Cooking Thick Pork Should Blade Steaks?

[pkadare]

One of our 2 local grocery stores has pork shoulder blade steaks (cut from Boston butts but we don't call them that here in the GWN) on sale this week so I had Pat, the wonderful butcher* there, cut me 2 steaks, each 1.5" thick. I've always wanted to cook these but the ones in the meat case are always so thin and I'd never gotten around to asking for some to be custom cut.
So now I have these 2 beautiful looking pork steaks and I'm wondering what the best way to cook them would be. Normally, I like my pork, unless I'm pulling it, to be cooked to around 135* to 140*. Having done my due diligence and searched the intertubes, seems like all of the big names pretty much cook them like butts, that is low and slow, wrap when you get the colour right, pull when probe tender, then on to a screaming hot grill to caramelize them. Wondering what the collective wisdom here would be. Would these be edible at 135* to 140*, if not, I guess if I really wanted them at that temp I could sous vide for about 48 hours or so, then sear. Or is would low and slow to probe tender be the better option?

*I told Pat that I'd continue my shopping and come back to the meat department to pick them up. She actually tracked me down in the store and handed the steaks to me. One of the joys of living in a small town.

[Redwng]

Hmmm, not sure, interesting though. I have seen some city chicken recipes that used pork butt (I use loin or tenderloin) and only cooked to 145 and they claimed the finish product was great although that was breaded, sautéed in oil and finished in the oven.

The sous vide option sounds like it would work if that is what you are looking for as your finished product.

Many options but be sure to share what you decide with pics of course....

[RonB]

I can't help, but I'm watching with interest.

[Jfrosty27]

Malcom Reed has an easy and delicious recipe for smoke and sear pork steaks. They turn out perfect every time. Howtobbqright.com

[pkadare]

His was one of the videos I watched this morning prior to posting, thanks!

[bbqLuv]

"Cooking Thick Pork Should Blade Steaks?"
They are cut from a pork butt, so it makes sense to cook them the same as a pork butt.

[Bogy]

Pork steaks, the thin cut pork butt steaks, are the state meat in Missouri. I had never seen one before I moved to Missouri. The thick ones, in Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa are Country Style Ribs. No actual ribs were involved in cutting them. They are certainly edible at 135, but you will have to chew a little more. If you cook it like a pork butt, which they are, it's going to be more like pulled pork. Some people slap them over a charcoal grill and cook them hot and fast, others put them in a crock pot all day with BBQ sauce. I've eaten them all kinds of ways, and long discussions can ensue about the best say to cook the state meat. Personal preference. I tended more to the hot and fast when I lived in Missouri, today I would probably go low and slow.

[Jerod Broussard]

My family eats those for Thanksgiving, 1/4" thick or so.

[IowaGirl]

What's the name for cooking somewhere between "low and slow" and "screaming hot and fast"? Cuz that's typically how I cook pork shoulder steaks or their cousins country ribs.

I usually grill these over moderate heat, flipping them often and let them cook until the collagen is melting and turning juicy. A touch of smoke is nice, but they usually get a nice grilled flavor even without smoke.

When done, they should be tender and juicy at that point, but will need a knife to slice. Sometimes I'll check for doneness by slicing off a piece to taste. If not done enough, they'll be overly chewy. If over done, they'll be dry. I don't usually temp them, but I'm thinking the internal temp would end up around 180-190 or so. By that time, they're also nicely browned, so IMO no extra sear is needed.

[Argoboy]

I have stuffed pork steaks or butt chops with good results in the past but there were thinner cuts, I smoked them first and pulled them around 140F. With butt chops that thick I would smoke them first to say 125F then finish on a hot grill. You will have to watch them close on the hot grill or the fat will burn. Good luck and show some pictures.
We have a local market in town as well with two good butchers by the name of Harry and John and lots of people just shop at this market for the meat, it is nice to know them by their first names, yes the advantage of a small town market. The disadvantage of a small town store is everything is a dollar more.