babysitting.
📅 Make it ahead.
This ham makes ahead beautifully. Cook it the day before, let it cool in its own juices, then reheat it gently before serving. It might even taste better the second time around.
✅ What should I serve with my pulled pineapple and white beer ham?
I serve it with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes seasoned heavy on the salt, and it works every time. Bread, like my cheesy garlic bread, is perfect for soaking up the pan juices. A creamy coleslaw brings the crunch this tender meat needs next to it. It’s a holiday ham, but honestly, it’s good all year long.
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Ingredients
- Smoked picnic pork shoulder with bone, approx. 2.5kg (5.5 lb)
- 1 liter (4 cups) pineapple juice
- 473 ml (2 cups) white beer
- 5 whole cloves
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
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Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C).
- In a large casserole dish, place the pork shoulder rind side down.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: the liquid should cover the ham almost completely. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir. Cover, bring to a boil on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Carefully remove the ham from the casserole dish and place it on a work surface. Shred the meat and discard the fatty bits. Serve with mashed potatoes and drizzle the ham with the pan juices.
Yes, but the texture will change. Picnic shoulder is loaded with fat and connective tissue that break down into gelatin during a long, slow cook, which is what makes it so easy to pull apart. A leaner or boneless ham will cook faster, but it’ll come out firmer and won’t shred the same way.
White beer adds a light fruity, spiced note that pairs well with the pineapple. For a non-alcoholic version, swap it for extra pineapple juice mixed with a bit of chicken broth to keep the same amount of liquid.
Absolutely, it’s genuinely built for the slow cooker. Add everything in, 8 hours on low, and the fork decides when it’s ready: once the meat pulls apart on its own, you’re good to go.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container with a bit of the cooking liquid so they don’t dry out. They’ll keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. For freezing, add a bit of that liquid too, it protects the texture.
I serve it with roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes seasoned heavy on the salt. Bread, like my cheesy garlic bread, is great for soaking up the pan juices. A creamy coleslaw adds the crunch it needs. It’s a holiday ham, but it’s good all year round.
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