Pork Steak Recipe – The Anthony Kitchen

Thinly sliced, yet large enough to satisfy any appetite, Pork Steaks (also known as Blade Steaks) are a budget-friendly cut of pork, rich in marbling and loaded with big flavor. This is an easy, one-pan dinner idea for tender, flavorful steaks that cook up fast in the skillet and end up on your plate swimming under a sea of savory Brown Onion Gravy.

In addition to a cheap and hearty dinnertime recipe, we’ll also cover everything you need to know about this marvelous cut of meat:

  • What Pork Shoulder Steaks are and where they come from.
  • How to cook them to tender, juicy perfection on the stovetop.
  • Pork Steaks vs. Pork Chops – the ultimate pork showdown!
  • Plus, a flawless gravy recipe perfect for smothering any cut of pork.

Pork steak smothered with brown onion gravy on a plate with a fork holding a bite cut out of it and slightly lifting it up.

If you love budget-friendly pork recipes, bookmark this easy, 3-ingredient Ham Steak recipe and these Baked Pork Chops – both seriously simple dinnertime wins!

WHAT ARE PORK STEAKS?

If you aren’t yet familiar with Pork Shoulder Steaks, you should be. They are thinly sliced steaks that come from the shoulder of the pig. The shoulder is a hard-working cut of pork and is therefore tough by nature. Because of this, pork shoulders are often slow-cooked or braised. You’re likely most familiar with this cut served as Pulled Pork.

However, when the pork shoulder is thinly sliced into individual steaks there is another way to cook it, and still obtain phenomenal results. Pan-searing them over high heat (done right) can result in tender, juicy Pork Shoulder Steaks – no marinade, no braising required.

Diagram cuts of pork and where they come from on the pig.

ARE PORK STEAKS AND PORK CHOPS THE SAME?

Pork Chops and Steaks are not the same things. As mentioned above, Blade Steaks come from the shoulder of the pig, whereas chops typically come from the most tender part of the pig – the loin.

Both of these cuts have their own benefits. Pork Chops are more tender and perhaps a touch more forgiving, and can be cooked any number of ways with phenomenal results. For Pork Shoulder Steaks, on the other hand, it’s best to stick to braising or quick cooking over high heat, such as pan-searing or grilling.

While it may seem chops have the upper hand, steaks take the cake when it comes to flavor. So who’s actually winning now?

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • Shoulder Blade Stakes – You’ll often find them labeled “Shoulder Blade Steaks” or “Blade Steaks,” and are found near the pork chops in the meat section of your grocery store. They are dark in color, and more times than not, you will find them with a blade bone running through them.
  • Oil – Pork Steaks cooked on the stovetop need to be cooked over medium-high heat. This means you will want an oil with a fairly high smoke point to keep them from blackening in the pan. Avocado or canola oil are excellent choices for this.
  • Seasoning – Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder is what you’ll need from the spice cabinet for seasoning Blade Steaks.

ONION GRAVY FOR PORK

As soon as your meat comes out of the pan, start on the gravy to go with them! This brown onion gravy is perfect for pork, requires very little in the way of ingredients, and takes just a few minutes to make.

  • Butter – If you intend to make this gravy to smother your Pork Steaks (which we highly recommend) you’ll also want to have a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter on hand.
  • Onion – Yellow onion is best for this Pork Gravy Recipe, however, you can also use white onion if you already have it on hand.
  • Flour – Use only all-purpose flour.
  • Beef Broth – Use only unsalted or low-sodium beef broth. It will give you more control over the sodium levels in your gravy, and help prevent it from turning too salty.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – Worcestershire sauce adds tang, intensifies meaty flavors, and gives your Pork Gravy an extra depth of savoriness.

Two pork steaks on a platter surrounded by parsley leaves.

HOW DO YOU TENDERIZE PORK STEAKS?

You don’t have to do anything to tenderize Pork Shoulder Steaks before cooking them. You just have to cook them the right way. This is either by braise/slow-cooking or cooking them in a pan over the high heat setting. The latter is the method we will use today.

COOK TIME

Blade Steaks will take only 7-8 minutes to cook in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. However, you should factor in that you will not be cooking all the steaks at once – these steaks are big after all. Overcrowding the pan will result in an uneven cook and might even cause portions of the steak to steam rather than sear. And, when it comes to quick-cooking meat, searing over high heat is necessary in order to get flavorful and tender results.

Brown onion gravy is being spooned over pork steaks on platter.

HOW TO MAKE PORK STEAKS

5 MORE PORK DINNER IDEAS YOU’LL LOVE

  • Country-Style Ribs are a delicious, budget-friendly dinnertime option. Braised in a quick, savory, homemade barbecue sauce. They’re sticky, sweet, and 100% fall-off-the-bone tender.
  • BBQ Spare Ribs are easy to make and take less than 15 minutes to prep! They’re covered in a smoky, brown sugar rub and then slow-cooked in the oven until tender and juicy, yielding the perfect bite.
  • Pork Tenderloin is packed with flavor thanks to a mustard-rosemary rub and never comes out dry!
  • Slow-Cooker Spare Ribs are as close to ribs hot off the pit as you’ll get, and although cooked indoors and in a crock pot they come with a big burst of BBQ flavor. Best of all? They’re seriously easy to make.
  • Breaded Pork Chops with a crispy panko breading are always tender, never dry — this easy dinner recipe will be your family’s new dinnertime favorite!

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Sources: The Kitchn | A Complete Guide to Pork Chops

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