So I admit I am a Yankee. Born and raised in Boston. I left when I was 20 years old and I had NEVER heard of a pork steak until a few years ago. About four years ago a buddy of mine retired and I rode with him to southern Illinois to drop a few things off before he made the final move to western Kentucky where him and his wife decided to settle (it was close to his family farm in southern IL). While we were there (Memorial Day weekend) we drank beer, shot guns, and ate the most delicious venison I ever ate that his dad had harvested. The day we left his dad made some pork steaks. The night prior my buddy said “dad is doing pork steaks for breakfast and probably dinner too, hope you like them”. I smiled because I had never heard of them (and anything his dad cooked was perfection so it was guaranteed to be good). So the next morning his dad did pork steaks on the griddle…and they were good. And that evening he did pork steaks on the grill…and they were DELICIOUS.

So doing a little research I have found that pork steaks are just slices of Boston butt and that they are a midwestern thing. So I don’t feel too bad for being ignorant. But I’ll tell you what, I never ate that stuff back home. I picked up a package tonight here in the ENC. Vac sealed a few and used one to try to recreate the best piece of charred pork I have ever eaten. Some rub, grill, dab a little sauce, flip, repeat. I’m working on it

We set up an ad hoc range beside his grandpa’s barn to shoot the Garand (and a few others). Such beautiful country!



And onto my attempt at a grilled pork steak:

Start the coals:


Pork steak on!



Add sauce of choice (I used Famous Daves Devil Spit)



Flip after 4-5 minutes



Dab grilled side with sauce



Wait another 4-5 and plate



Survey your conquest and smile

I’ve made them, and the key seems to be low and slow, until the end. One time they were excellent, other time not so. Had to be the cook.
Price is usually good too.
14 1/2 yrs to 10K.

Grilled pork chops; a speciality at the Kentucky State Fair Pork Producers tent. YUM.

Pork steaks are a St. Louis summertime staple.

quote:

Grilled Pork Steak

Awesome! Keep grilling!
I live in the pork steak capitol of the world and we have them frequently.

Great start but if you really want a treat throw the next one on the indirect heat side of that grill and cook’er slow (mine take about an hour and half).

Love me some pork steaks. I aim for no more than 275 degreee and use hickory twigs for smoke.

Nice. They are a St Louis thing... we love our pork steaks.


Do them indirect, low n slow. Finish them with a sear and sauce and caramelize the sauce at the end.

I’m from the Upper Midwest. At Dad’s work, they started alternating grilling at lunch on Fridays in the summer. One guy did pork steaks and from then on Dad kept requesting Mom pick up some. I still occasionally enjoy them from my Texas grocer and same goes for my days in Alaska. Inexpensive, juicy, and delicious.

Next time brine them first you will be rewarded for doing so. And as others have said low and slow on indirect heat then sear at the end. Sauce served on the side please especially when it's over powering like Dave's Devil Spit. You're missing the great flavor of grilled pork by using too much sauce.

My single adventure with charcoal grilling of pork chops was a frustrating failure. Will mount the next assault in 'low & slow' terms, using butt rub. Hard to find non sweet sauce.

You can also do a larger batch and freeze the rest for consumption later. Maybe there is a slight reduction in quality but it saves a whole lot of time and makes for good and easy meals later.

when I was in the meat business, they sold very well here in Central VA,

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
Next time brine them first you will be rewarded for doing so. And as others have said low and slow on indirect heat then sear at the end. Sauce served on the side please especially when it's over powering like Dave's Devil Spit. You're missing the great flavor of grilled pork by using too much sauce.

I agree with everything here. Brine overnight and put on a little pork rub before grilling. Low and slow at 275 for around 2 hours or 145 degrees. Sauce goes on the last 10 minutes.

Jim

quote:

I agree with everything here. Brine overnight and put on a little pork rub before grilling. Low and slow at 275 for around 2 hours or 145 degrees. Sauce goes on the last 10 minutes.

I agree.
An alternative is yellow mustard.
Just slather them up with cheap yellow mustard and put them in a plastic freezer bag and back in the fridge for about 4 hours or so before you put them on the grill. It sounds weird, but it's pretty good.

I was looking for a pork steaks pic... but here are some ribs instead:

chellim1 has it right for ribs. Mustard is great on them and doesn't taste like mustard when eating them. I've been doing it that way for years.



Jim

be careful with the brine,

a lot of pork sold now is 'broth added'
or injected to help make it more tender and moist (pork is bred lean now, and while a Boston Butt will have marbling, it can still dry out when cooked)

some of the 'broth' or 'natural flavorings' used have some salt in them,

don't want to cure it,

I am another pork steak lover, and have been buying Devil's Spit for years!!!

Looks good! There’s this recent article, possibly of interest:

Cooking pork to 63°C is best for 'juiciness, tenderness and flavour'

“Cooking pork to 63°C is best for juiciness, tenderness and flavour, according to scientists.

Average consumers consistently rated pork cooked to 63°C (145°F) as superior to joints cooked to 71 °C (160°F), and 82°C (180°F) in a new study…”

https://mol.im/a/6984609

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Looks good! There’s this recent article, possibly of interest:

Cooking pork to 63°C is best for 'juiciness, tenderness and flavour'

“Cooking pork to 63°C is best for juiciness, tenderness and flavour, according to scientists.

Average consumers consistently rated pork cooked to 63°C (145°F) as superior to joints cooked to 71 °C (160°F), and 82°C (180°F) in a new study…”

https://mol.im/a/6984609

The USDA changed the standard for pork from 160 degrees to 145 in 2011. It makes a huge difference in how tender the pork turns out.

Jim