Grilled Pork Shoulder

You don’t need beef just to grace your table with delicious and meaty steaks. Slices of pork shoulder can satisfy your need for a filling main course while also helping you stretch your food budget even further. These steaks are often more affordable than most pork chops while offering a greater depth of flavor and a tender texture when cooked with care. The grill is the perfect place to cook up these thicker pork steaks without leaving them tough or dry. Get familiar with this inexpensive and easy to cook pork cut to diversify your grilling skills.

Why Pork Shoulder Steak Is A Great Choice For Grilling

It’s possible to grill pork shoulder as a whole roast as well, but this takes multiple hours and requires you to manage the heat level as low as possible during the process. For quicker results, try cooking slices of the pork shoulder instead of the whole roast. Even the thickest steaks tend to measure less than 1 inch thick, leading to a relatively fast cooking time. You can grill up a whole pile of pork steaks without spending too long tending the grill. The combination of well-marbled meat and connective tissue cooks evenly on the grill and stays tender when cooked just shy of well-done.

What Kind of Grill to Use

Most grills will work just fine for pork shoulder steaks. However, you may want to avoid indoor electric grills since they may take a long time to cook the thick cuts and leave the meat tough or dry. Stick to a classic charcoal or gas grill for the best results.

Charcoal or Gas?

For this kind of pork, it’s largely a matter of personal choice. The thick cuts are rich enough to withstand the direct heat from charcoal without getting dry, unlike many smaller pork chops. Yet they’ll also turn out flavorful and juicy when cooked over a propane flame as well. It’s all up to you whether you want the bolder flavor of charcoal grilling or the more precise heat control that comes from gas.

Preparing the Pork Shoulder

Due to the arrangement of muscles in the pork shoulder roast, most steaks cut from it turn out boneless. If you pick up slices with the bone in, you can remove the bone or leave it. Bone-in pork steaks tend to turn out a little more juicy. For the best results, you’ll want to marinate the steaks overnight with a combination of ingredients designed to add flavor and tenderize the meat. If you’re not a fan of marinades, a spice-rich rub will work just as well.

Flavorful Marinades And Rubs For Pork Shoulder Steak

Marinating the pork steaks is the best way to keep them tender and juicy during grilling. Look for a marinade recipe that contains a tenderizing ingredient like an acid or an enzyme. Great examples are flavored vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or pineapple juice for its softening enzymes. Popular marinade mixtures for pork include:

• Honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and black pepper
• Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and spicy brown mustard
• Minced garlic, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and lime zest

Don’t forget to include some olive or vegetable oil in each of these mixtures, not to mention some Kosher salt to complete the marinade.

If you’re only interested in using a rub on the surface, you’ve got plenty of options that pair well with pork. Chili powder and paprika add warmth to the flavor without spiciness. If you want some real heat, consider Korean gochujang for a mix of spicy and sweet. Brown sugar is a common ingredient in pork rubs because it brings out the taste of the meat. Don’t forget garlic, oregano, marjoram, dill, and black pepper to round out your surface seasonings.

Pork Shoulder Internal Temperature

Many people are still overcooking pork, especially cuts like pork shoulder steaks, because of outdated recommendations to cook it as well done as possible. Today’s food safety recommendations call for reaching an internal temperature of just 145 degrees F, which leaves the meat quite pink and juicy. There’s no need to get it above 160 degrees F like you need to for ground pork products. Keeping the internal temperature below 150 degrees F will ensure a tender texture and plenty of amazing flavor. You may even win over picky diners who don’t usually like the taste of pork because these steaks taste much more like fine beef when they’re not overcooked.

Grilled Pork Shoulder Steaks Recipe

Make the most of this flavorful part of the pig by choosing thick-cut steaks carved from the shoulder roast. With this recipe, you’ll soon have a new alternative to beef steaks like the New York Strip.

Ingredients

• 4 large pork shoulder steaks, bone-in or boneless
• 1/3 cup of olive or canola oil
• 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of fresh thyme
• 1 frond of fresh dill, chopped
• ½ teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of paprika

Instructions

1. Mix the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, thyme, and dill together in a large glass dish. Place the pork steaks in the dish and cover. Marinate the meat overnight or for at least six hours.

2. Remove the steaks from the marinade about 30 minutes before cooking. Place them on a cooking rack over a baking sheet so they can drip dry. Sprinkle the ground cumin, paprika, and a little more black pepper over the surface of each pork steak.

3. Preheat the grill to a medium heat level while the steaks are resting. Set the grates for a medium height as well, providing indirect heat.

4. Grill each pork steak for about 5 minutes per side. Cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature is at least 145 degrees F. Remove from the grill and cover to rest, then serve after 5 minutes.

Notes

• Trim the fat off of the edges if you like, but it adds to the flavor and can be cut off while eating.

What to Serve with Grilled Pork Shoulder Steaks

After you grill pork shoulder steaks, set them out alongside your favorite sides. Fried apples or applesauce are both classic pairings with pork. Roasted corn on the cob is easy to cook on the grill at the same time, along with grilled onions and eggplant. Creamed spinach adds a luxurious side to the dish. If you’re a fan of sweet potatoes and mushrooms, this is a great time to roast them together and enjoy them alongside the pork steaks.

Conclusion

If you’ve never seen pork shoulder steaks for sale in your local grocery stores, you may need to visit a butcher or order from a specialty source. These hearty steaks are worth seeking out because they offer a delicious experience at a great price. Explore other options for seasoning them as well, such as brushing on your favorite barbecue sauce during the last few minutes of grilling. You can also smoke an entire pork shoulder roast to serve a crowd.