Pork Steak on PBC

[RobertC]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of conversation about pork steaks here in The Pit. They may be more regional that I thought.

They're available elsewhere as either pork butt steaks or pork blade steaks but they're generally cut to about an inch thick. That's too thin for most low-and-slow cooking methods. I occasionally take a whole pork butt, remove the scapula, and cut into thicker steaks.

[fzxdoc]

I wish I could see the photos, Brian_M , but I'll take your word for it. Sounds like you had a tasty meal. Congrats. Glad that extra grate worked out for you.

You're making me want to give pork steaks a try. They're sliced off the pork butt, right?

Kathryn

[Troutman]

It's my favorite way to go lately Kathryn. I have them cut to 2" and deal with them various ways. Think of them like giant pork chops and cook accordingly.

[Brian_M]

You are correct, fzxdoc. If your butcher/meat market doesn't recognize pork steak or blade steak or shoulder steak (three names for the same thing), just ask them to take a pork butt and cut it into thick slices/steaks. The usual thickness seems to vary from shop to shop. The market I stopped at Thursday afternoon in Collinsville Il (just outside of St. Louis) had precut steaks that were between 1/2 and 3/4 inch. I asked for thick and they cut steaks in the 1 to 1 1/4 inch range without missing a beat.

You will enjoy them. They have a great flavor on their own, and they do a good job of taking flavor from rubs, sauces, or whatever you might want to smear on them while they cook.

https://grillinfools.com/blog/2009/0...e-pork-steaks/ should be a link to another website that offers a better description with pictures.

Did my pics not show? It's the first time I tried to post pictures, and actually my first post. They showed for me in the preview and when I scrolled through just a minute ago.

Thanks again for all the information you organize and post here. I don't plan a PBC cook or light the charcoal without referencing your cook times list and lighting instructions.

B. Murrah

[Polarbear777]

I’ve cut boneless pork shoulders into 1.5” "steaks" SVd to very tender, then seared very hot in cast iron.
i didn’t realize until now that this is the same cut.

[Troutman]

What temp and time on those Polarbear777 ? I just did low and slow rib like finish on some 2" pork steaks but wanted to go QVQ next round.

[Polarbear777]

I was afraid someone would ask. I don’t remember, but I’m sure no higher than 140F and no less than 24 hours, potentially lower and/or longer.

[fzxdoc]

I'm guessing these pork steaks are pretty fatty, since they come from the shoulder cut. Is the meat itself more juicy than, say, a pork chop that is sous vided and seared or reverse seared on the kettle/SnS? Do you have to cut away a lot of fat as you eat the steak?

I ask because my husband hates fatty meats. I don't make pork belly or short ribs for that reason, unless I make something separate (and leaner) for him. But you guys have me wanting to give pork steaks a try, using the Brian_M method. I love the taste of pork cooked almost any way.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Dry pork chop--what a sad thing to eat, Polarbear777 . I've had luck lately with sous vide pork chops ever since Potkettleblack told us not to go above 135°F in the tub. I'll give pork steaks a try. Thanks.
K.

[Potkettleblack]

Am familiar with pork steaks. St. Louis special cut back when I lived there. It's shoulder, so takes braise well, or smoke, or low and slow. Probably be great on the PBC, Kathryn.

[fzxdoc]

Thanks, Potkettleblack . Glad to see you're still around.

K.

[Brian_M]

It has more fat than a pork chop. If you cook it until the IT gets to 180 ish, a lot of the fatty tissue and connective tissue will melt away, but there will still be thin layers of fat where the muscle groups meet.

I have zero experience with Sous Vide. Pork steaks are at least as moist as any pork chop I have ever grilled or smoked (and the PBC will turn out some wonderful smoked pork chops, also).

Each steak will have several distinct areas of fairly lean meat separated by thin (or thick) layers of fat. I can't speak for anyone else, we cut these "good" sections out, cut most or all the fat off, and still have enough "good" meat left to make a full meal. One steak is more than the youngest boy or my wife will eat at one setting. Short answer would have been, "Yes, a fair amount of cutting."

The "good" meat itself is not fatty or greasy though.




There is also always a thick layer of fat on one edge. This corresponds to the fat cap on the butt I guess.

The size and shape of the bone section will vary in each steak since it's a cross-section of the scapula.

I don't know that I have a "method" yet. That sounds pretty official...It will take another time or two of smoking these on the PBC to get the variables worked out. My first experiment with pork steaks on the PBC worked out well but that's most likely because the steaks come from pork butts and pork butts are so forgiving. With that said though, they are definitely worth an experiment or two.

B. Murrah

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for the additional info, Brian_M. I'm going to try some soon.
K.

[RobertC]

Yeah. The pork steak or pork blade steak are cut from the "butt" and are the anatomical equivalent of cuts from the beef chuck. Like a beef chuck, the slices that are a little closer to the rib chop or rib steaks have a "straight" or "blade" part of the scapula, while parts closer to the "arm" have a curved part of the scapula. In beef, those are called "seven bone chuck" roasts since the scapula sort of resembles the numeral 7 if you squint or have poor penmanship. In chucks, the closer you are to the rib end the fattier but more tender the roast is; the closer you are to the neck end the coarser and tougher the muscle. Here's a description of beef chuck roasts that name the muscles involved, and apply as well to pork: https://www.thespruce.com/the-classi...e-roast-995247.

[texastweeter]

Never cooked it on a PBC, but I use Berkshire pork sliced about an inch thick, season with *gasp* OTC Montreal steak seasoning, and cook it *double gasp* medium rare. OMG it is FANTASTIC!!!!! try it, and i PROMISE if you don't like it I will have my wife (cause I may be able to build PCs, remove viruses like a pro, and I run a sales team for a HUGE telecommunications company but at heart i am a technotard) reimburse you the price of the pork via pay pal.

[btuckertx]

I’ve smoked pork steaks @ 225 degrees cut thick 3/4 inch plus, pulled until internal is around 180 degrees wrap in foil for about an hour and finish on the grill with a quick sear and some bbq sauce.

Ooooh! I'll have to try that. I've been eating pork steaks for 40+ years, starting with pan braising with caramelized onions - those were about 1/2" thick. Lately (the last 5 yrs.) have been getting them 3/4"+ and grilling/smoking them. Will try your technique later this week.