How To Cook Pork Shoulder Steak Recipe
How To Cook Pork Shoulder Steak – simple and delicious pork shoulder steaks that are marinated first and then cooked on the grill. Oven option available, too! Juicy pork, slightly charred and very flavorful.
Could be topped with barbecue sauce.
Serve with a side salad, vegetables or potatoes.
This is by far my favorite (and very easy) way to cook pork steak. As you may already know, we love pork abound here. If you are a fan of pork chops, definitely check these Easy Baked Pork Chops, from The Endless Meal, they are tender and full of flavor. Or you can make my Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops, that are super delicious and easy to make.
What is pork shoulder steak?
Pork steaks, sometimes referred to as a Boston butt or pork blade steak, are steaks cut from the shoulder of the pig.
It is a popular cut of meat in the Midwest, part of St Louis Barbecue.
These steaks could include bones. Part of their meat is tender and there could be tough parts.
They are relatively easy to cook in the oven, stove top or on the grill.
Does pork shoulder steak have bones?
Yes, it does. But sometimes I remove the bones and just cook the meat.
Where to buy pork shoulder ?
To be honest, it took me a while to find out what this particular type of meat is called and where to find it.
It is a cut of meat popular in my home country Bulgaria.
Here in the US, in the Chicago and Midwest areas you can easily find pork shoulder steak cut of meat.
It may be more difficult to get at other parts of the country.
Specialty butcher shops should be able to find it for you.
How to cook pork steak?
- grill – easy and quick way to cook
- pan fry – very easy, when you don’t want to go out and fire up the grill
- roast (bake) – at low temperature (325 F), it takes between 45 and 60 minutes to at least 145 F
- roast at higher temperature – 400 F for around 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F
- slow cook – add your favorite seasonings and cook on slow for 8 hours
- braise – pan fry on both sides for a few minutes, then place in a Dutch oven, close the lid and cook in the oven or no the stove top on low for longer period of time
- Smoke – prepare for smoking by tenderizing the meat first (if needed). Then follow the directions recommended by the type of smoker you have.
Can you freeze?
Yes, you can freeze pork shoulder steak. I usually buy it unfrozen and then freeze whatever I have not used.
Are pork shoulder steaks tough or tender?
These steaks have some tough spots.
Marinating and pounding the steak with a millet help to tenderize it.
Can you skip the marinating part?
Yes! Just make sure you pound the steaks and be careful around the bone part if they are bone it.
How to cook on the gas grill
This is my favorite way to cook pork steaks in the summer.
I first trim the fat on the outside parts of the meat.
Then I remove the bone or leave it in there, both ways are ok.
Then I marinate the steaks in olive oil, apple cider vinegar, that helps tenderizing it, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme (optional), parsley and fresh (or dried) onion.
How long to marinate for:
At least 30 minutes and up to 1 day, in the fridge.
Then make sure the steaks are relatively dry from the marinade and grill on a preheated to medium-high heat, cleaned gas grill for 5-6 minutes per side.
Cooking on a Charcoal grill
Follow the same instructions as you’d do when you use a gas grill.
How long to cook on the grill?
Pork shoulder steaks don’t require a long cooking time.
But it still depends on the thickness of the cut.
Grill 4-6 minutes per side on the grill.
The outside should be lightly charred and the inside should possibly remain juicy.
A meat thermometer inserted should read 145 F in order to be safe to consume.
I personally cook my pork shoulder steaks to a slightly higher temperature (160), because I like them more well done.
Do you have to trim the fat?
You can leave it, especially if you like fat and your diet (like for example KETO requires fat).
Just keep in mind that larger amounts of fat make the cooking process more challenging as it may burn or get smokey.
How to season pork shoulder:
Just pain salt and pepper will be fine.
You can also add paprika.
It brings great flavor to this particular cut of meat.
Onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin are some of the spices that go well with this pork recipe.
How to marinate steaks of pork:
Use a marinade of your choice.
Mine includes spices, olive oil and vinegar.
What temperature to cook pork to:
Cook to at least 145 F internal temperature.
This is the temperature recommended by the USDA.
I cook mine to 160 F, because it is still cooked well, but not dry.
Should pork shoulder steak be pink on the inside
Not raw pink, but even when cooked properly, there may be parts that look pinkish.
This is how this cut of meat is. It is normal.
Have you noticed, that even when your pork shoulder slow cooked meat is perfectly done, it may still look pink on the inside?
The same goes for pork shoulder steak.
Can you use Barbecue sauce on this meat
Yes! It goes well with barbecue sauce.
What goes with grilled pork shoulder steak
Any salad goes well with pork shoulder steak.
You can serve with steamed or grilled vegetables and (or) mashed potatoes.
I served mine with a cabbage salad, which is low-calorie and low-carb.
Add different sauces like mushroom sauce or tomato sauce.
What to serve with
- Cucumber and onion salad with apple cider vinegar
- Shopska Salad Recipe
- Grilled Sweet Mini Peppers Salad Recipe
How To Cook Pork Shoulder Steak
Ingredients
- 4 12 oz pork shoulder steaks
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt — could use less if desired
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 onion — sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme — optional
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1.2 tsp oregano
Instructions
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Place steaks on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Pound the meat with a meat millet, being careful not to hit the bones to tenderize and flatten the steaks. Trim the fatty parts on the outside of the steaks.
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Place in a bowl or a large zip lock bag. Add the olive oil, vinegar and seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to up to 24 hours.
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Preheat a gas grill to 450-500F. Clean the grates.
Place the meat (make sure there is no oil dripping) on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until charred and the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F. I cook it to a slightly higher temperature.
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Let the meat rest for 3-5 minutes. Serve.
Recipe Notes
- roast at higher temperature - 400 F for around 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 F
- roast at lower temperature 325 F for 40-60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 F
This is such a great post, Mira! I learned a lot more about pork shoulder than I ever knew! 🙂 And I love your tips, too…makes me want to have this for dinner!
Interesting, because I’m in Oklahoma city, and I’ve never seen this cut of pork! Or maybe I wasn’t looking. It looks like a fun cut to play with because it can be marinated, slow roasted, pan fried, sous vide’d. Fabulous!
Hi Mimi! Yes, I’ve lived in other parts of the country and I never saw this cut of meat. It is popular here in Chicago though. I believe you can make it if you slice vertically pork butt (shoulder). It is not the most tender cut of pork, but tastes really good!
I live in Edmond and have got this cut of Pork at Sam’s on I-35!
I’m Romanian and living in the states. I always complain that Americans don’t eat any of the good parts of a pig….it’s so sad 🙁 Maybe i’ll try asking butchers for it
Hi RFW, yes I was surprised it is not popular here, but it is one of my favorite cuts of meat. I mainly find it at Ethnic stores in Chicago. Hope you are able to find it, too!
Aldi sells it!
Yes, I recently got it from there and it was delicious! I have another recipe coming up soon 🙂
Got it marinating in the fridge for tomorrow night, very excited about the marinade! If I pan fry it, how long should I cook each side for?
Hi Nick! Hope you like it! I’d say 4-5 minutes per side. Let me know how it turns.
Your recipe said oven option too! But I didn’t see any instructions for that option. Could you please tell me as I would like to try this recipe!!! 🙂 Thank you in advance!
Hi Donna! The instructions are in the blog post, not the recipe, sorry.
When it comes to roasting (baking) in the oven you have 2 options:
-roast at higher temperature – 400 F for around 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F
-roast at lower temperature 325 F for 40-60 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 F
I usually cook mine to 160 F, because I like pork more well done, but not too dry.
Cooking time may vary, because the size of steak is different. Also some baking dishes heat faster than others.
If you bake at lower temperature, you can try to baste the meat with some of the juice it releases while cooking, once or twice during the process. Since this kind of meat has fat, it helps it stay juicy and it is not so easy to overcook, like for example pork chops.
Just brought a whole hog already butchered and discovered the
Shoulder roast had two steaks going to marinate sear and try slow cooker with onions potatoes carrots and sliced apples
Hi David, I hope you like the steak, please let me know!
The ingredients list calls for sliced onion, but I don’t see it in the directions. How do you suggest using the sliced onion?
It is used in the marinade.
Do you roast in the oven covered?
I roast it uncovered
What about broiling?
Not sure if it will work. Grilling works best. Then baking. Let me know how broiling goes.
Charlotte:
My grandpa was a butcher & we always broiled outlet pork steaks! You can just sprinkle your favorite spices on it & rub them in good. Place meat on a greased broil pan & I use the med broil setting. Usually I flip them after 4 minutes then after 8 minutes I check the temp. Once I hit 140 I crank the broiler to high &!broil until 160 I like my pork more will done & the fat nice & crispy!
Another great way to make these is to mix mayonnaise &!spices of your choice. Then rub on steaks & do as above under broiler. This cut is great with kraut! In a slow cooker!
I am in Oklahoma City and bought some pork shoulder steak at Sam’s Club on 12/5/18. It is also availabe at Walmart and other grocery stores in the smaller towns around OKC. I’ve lived in Oklahoma most of my life and have eaten pork steak most of my life.
Great! Thanks for your comment and thanks for sharing this information.
My first time making pork shoulder gonna bake in the over for 45-60 minutes. I’m not sure if I should cover it with foil or not but I’m going to try covering it.
Hi Jay, no need to cover it, but you can certainly do. Let me know how it turns.
I grew up on pork shoulder steak and it is still one of my favorite cuts. I notice that you mention that it is a tough cut, which is true if you cook it too fast, but it is very tender and flavorful when you cook it at a lower temp for a longer time. This can be accomplished with indirect cooking on the BBQ, slow cooker, sous vide, low oven temp or covered simmering on the stove top. However you choose to do it, this cut needs low & slow cooking to maximize the flavor and tenderness.
Thanks you for all the info!
Hi Mira… and THANK YOU so much for this recipe. It has become the #1 request from family… even over steak or shrimp!!! The taste is wonderful. I have made this time and time again- and it never fails – always tender and oh so flavorful. Do you think I could use this recipe with boneless pork chops as well?
Hi, so happy to hear this! Of course the recipe could be used for boneless pork chops, just make sure you don’t overcook them.
Update: Boneless Pork chops were a hit!! Yay… thank you so much again. They were still so full of flavor and still tender. Paired with mashed potatoes, asparagus and crock pot ranch mushrooms. My family says I ROCK lol….
YOU ROCK MIRA!!!
Great, I’m so happy to hear that!
I love the pork butt! It’s super delicious previously I only made roasts but I didn’t saw the steaks in my local grocery they were sooo cheap I grilled them very good! I didn’t continue reading where u said u remove bones and fatback first next time i will! Thanks for the info
Within the US, “Pork Steaks” have been around for 50+ years in the St. Louis area, in fact with in BBQ circles STL is known for them. When I temporarily moved away from the area about 25 years ago, they were nowhere to found (even in “ethnic Chicago”) — but I figured out pretty quickly to go to the butcher in pretty much any place that has an on-site butcher and ask for a whole pork shoulder(also called butt) roast and have it sliced into steaks…Wa-la! Pork Steaks!
These days, “Pork Steaks” becoming more and more ubiquitous throughout all regions, including as one pointed out, being readily available at most Sam’s Clubs across the
US. However, IF you can’t find them already available packaged as “Pork Steaks”, the trick I used above still works, I’m sure!
Thanks for the tip Tim! Have a great day!
I’m originally from St. Louis. When we first moved to Nebraska I could only find pork steaks at the grocery store that caters to our Latinx and Asian citizens. I still love that store! You can get hard to find things like nopales and pigs ears. But now pork steaks are at all the grocery stores here. I typically smoke or grill pork steaks, often with an American or Korean bbq marinade. But now that we’re a keto household, I’ve been looking for sugar free recipes. I have 2 steaks marinating in the fridge right now destined for the grill tonight. I’m excited to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Mira, This is the best marinade I have ever tried. I followed your instructions for our pork blade steaks and they came out tender and so flavorful. I will try the marinade on other pork entrees I make. Thank you so much for the great instructions and marinade.
CAN YOU USE A CROCK POT?????????????????? 12-31-2020 1153AM ALABAMA
Yes, you can use crock pot. 6 hours on low. Then you can broil for 1 minute on both sides, if you desire to achieve charred look.
Made this tonight 06/10/2021 and it was lovely I did it in the oven on gas mark 6 for 45 minutes and it was done to perfection for my taste my son also enjoyed it and I will definitely make again. Thank you for posting your recipe.
OMG so amazing! I prepped & gas grilled it as instructed and just omg … melted in mouth, superb flavour – the type of meat upu’d pay top $$ at a high-end place. THANK YOU for this post!
This was the nicest pork marinade I have ever had!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Look forward to trying it on different cuts of pork.
Mira tried your recipe in the oven and it was REALLY GOOD. Because of the global hiesting of energy prices my daughters gave me a halogen oven for my birthday and I want to try this recipe out in the oven. Can you tell me if this is possible or do I need to take special precautions because the heat source is in the contained oven?
Hi,
The problem is that I’ve never used a Halogen oven, so I can’t really tell. Going to get one for me, too.
I’m roasting in my cast iron
Hi, can you marinade, then freeze? Thanks for recipe – really good.
Yes, you can marinate then freeze, Defrost in the fridge.
Great recipe, good advice, tastes amazing, thank you so much for sharing this!