Your guide to making the ultimate pork steak

There’s nothing like a St. Louis pork steak. No, really – try asking for it in other parts of the U.S., and you’ll baffle butchers who will likely point you toward a pork chop. But this Gateway City classic is not a chop; it’s a center cut of the shoulder, most commonly used for pulled pork. “They’re totally Midwest,” said Steven Weinmann, vice president of Kenrick’s Meats & Catering. “We actually ship pork steaks to different parts of the country.”

Yet, for every expat willing to fly in her beloved pork steak, there’s another St. Louisan who remembers gnawing on overcooked shoe leather that no amount of barbecue sauce could salvage. The key to juicy pork steak lies in the technique; just because it’s called steak doesn’t mean you should treat it like a sirloin. In fact, Jim LeGrand, co-owner of LeGrand’s Market & Catering, suggested thinking of it like beef shoulder, which you use for your favorite roasts. “This is the pot roast cut of a pig,” he said, explaining how this economical piece of meat must be rendered tender with low heat and patience. Lucky for you, we put in the hours and combined our favorite flavors and techniques from local chefs and butchers to bring you the ultimate pork steak, so your future memories will be nothing but succulent.

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THE MEAT

The cut
Look for bone-in, center-cut steaks with visible marbling throughout the meat. Avoid pieces with a heavy fat collar around the outside, LeGrand advised, or have your butcher trim the excess.

The thickness
The ideal thickness of a pork steak is 1½ inches. Never buy a cut thinner than ¾ inch. Since this cut is so inexpensive, you can afford to ride high on the hog.

THE RUB

If you really want a tender, flavorful powerhouse, you need to dry rub the pork steak, and let it soak up all that extra flavor. We’re in love with the sweet smoke of this simple, classic barbecue rub that Prasino’s executive chef Tony Marchetto uses on his mammoth pork steak.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup brown sugar, ½ tablespoon each of whole pink, black and white peppercorns, ¾ tablespoon smoked paprika, ½ tablespoon granulated garlic and ¼ tablespoon ground mustard. Use your hands to coat the pork steak with the rub, and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped steak in a large zip-top bag and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Before grilling, unwrap the meat and let it come to room temperature. Is your pork steak as red as rib-eye? You did it right. 

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THE SAUCE

We adapted Marchetto’s house-made Fitz’s barbecue sauce by adding a touch more smoke and spice.

1 poblano pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
½ Tbsp. smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups Dr. Pepper
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 
1 cup ketchup

• Char the poblano pepper over an open flame (ideally over applewood chips while you prepare your grill for the meat), until it is blackened. Place the pepper in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam 10 minutes. When cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin. Remove the stem and seeds. Dice the pepper and set aside.

• In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium. Saute the shallots and pepper until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Saute 1 minute, or until the vegetable mixture is very soft and bright red. 

• To the pot, add the Dr. Pepper and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, until reduced by about one-third. Whisk in the ketchup and simmer another 5 minutes. Reserve ¾ cup of sauce to cook with the pork steak. 

• Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the remaining sauce into a small sauce pot. Discard the solids, and return the pot to the stove. Continue to reduce over medium-low heat until the sauce achieves desired consistency.

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SAUCE SHORTCUT

Making your own barbecue sauce is admirable, but if you’re short on time, there’s no shame in reaching for your favorite bottle. We’re partial to Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce, which is cheap, widely available and just plain delicious.  

THE METHOD

There are two general practices when it comes to cooking pork steaks: grilling or braising. But for a foolproof combination of smoky, soft meat swimming in sauce, the pros recommended both.

Soak a generous handful of applewood chips in water. Prepare a charcoal grill for low, indirect heat. Drain the wood chips and add to the coals. Once the chips begin to smoke, add the room temperature, dry-rubbed pork steak and cover. Smoke it for 1 hour, flipping halfway through.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking dish with enough heavy-duty aluminum to hang over the sides for wrapping. Place the pork steak in the center of the foil. Pour the ¾ cup unstrained barbecue sauce on top of the pork steak. Completely seal the foil to create a packet. Place the baking dish in the oven. Bake 1 hour, until the meat is tender. Let the pork steak rest 5 minutes, and then slather it in barbecue sauce with reckless abandon.