Smoked Pork Steaks
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If you've never smoked pork steaks before, you're in for a real treat. Cut from the same pork shoulder that gives us pulled pork, pork steaks are full of fat marbling and connective tissue that become incredibly tender after a couple of hours in the smoker.
One of the things I love most about pork steaks is that they deliver almost everything people love about smoked pork butt, but in a fraction of the time. They're affordable, easy to cook, and forgiving enough that even beginners can turn out an amazing meal on just about any smoker.
For this recipe, I dry brine the pork steaks with kosher salt, season them generously with Jeff's Original Rub, then smoke them low and slow over pecan wood until they reach about 185°F (85°C). A glaze of Jeff's Original Barbecue Sauce during the last part of the cook is optional, but it adds a beautiful sticky finish that's hard to resist.
Why You'll Love Smoked Pork Steaks
If you're looking for a meal that's easy to make and loaded with smoky flavor, smoked pork steaks deserve a spot in your regular rotation.
They're less expensive than many other cuts of pork, they're difficult to dry out thanks to all of the marbling, and they pick up smoke beautifully during the cook. Since they're cut from pork shoulder, they also become wonderfully tender when cooked to a higher internal temperature than most people expect.
Whether you're cooking on a pellet grill, electric smoker, charcoal smoker, or offset, pork steaks are one of those recipes that almost always impress family and friends without requiring an all day cook.
What Is a Pork Steak?
A pork steak is simply a slice of pork shoulder, often called Boston butt, cut into steaks about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Because they come from the shoulder, they're full of fat marbling and connective tissue that slowly breaks down as they cook, creating meat that is tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful.
Some grocery stores label them as pork blade steaks while others simply call them pork steaks. If you can't find them in the meat case, ask your butcher to slice a boneless or bone in pork butt into steaks about ½ to ¾ inch thick. They'll usually know exactly what you're talking about.
Unlike pork chops or pork loin, pork steaks actually benefit from cooking to a higher internal temperature. By the time they reach about 185°F (85°C), much of the connective tissue has broken down, giving you a texture that's closer to pulled pork than a traditional grilled chop.
Recipe At A Glance
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Dry Brining Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: About 2½ hours
- Smoker Temperature: 225°F (107°C)
- Finished Temperature: 185°F (85°C)
- Recommended Wood: Pecan
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves: 1 pork steak per person
What You'll Need
One of the things I love about this recipe is how simple it is. You only need a handful of ingredients to create pork steaks that are smoky, juicy, and packed with flavor.
- Pork steaks (1 per person)*
- Morton kosher salt
- Jeff's Original Rub
- Jeff's Original Barbecue Sauce (optional, but highly recommended)
*If your grocery store doesn't carry pork steaks, ask the butcher to slice a pork butt (Boston butt) into ½ to ¾ inch thick steaks. Most butchers know exactly what you're talking about and can do it in just a few minutes.
Dry Brine
Dry brining is one of the easiest ways to improve both the flavor and texture of pork steaks, and it only takes a few minutes to get started.
Place the pork steaks on a sheet pan, wire rack, or other flat surface and sprinkle the top side with kosher salt.
A good guideline is about ½ teaspoon of Morton kosher salt per pound of meat, but you don't have to measure it perfectly.
Refrigerate the pork steaks uncovered for about 3 hours. If it's easier to do this the night before, that's perfectly fine too.
As the salt sits on the surface, it begins pulling moisture from the meat. Those juices dissolve the salt into a natural brine that is slowly reabsorbed back into the pork, seasoning it more deeply and helping it stay juicy during the cook.
It's a simple step that makes a noticeable difference, and I rarely skip it when smoking pork.
Season with Rub
Once the dry brining time is complete, remove the pork steaks from the refrigerator. There's no need to rinse them. The salt has already done its job and most of it has been absorbed into the meat.
Place the pork steaks on a sheet pan or other flat surface and apply Jeff's Original Rub generously over the entire top side.
After a few minutes, you'll notice the rub starting to look damp as it mixes with the moisture on the surface of the meat. That's exactly what you want. This helps the seasoning stick and begins forming the flavorful exterior that will eventually become bark.
Once the first side is coated, flip the pork steaks over and season the other side the same way.
Let the seasoned pork steaks sit for about 10 minutes while you get the smoker ready. This gives the rub time to hydrate and adhere to the meat before they go into the smoke.
Get the Smoker Ready
While the pork steaks are resting, get your smoker preheated to 225°F (107°C) or so using indirect heat.
If your smoker uses a water pan, go ahead and fill it. The extra moisture can help create a stable cooking environment during the smoke.
Pecan is my favorite wood for this recipe because it provides a rich, nutty smoke flavor that pairs perfectly with pork, but hickory, oak, apple, or cherry will also produce excellent results.
No matter what type of smoker you use, the goal is the same: maintain a steady temperature and produce clean, light smoke. Thin blue smoke is your friend here. Thick white smoke can leave the pork with a bitter flavor.
Once the smoker is up to temperature, it's time to start cooking.
Smoke the Pork Steaks
Place the pork steaks directly onto the smoker grates, leaving a little space between them so the smoke and heat can circulate evenly.
If you're using a charcoal, electric, or propane smoker, add pecan wood or your favorite smoking wood and keep clean smoke rolling for at least the first hour of the cook. Longer is perfectly fine as long as the smoke remains light and pleasant.
If you're cooking on a pellet smoker, you can take advantage of the lower smoke settings for the first 45 to 60 minutes to maximize smoke flavor before allowing the cooker to settle into its normal cooking cycle.
Every smoker cooks a little differently, so don't get too focused on the clock. Instead, cook by internal temperature and tenderness. I recommend using a reliable leave-in thermometer so you can monitor the pork without opening the smoker every few minutes.
Even though pork is considered safe at a much lower temperature, pork steaks come from the shoulder and contain plenty of connective tissue that needs time to break down. I like to cook them until they reach about 185°F (85°C), where they become incredibly tender while still staying juicy.
Sauce ‘Em Up
About 30 minutes before the pork steaks are finished, it's time to add the barbecue sauce.
Brush a generous layer of Jeff's Original Barbecue Sauce onto the top side of each pork steak.
Close the smoker and let the sauce cook for about 15 minutes. During this time, the sugars in the sauce will begin to caramelize and create a rich, sticky glaze that complements the smoky flavor of the pork.
After 15 minutes, flip the pork steaks over and brush the other side with sauce as well.
If you prefer your pork without sauce, simply skip this step. The combination of the dry brine, rub, and smoke produces fantastic flavor all by itself, but I think the sauce takes these pork steaks to another level.
Finish and Serve
Depending on the thickness of the pork steaks and how your smoker runs, you can expect them to finish in about 2½ hours, but don't cook by time alone.
Instead, watch the internal temperature and cook until the pork reaches about 185°F (85°C). At that point, much of the connective tissue has broken down, leaving the meat tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
Remove the pork steaks from the smoker and loosely tent them with foil for about 10 minutes before serving.
That short rest allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat so they stay where they belong instead of running out onto the cutting board.
The finished pork steaks should be fork tender with a beautiful smoky bark and just enough chew to remind you they're still a steak and not pulled pork.
What to Serve with Smoked Pork Steaks
These smoked pork steaks pair well with just about any classic barbecue side dish.
Some of my favorites include baked beans, creamy potato salad, macaroni and cheese, smoked corn on the cob, coleslaw, green beans, and thick slices of Texas toast.
If you're feeding a crowd, add a simple salad and a pitcher of sweet tea, and you've got a meal that's hard to beat.
Leftover pork steaks also make incredible sandwiches the next day when piled onto a toasted bun with a little extra barbecue sauce and coleslaw.
Storage and Reheating
If you happen to have leftovers, they'll keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.
For longer storage, wrap the pork steaks tightly and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat, place the pork steaks in a covered pan with a few tablespoons of apple juice, chicken broth, or water and warm them in a 300°F (149°C) oven until heated through. The added moisture helps keep them juicy while they warm up.
You can also reheat them in the microwave, but covering them and adding a splash of liquid will produce much better results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook these at a higher temperature?
Absolutely. If you're short on time, increase the smoker temperature to 275°F (135°C). The pork steaks will usually finish in about 1½ hours, although the exact time will vary depending on thickness and your smoker. You'll sacrifice a little smoke flavor, but they'll still be delicious.
Why do you cook pork steaks to 185°F (85°C) instead of 145°F (63°C)?
Pork steaks come from the shoulder, the same cut used for pulled pork. Unlike pork chops or pork loin, they contain plenty of connective tissue that needs time and heat to break down. By the time they reach about 185°F (85°C), they become much more tender while still staying juicy thanks to all of the fat marbling.
Can I cook these on a pellet smoker?
Absolutely. Pellet smokers work great for this recipe. If your grill has a higher smoke setting, use it for the first 45 to 60 minutes to maximize smoke flavor before continuing the cook as normal.
Can I make these without barbecue sauce?
Definitely. The dry brine, seasoning, and smoke create plenty of flavor on their own. The barbecue sauce simply adds a sweet, sticky glaze that many people enjoy.
What other woods work well with pork steaks?
Pecan is my favorite, but hickory, oak, apple, cherry, and maple all pair nicely with pork. Feel free to use your favorite or experiment with combinations until you find one you love.
Why are my pork steaks still tough?
If they're tough, they probably need more time. Unlike lean cuts of pork, pork steaks become more tender as the connective tissue breaks down. Keep cooking until they reach about 185°F (85°C) or until they probe tender.
Can I grill these instead of smoking them?
You certainly can, but you'll miss out on a lot of smoke flavor. A great compromise is to smoke them for about 30 minutes, then finish them over direct heat on a hot grill. That gives you the best of both worlds when you're in a hurry.
Smoked Pork Steaks
Ingredients
- Pork steaks (1 per person*)
- Kosher salt (Morton)
- Jeff's Original rub
- Jeff's Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- Lay the pork steaks on a cookie sheet or pan.
- Sprinkle about 1 tsp of Mortons kosher salt on the top side of the pork steaks. Place the steaks in the fridge uncovered for 3 hours.
- Season both sides of the meat with Jeff's original rub.
- Set up the smoker for cooking at about 225°F with indirect heat. Use the water pan if you have one.
- Smoke cook the steaks on the smoker for about 2.5 hours or until they reach 185°F (85°C) in the center.
- About 30 minutes before they are finished, you can sauce them if you like. Brush sauce onto top side, wait about 15 minutes then flip over and do the other side.
- Rest under loose foil for about 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
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My local Safeway has pork butt on sale for .99 # this week . I pulled one out of the case and had the butcher cut it into 1” steaks . Hard to find anything this good for the $$ . I will smoke all of them then take the leftovers, cube them up , then into the crockpot work a jar of 505 green chili sauce and a can of green enchilada sauce . 6 hrs later I mash it all up and have killer chili verde .
I never knew a pork shoulder steak could taste so amazing! Followed your directions exactly, used your rub, but used my homemade sauce. Will be definitely making this again,
Deborah, Sounds like you had an excellent meal. Thanks for sharing!
Jeff, is it possible to use indirect cooking on a Traeger pellet grill? I don’t know how to do it, or if it is possible. Thank you
Pellet smokers are intended to be indirect. The burn pot does heat up the drip pan and that has a tendency to give off some radiant heat to the underside of the meat but it’s not enough to worry about too much. Most of the heat does flow up around the edges of the drip pan and then back down onto the food you are cooking making it an indirect style of cooking. Some pellet smokers have adjustable slotted drip pans that allow for heat to come straight up to the meat for some basic searing.
Quick question, since I would be smoking the pork steaks to a finishing temp of 185, will I need to allow for a temperature stall time during the process or will the meat temp rise consistently?
Because the steaks are usually not that thick, they will generally continue to rise in temperature without a stall.
I’ve been using Jeff’s techniques and recipes for years and have never been disappointed.
For pork steaks ( a St. Louis tradition) I use the 3-2-1 method with great success.
Saucing during the last half hour of the cook. Tender and delicious
Jeff, do you use bone-in or boneless pork steaks. Put another way, do you ask a butcher to cut you bone in pork steaks? Obvously if boneless one can do it at home. Thx
These were great… I did 3/4in butt steaks… I used my rub that I use on ribs which is salt-rich to dry brine for 3 hours rather than just salt. I smoked for 2 hours at 225F… However not really close (maybe like 130F at the time)… Bumped to 350F and sauced with BBQ sauce, ACV, garlic, maple syrup… Let it go 20min…flipped…another 20 min… Still only at about 145…bumped to 450…10min and flip… 10min…took off at 165F…never got to 185F…but very happy with the 165F…tastes in between ribs and thick pork chop… Super soft, juicy… Definitely will make again.
Can you cook the pork steaks on the smoker at 450 F. For 5 minutes ?
Yes you can, I’m not sure exactly how long it will take to get them to temperature, but they do just fine hot and fast. Use a thermometer for best results.
Tried the Dry Brine for the first time and did not rinse the pork steaks afterward. Big mistake. Way too salty.
Wow! That seems like a crazy long cooking time. I run them in my MES for an hour and a half and sometimes almost two hours set on 225* depending on the thickness. I do know that the MES smokers I’ve owned tend to cook faster though than many others though. Oh, and I start them off from a cold smoker. So two and a half hours starting with a hot smoker seems excessive for those thin rascals. No brine. I use ground black pepper, garlic powder, and Tone’s Cajun seasoning on mine and it has long been one of my favorite meals.
I am on a low sodium diet and I was wondering if I can skip the brining.
You can definitely skip the brining if you need to. The brining ads some good flavor however, they have plenty of fat content and will stay taste amazing regardless.
When I dry brine, I put a grate underneath and do both sides…
I usually do at least 2-days for steak, and spatchcocked chicken…muy bueno…
Do you flip your meat when you cook it this long?
Two hours is too long for my taste at 225*. I like them to come off at about 1.5 hours and even there I like to start with a cold smoker so the smoke can really establish itself on the steaks. I have been a big fan of smoked pork steaks for many years and experimented with different cook times and that is what I decided works for me. They are very tasty for sure sauced or not.
We don’t cook to time in the smoking world, we cook to temperature. Whatever time is required to get them to around 185 or higher is what the time is. You can certainly get them there faster by turning up the temperature or by cooking pork steaks that are not as thick if 2.5 hours is too long to wait.
Great recipe Jeff and consistent results! I’ve gotta try the dry brine for extra flavor.
Thanks for sharing your tips!
What make of smoker do you use? I’m looking for something to make about 6 or more pork buts at one time.
David, if you’re looking for something you don’t have to watch and allows you to get a little sleep, then look no further than the 36-inch Camp Chef Woodwind. It has and upper and lower rack and will hold a ton of food for it’s size. The controller can also be connected to your wifi so you can monitor and control the smoker from your smart phone wherever you are (very handy).
If you want a /charcoal wood smoker then I recommend the patio-sized Lone Star Grillz 20×36. This thing is heavy duty, patio-sized and can cook a ton of food if you need it to. I use lump charcoal for heat and sticks of wood for smoke and it is easy to maintain the temperature that you want once you use it a few time and get the hang of what makes it tick. It will hold up to 8 pork butts if you need it to.
Had pork steaks tonite with Jeff’s bbq sauce — perfection!!!
Honestly, you start to lose me with the Camp Chef comment about 45 – 60 minutes and then jump to a 180 – 200 degree temp. Yet the recipe says to cook for 2.5 hours at 225 -240 degrees. So I am just going with 2.5 hours at 230 degrees. We’ll see how it works.
Russell,
I have no doubt that could be worded better to make it easier to understand. My apologies on that.
Here’s the scoop, for all non-pellet smokers, cook them at 225 for about 2 to 2.5 hours or until they reach 180-185°F in the center or as tender as you like them.
For pellet smokers: these smokers/grills don’t smoke enough at higher temperature because they are so dang efficient. For this reason, all of them have a “smoke” feature which just means it’s going to cook at low temps of 160-180 and produce a lot more smoke.
For THESE smokers, use that “smoke” feature for about an hour to get more smoke flavor. It’s not very hot so it won’t cook much during that time but it’s a good thing to do,
Once they get done with that “smoke” session, turn it up to normal temperatures of 225 and cook them until they reach 180-185°F in the center or as tender as you like them. This is probably going to take an additional 2 hours to finish them up.
I recommend starting almost everything out on “smoke” if you’re using a pellet smoker.
Hopefully that makes more sense! I’ll get that recipe updated soon to make it easier to understand.
The recipe was great, the pork steaks were perfectly done and fork tender, but I find Jeff’s dry rub to be way too sweet. If I try it again, I will use half the brown sugar called for.
What do you put in the water pan? Juice? Water?
Water. The moisture/steam evaporating is just going to be water. Adding juice or beer or anything is basically a waste and probably harder to clean up. The main point of the water pan isn’t even to add humidity, it’s to absorb heat and help the smoker maintain that constant “low and slow” temp. If you want to use anything other than water you can actually use sand and that works just as well. Happy smoking!!!
I have used both, makes no difference just like I add ginger to my dry brined salmon. I do always put sage in the water out of respect for the past.
A tip for those who would like to grill these: Marinate them in Italian dressing over night. The marinade tenderizes and imparts an incredible flavor!
Never mind. I see that has already been corrected. Sorry.
Ingredients said Texas style rub. Intro said Original rub. Be sure to use Original since it is specifically for pork. Just saying…
Not good over cooked. Had smoker at 225 for 2.5-3 hours for 3/4-1″ steaks took some off at 140 good but we followed the recipe and went to 160. Over cooked!
Sorry one star. We will try it again but foil them like ribs
Sounds like yours may have been cut from pork loin.. it happens and is apparently ok per the approved nomenclature for pork cuts. The same thing happens to pork country style ribs. The problem is that pork loin is very lean and should only be cooked to 145 whereas pork butt (the best cut for pork CSR’s and steaks) are best at higher finish temperatures. You really have to familiarize yourself with the texture and look of the pork butt and then you can recognize where the meat was cut from. I recommend purchasing a pork butt and having the butcher cut it into steaks for you that way you know that it can be cooked to the higher temperatures and will end up tender, juicy and delicious.
I’m with Kirkp. 2.5 hours is crazy for cooking these. Way too long.
I have never made pork steaks before. I will be making these again!! jeffs rub and BBQ sauce made it even better!!!
I made these yesterday and they came out awesome! I used maple syrup to help the rub stick. 2.5hr smoke time for 2. I forgot to add the sauce but they still came out fine!
I tried this recipe last night and all was good! My kids, 7 & 4 could not get enough of them. They said it was spicy but so good. My steaks were an 1 inch thick so took about 3 hours to smoke. I used the rub and BBQ sauce as the recipe said. This one will go in the rotation of dinners! Thanks Jeff.
OK I followed your advice and made these on Monday. They turned out great.
The butt was in my freezer as I had gotten it on sale a while back for $5. (Can’t beat that with a stick.)
Like Mike, after it thawed, I had to de-bone it but I tied it up with butchers twine before cutting into six 1″ thick steaks. Took just short of two hours at 225 degrees to smoke to 180 degrees using plain old Oak. Hard to find the more exotic wood in this area of Central Florida without spending a fortune online. I did mop with Jeffs BBQ Sauce toward the end just like instructed.
The meal started with a green salad. Then Sweet Corn on the Cob, which is plentiful and cheep right now was one of the sides. Our Neighbors , who joined us for dinner, brought Baked Beans for the other side and Watermelon for desert. With a little Wine, the meal was absolutely wonderful. Raves by all. Thanks for the newsletter inspiration.
Jeffs BBQ sauce is great, however I like a little more kick than my lady does, so I found a recipe for a slightly hotter Mango-Habanaro BBQ sauce for me that I really like and that really makes the pork outstanding.
This was the first, but not the last, time these will be made.
I made these Sunday of Labor Day weekend and they were the hit of the party! I used Jeff’s original rub and sauce.
I smoked them with pecan at 225 and took about 3.5 hours to complete them for some reason.
I brought home 9.5lb pork butt and realized I’d have to de-bone it to cut the steaks which I did. Then I cut steaks and I learned that the pork butt doesn’t really hold it’s shape without the bone so I had to cut the steaks a little thicker than I thought I needed to get 1/2 inch steaks. I took the leftover 4.7lb of pork butt and tied it up and made pulled pork.
I took the finished boneless pork steaks and cut them into strips for people to add to their fajitas. The pork was crunchy, yet moist with the absolute perfect amount of salt and sweet. Kids and adults alike could not stop eating it. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this recipe (especially with BJ’s pork but at $1.59/lb) and I would have NEVER thought of preparing them this way without the newsletter. I am hooked.
Just made the tonight, and wow did they come out amazing. Sweet and smokey ( but not to much). Only had to make one change, and that was not dry brining the steaks. Ran out of time before hand so I just dry rubbed and threw them on. Smoked with cherry for an hour, total smoker time 2.5 hours, and finished them on the grill.
Absolute must try, and so incredibly easy.
P.s. Make sure you use Jeffs BBQ sauce!