The Best Barbeque Smoked Pork Steak Recipe You Need Today!

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Key Highlights

1. The pork cut taken from the pig’s shoulder is called a pork steak. This cut is also popularly known as the Boston butt or blade steak
2. Smoking is an excellent way of cooking, especially red meat. Smoking allows for a better time to develop flavor in meat. 
3. Pork steaks about 2 inches in thickness are ideal because they can absorb more smoke flavor and have a better bark on the outside.

Listen, most people here enjoy a good and hearty Sunday dinner. It’s that time when everybody is off the clock from work and indulging in some much-needed quality time.

As the designated chef of the house, you also deserve a much-needed break. So, use this easy recipe to make succulent smoked pork steaks. They are easy to cook if you have the grill or oven going, and the meat is so well cooked that you’d die to enjoy it all over again.

What Are Pork Steaks?

The pork cut taken from the pig’s shoulder is called a pork steak. This cut is also popularly known as the Boston butt or blade steak, so you might want to remember that name for your next trip to the butcher. 

Pork Shoulder is also used to make pulled pork, but the cut is slightly different. The Boston Cut or Pig Steak needs longer to cook to tenderize the meat perfectly.

Why is Smoking Pork Steak Better?

Smoking is an excellent way of cooking, especially red meat. Smoking allows for a better time to develop flavor in meat. While the meat slowly cooks at a high smoke point, the slight char and the marination allow for a richer, deeper flavor profile. 

This thin pork steak can often be found in most grocery stores (especially if you’re in the St. Louis area of the United States). \Thick steaks are, however, a better option if one is looking for a low and slow-smoke recipe. If you have a butcher shop available, this is the best way to go for them.

Pork steaks about 2 inches in thickness are ideal because they can absorb more smoke flavor and have a better bark on the outside.

Ingredients For Making Smoked Pork Steak

The recipe is quite simple; you only need five ingredients. These are the stars of cooking the meat. Apart from that, you’d need mustard and butter for the crust of the meat (however, these condiments are generally always lying somewhere inside the fridge!).

 Preparation For Pork Steaks

Pork Steaks are easier to prep, and they take half the time than a full pork shoulder, 

Some Pork steaks may have a small piece of bone. It is usually towards one portion of the middle and typically has a slightly thicker ring of fat around it.

Ingredients Required:

1. Pork Steaks: 4 bone-in pork steaks, about 1-inch thick.
2. Dry Rub
3. Wood Chips: Hickory or applewood. Soak in water at least 30 minutes before use.
4. Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons to rub the pork.
5. Apple cider vinegar: ¼ cup to tenderize and flavor the meat.
6. BBQ Sauce: Your favorite brand or homemade for glazing.

For The Dry Rub:  In a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of paprika. Now add 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar. Add a teaspoon of salt and black pepper. You could also add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper for more heat, though that is optional. Mix it all to make your dry rub. 

Equipment Needed For Smoking Pork

• Smoker: You can use an electric or charcoal smoker. For best results, we suggest a wood pellet one.
• Meat Thermometer: To keep checking the internal temperature
• Wood Chips Smoker Box: To evenly distribute the smoke.

Cooking Smoked Pork Steak

Preparation of the Pork Steaks

• Trim and Season: Pat the pork steaks dry using paper towels. Rub a little olive oil on both sides of the steaks; this helps the dry rub stick to the meat. In a small bowl, mix all the dry rub ingredients; dust the pork steaks evenly on both sides.

• Marinate: For extra flavor, refrigerate seasoned pork steaks for at least 1 hour. For extreme flavor, marinate overnight.

Setting up the Smoker

• Heat Up the Smoker: Hike up the temperature of your smoker to at least 225°F, this is the minimum temperature, and it can eventually rise. If you have a charcoal smoker, change the setting to indirect cooking. This would heat the coal on one side and heat the and cook the pork on the other.

• Add Wood Chips: Soak your wood chips. You can do this either in the smoker box or when directly putting them into the coal. The wood chips give the pork a nice smoky layer while cooking. 

Smoking Process

• Place in Smoker: When placing the meat on the racks, make sure they’re not touching each other. Place them at some distance, which lets the smoke flow around the steaks.

• Cook: Now leave your steak to smoke for at least an hour and a half or two. Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature for cooking is around 145°F | 63°C. 

• Finishing Touches Apply BBQ Sauce: If you want your meat to end with a glaze in it, grab your favorite BBQ sauce and brush it during the final half of cooking. The sauce caramelizes to give a great crust. You can also do this with butter and yellow mustard. 

• Rest the Meat: Once the pork steaks are done, remove them from the smoker and let them rest for about 10 minutes. This step is important because it helps redistribute the juices throughout the meat, making it nice, moist, and flavorful.

Tips for Perfect Smoked Pork Steaks

1. Use a Meat Thermometer: Your meat should always be perfectly cooked. We ensure the meat’s internal temperature is always in the desired range. This ensures even cooking of the pork. We use a meat thermometer or an internal temperature thermometer to do this.
2.  Experiment with Wood Flavors: Woodchips and what kind you use matter a lot when smoking meat. Different wood chips offer different flavors to your meat. Hickory wood chip has a robust and hearty smoke. On the other hand, Applewood is subtle, mild, and has a sweet hint.  
3. Rest the Meat: Please allow your steak to rest after cooking on the smoker. The resting period ensures the pork soaks in all the juices it releases while cooking, making each bite more succulent and juicy. After smoking, allow the pork steaks to rest. This step enhances tenderness and juiciness, making each bite more enjoyable.

Suggestions for Serving

Smoked pork steaks go very well with a variety of sides. You can try pairing them with the following:

• Coleslaw: Tangy and crunchy, a nice contrast to the smoky meat.
• Cornbread: A little sweet, buttery side for a counterbalancing of flavors.
• Grilled Vegetables: Bell peppers, zucchini, onions—any color, any nutrition, all on a plate.

Conclusion

This smoked pork steak recipe will make you the star of the next barbeque party on the 4th of July. It is so easy that you could whip it up for any occasion that requires feeding a large crowd. 

And no food is better than some smoked meat to satisfy a large crowd of hearty people! The recipes are also very versatile so that you can experiment with different spice rubs. Change the kind of wood chip you use for smoking as well. The slightest changes make all the difference!

Ridhi

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