A Midwestern BBQ Staple - Pork Steaks

If you are not from the Midwest you are probably asking what exactly is a pork steak. Originally considered just a St. Louis thing it is now pretty prevalent throughout the Midwest due to its low price, ease of preparation, tenderness, great flavor and the vast multitude of prep options with them.

The pork steak is cut from a pork shoulder, pork shoulder butt, pork butt or Boston butt which are all the same thing. The reason a cut of meat taken from the shoulder of a pig is called a pork butt is that when meat was shipped back in the day of wooden ships this cut of meat was salted and packed into large barrels, known as butts, and bound for Boston. The shipping barrel was known as a butt and pork shoulders were shipped in them (often to Boston) and eventually adopted the container name as well as the destination city.

A pork steak can be prepared in a multitude of ways. It can be marinated, rubbed, brined prior to grilling. It can be rubbed, sauced, left naked, smoked, indirected or grilled directly during the grilling process. It can be made spicy or sweet or salty. One of my favorite ways of cooking these is indirect with nothing more than salt and black pepper. The most common method of grilling pork steaks is to slather them in your favorite BBQ sauce. Another beautiful thing about pork steaks is they hold up well for large groups in that they can be stacked up deep in a disposable aluminum pan, slathered in sauce and kept warm and tender for hours.

For this post it will be a tag team between my Dad and my Cousin. Dad will go over exactly how to get a pork steak in areas that carry pork shoulder/butts but don't have pork steaks and Tom will go over one of the many ways to cook pork steaks....

What’s a ‘Pork Steak’?

Outside of the Midwest region of the country (where pork steaks are an extremely popular grilling staple) they aren’t well known and retail grocers do not offer this particularly tasty cut of pork. My cousin, Carol, lives in Maryland and has used the information provided here to obtain pork steaks in her area where they are not normally available. You can obtain them most everywhere if your local purveyor handles ‘Whole Boston Butt’ or ‘Pork Butt Roast’ or any of the myriad of other names such as the 'Pork Shoulder Butt' shown below:

Pork steaks are also known as ‘Blade Steaks ‘ and simply put, Pork Steaks are merely a sliced Boston Pork Butt.

I visited a local Save-a-lot Food Store (known for value, quality, and low prices) where the head meat-cutter, Mike, agreed to assist in illustrating how Pork Steaks are cut:

This is what the Whole Butt looks like prior to Mike performing his craft with this tasty cut:

Mike trims the end and any excess fat to fit the steaks to the tray used to sell at retail :

The Boston Butt is sliced into steaks (usually ½” to 1 1/4” thickness) on the saw:

Mike does not slice the whole butt into pork steaks. He saves a portion of one end to sell as a small roast (the back of the pic below) and sells the small end pieces as 'Finger Ribs,' which Mike thinks are the tastiest part, (the front of the pic below). What's in the middle of the two are known as ‘Center Cut Pork Steaks.’ Some grocers slice the entire Butt and that’s referred to as ‘Whole Butt Sliced into Pork Steaks’ and usually offered at a lower retail price since the end pieces are included:

Finally we have view of what the end product looks like before wrapping, pricing, and offering for sale in the display case - small roast on the upper left, finger ribs on the upper right and center cut pork steaks down the middle:

Our thanks to Mike who is a very accomplished griller in his own right (and a pretty good Texas Hold ‘Em player) for helping out with the explanation of what exactly is a pork steak.

Hopefully you’ll be able to take this information to your local butcher (careful here, they usually prefer to be called meat-cutters!) and obtain Pork Steaks in your area. Watch your local ads for the roasts to be on sale to save a few dollars during these difficult economic times and approach your retailer then. I’ve had them many ways—thick-thin-marinated-glazed-simmered in sauce and so forth and they are always enjoyable.

**Editor's note - now Tom takes over with the cooking of the amazing pork steak**

For a very long time I did not realize that bar-b-que pork steaks were a regional treat. That is until I moved a few states away and the butcher had no idea what I was trying to purchase. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of enjoying a pork steak slow cooked on the grill and slathered in BBQ Sauce, I hope that you will try this and enjoy!

This is a dish I have spent many years trying to perfect. My father-in-law was the master of bar-b-que pork steaks and he set the bar very high. I have cooked these many times and my wife finally told me these are as good as her dad used to make.

A pork steak is just a whole pork butt sliced into steaks (bone in). I typically ask the butcher to slice the pork butt approximately 1 1/4" thick (they shrink a little when fully cooked).

The first step is to use our standard rub consisting of onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, raw sugar and ground red pepper. Click here to see the exact measurements. Rub generously onto the steaks and place into ziploc bags and refrigerate three hours to overnight.

Ready to go on the grill the next day:

Grill is ready:
I cooked these on the Big Green Egg, but you can do this on any grill. I like to start with the coals medium-hot to quickly sear the steaks:

Then close off the air flow to the grill so that the temp drops to a medium-low heat (approximately 250 degrees). Then continue to grill the pork steaks, turning occasionally for approximately ninety minutes:

**Editor's note - cooking time will vary from grill to grill as well as based on the thickness of the pork steak. These are pretty thick. Most of the time pork steaks are cut an inch thick or less and need much less cooking time. The good news is practicing on pork steaks to perfect them does not cost a lot**

During the last 20 minutes of cooking, brush bar-b-que sauce onto the steaks (10 minutes on each side):

So far, I have not been too impressed with bottled bar-b-que sauce. We usually purchase the bottled kind and doctor it up a bit. Here is my recommendation.

KC Masterpiece Bar-B-Que Sauce
1/2 onion finely chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeño pepper finely chopped (ribs & seeds removed)
1 stalk celery finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 dark beers (one for the sauce and one for the cook)

Saute the onion, jalapeño and celery until tender and slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two. Add the brown sugar and stir until incorporated, then slowly stir in the beer. Cook over low heat for thirty minutes.

Along side the pork steaks we did some crostinis:
1 loaf french bread in 1" slices
olive oil
minced garlic
muenster cheese, grated (or your favorite cheese, creamy cheeses that melt well work best)

Turn the bread in the olive oil so there is a light coating on both sides. Spread minced garlic on one side of the bread. Grill until golden brown on both sides, then top with grated cheese and continue grilling until melted. These are a great appetizer or served along with the meal.

**Editor's note - for step by step instructions on cooking crostinis click here. Also, the basic process outlined here and in the link is an original recipe of the grillin fool. There are many variations but the concept is an original of mine and one of my favorite things to do on the grill and is always a crowd pleaser**

And here is the final product plated and ready to eat:

**Editor's note - Awesome job Tom. Can't wait to have these at the next big family function. Maybe my house on Mother's day?**



Click here for the rest of the process

Roast Beef on the Grill?

Been to the grocery store lately? Have you seen the astronomical cost of lunch meat these days? What used to be $5/pound is now $9/pound. Roast beef is just plain ridiculous these days. What if you could make your own roast beef for under $3/pound? It's really not all that hard. Think I'm kidding? My cousin Tom did it and will show you how you can do it too. Click below to find out just how incredibly easy it is...


Last weekend I cooked a 15 pound top round roast. The rub is pretty standard in my kitchen with slight variations based on what is in the pantry.

The Rub
2 Tbs onion powder
2 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs kosher salt
2 Tbs ground pepper
1 tsp red pepper
1 Tbs raw sugar

I massaged the rub into the roast and placed it back into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day get the grill going:

I set up the BGE for indirect cooking and this can also be done on a standard grill. On the BGE this means filling coals to the top of the fire ring, then the place setter goes on top of the fire ring. **Editor's note - for those of us mortals that do not have the amazing egg, the fire ring acts as a heat shield so that the meat can be placed directly over the coals without cooking the meat directly** To accomplish on a standard grill build the fire as usual, then place the coals around the perimeter of the grill with a drip pan in the center. You will need to add coals and monitor the temperature when using a standard grill.

**Editor's note - for beginners, it might be easier to maintain consistent temps by putting coals on one side of the grill. Placing them around the edge will be get better heat distribution but will require more maintenance than putting the coals to just one side. In a smaller grill like a Weber it would be prudent to use a heat shield. To do so place the meat in a double layer of high sided disposable aluminum pans with holes poked in the bottom through both pans to allow the fat to drain. If the grill is a wider, rectangular grill the aluminum pan/heat shield may not be necessary**

Place the roast, fat side up on the grill and cook at 225 to 250 degrees for five hours or until internal temperate of roast is 150 for medium rare.

Let the roast rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice and enjoy.


Cooking time and resting time should be reduced with a smaller roast.

**Editor's note - I told you it was easy. The biggest cut of meat to date on the site yet the shortest write up.


Click here for the rest of the process

Old School Ribs - Excellent Read for Rib Novices Out There

Over the weekend we celebrated the Grillin Fool's birthday with some serious grillin, chillin and poker shillin. Ribs, Bacon Wrapped Deer Tenderloin, Grilled Beans and an entire Chub of Bologna. Dad did the ribs as well as the prep work on the Deer Tenderloin. For the ribs he didn't bother with the latest Rib crazes right now like the 3-2-1 method or trying to produce a flavor "bark" with loads of rub. This was simple, indirect grilling of ribs along with some fruit wood smoke for extra flavor. Would you believe that the smoke ring above was produced in less than 2 hours on a grill that is not a designated smoker?

This is the perfect post for those of you that have not done ribs or are new to cooking ribs. I took some pics of what to look for to figure out when your ribs are done (hint the top pic above is a good indicator). Also, for those of you without dedicated smokers this proves that you can cook some mean ribs without having to have a special grill for it. Click the link below to see what I am talking about.


It was quite a gathering at Fool’s Pappy’s house for the Fool’s birthday and what else would occur but firing up a few grills? Fool indicated he would like ribs for his big day and I obliged (since I’m the supreme griller of ribs among the Fools).**Editor's note - The other two Grillin Fools beg to differ**

Very meaty baby back ribs were obtained from a couple of local grocers and the stage was set. Five full slabs were cut into ten ½ slabs for easier handling and fitting into the rib racks on the grill. The Ribs prior to being sliced in half:

Prep was very simple but the first step is very crucial to having a good result. The ribs must be ‘skinned’. This is mandatory if you want to have tender tasty ribs. ‘Skinning’ the ribs refers to the removal of the membrane (skin) on the back or bone side of the ribs. Getting this started is sometimes difficult. I usually insert a finger between two bones at one end of the rack and work the skin loose. Occasionally a knife or opposite end of a spoon is required to get it started. I then grab a paper towel to grab the skin (it’s naturally slippery and the towel enhances the grip) and peel the skin the length of the rack as shown. Removal of the skin eliminates toughness when you bite into it and the skin really has no flavor. Removal also allows what ever dry rub used to penetrate the meat (also the wood smoke) thus enhancing flavor. For maximum flavor and tenderness, ‘skin your ribs’:

The dry rub spices were applied next with the first application being a light dusting on both sides of granulated garlic. This was followed by a light application of KC Sweet and Smoky Rub (Master Griller Steve Raichlen’s recipe with a bit less salt). The spices were then ‘patted’ into the meat and not actually rubbed. Some experts I’ve read suggest ‘patting’ the meat aids in preserving tenderness as opposed to actual ‘rubbing’. I don’t know if there is a lot of credence to this but I’ve been doing it for quite a while with good results. Utilizing a ‘light’ amount of spices enhances the flavor of the meat. Many grillers ‘cake’ the ribs to the point of obtaining an overpowering crust on the ribs. I try to avoid that. The rub was applied a few hours before the ribs hit the grill:

Did anyone notice the big candle on the platter of ribs before cooking? It was just the special touch befitting the Grillin’ Fool on his birthday.**Editor's Note - the candle would've been more recognizeable had he actually gotten the flame in the only pic he took of it**

Before using a rib rack, always spray with Pam or a similar product prior to placing the ribs in the rack. This will make cleanup later much easier:

The fire is ready on both grills and it’s time to grill. Two grills were used as half the ribs were smoked with cherry chunks and the other half with apple wood just to have bit of variety. Cooking time was approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes using the indirect method (I had the coals on the left side of the grill and the ribs on the right).

Closeup of ribs on left grill:

Closeup of the ribs on the right grill:

Notice how the ribs are staggered in the rack? The first slab is pushed farther to the back, the next farther to the front, the next farther to the back, etc? This is to allow the heat and smoke to penetrate the meat better. While rib racks allow for more ribs per square inch of grilling space, they also inhibit the permeation of smoke and serve to insulate the ribs against each other. Staggering them like this helps to alleviate both problems.

45 minutes later the ribs on the left:

The half rack in front is cooking at a much faster pace than the rest of the ribs. Time to rearrange:

Not only did I put the half slab that was cooking too fast to the back, I turned the other ribs to be perpendicular to the heat and put some space between the slabs to allow the smoke to circulate in and around them better - basically the theory of staggering them taken a bit farther with the extra room in this rib rack. Here we have a shot that shows how much room there is between them:

And while that half slab that was on front was cooking faster than the other four, the ribs on the other grill were cooking faster as well, but not as quickly of the darkest slab in the pic above:

A pic from above even shows a slight bit of meat separating from the bone:

**Editor's note - Some are going to ask at what temp the grill on the right was cooking at. Well that's a little tough to tell. Here is a shot of the grill on the right with the lid closed:

And here is a close up of the thermometer:

good luck checking the temp on that thing.

Here is the grill on the left:

And the temp on the side with the coals:

And the temp on the side with the ribs:

The true temp of the Brinkmann is somewhat higher than these thermometers indicate considering the cold weather we were grillin in. The Brinkmann was probably over 250 and the old Charbroil on the right was hotter than that. Probably at the 275-300 range on the side with the coals.

Wish I had some solid numbers here. This was my fault. I forgot my remote thermometer**

30 minutes later (75 minutes in) ribs on the left along with the Chub of bologna and the beans (more on those later):

Those are coming along nicely but the ones on the right are doing even better:

This pic is a bit dark so I hope you can see the meat pulling back from the bone. This is what you are looking for:

20 minutes later (95 minutes into the process) the ones on the right are looking fantastic. Meat is really pulling away from the bone:

10 minute later (105 minutes in) I pulled them out of the rib rack to get this pic before taking them inside:

I took the half racks above along with the the half rack that was cooking too quickly from the left grill and placed them into disposable tin trays with a little beer in the pan and foil on top and into a 150 degree oven to keep warm:

The other slabs were placed over on the grill to the right in order to finish up as that grill stayed hotter than the Brinkman. Those 4 slabs took about a total of 2 hours.

When served the knife went through them like they were warm butter, not falling off the bone though. Properly cooked ribs should not fall off the bone. They should maintain a texture that is pleasing, tender, and slightly chewy. Usually if you are served ribs that fall off the bone they have been cooked improperly or parboiled (ugh!). This batch came out perfect as many of the guests that night exclaimed. You may have noticed the lack of barbeque sauce. There was none offered and certainly none needed. Occasionally I will add sauce to the mix and try to ‘glaze’ a coat or two on the ribs as some prefer that addition.

Money shot: Notice the meatiness of these ribs! They were very tasty and the smoke ring was readily apparent as you can see. There were no leftovers on this evening!


**Editor's note - Excellent Job Dad!!!

Click here for the rest of the process