Marinated Pork Steaks

These marinated pork steaks are juicy and tender with a double layer of flavoring. Start with a savory, sweet and spicy marinade and finish with a dry rub of your favorite spices. They are easily cooked on your outdoor grill or on the stovetop.

If you are a fan of pork recipes, you may want to try some of our favorites such as Lemon Pepper Pork Chops, Blackened Pork chops, Thin Sliced pork chops or Dutch Oven Pork Chops.

Why this recipe is just so good....

• If you love making your own rubs and sauces for your meat, this recipe is for you. I love that it is a high protein, low carb recipe that is so versatile. You can adjust the sweetness and the spiciness to your preference.
• You can also make the marinade ahead and let the pork steaks marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before you're ready to cook.
• This recipe works just as well barbecuing the pork on your outdoor grill or cooking on a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Either way, when you sear the pork and let it get a nice char on the outside, the meat has a delicious, smokey flavor.

Ingredient Notes

• Pork steaks are also known as pork shoulder steak or pork blade steaks. They are a flavorful cut of meat from the pork shoulder. The pork shoulder is what many recipes use for pulled pork or pork stew since it is delicious when it is braised for a long time.
• If you can't find the shoulder steaks, you can buy the shoulder and cut them into steaks yourself. It is a fairly inexpensive cut of meat and you could freeze the extra steaks.
• When you buy them, the steaks should be pink in color and have a good amount of marbling of fat throughout which will make it tender and flavorful.

Ingredients

These are the ingredients to make grilled marinated pork steaks:

How to make pork steak marinade?

You will need:

• soy sauce
• garlic paste, minced garlic or garlic powder
• chili sauce
• brown sugar or substitute
• white wine vinegar
• ginger paste or dried ginger

• We are using a simple soy sauce, sugar and spice marinade. You can increase the spice level by adding more chili sauce, red pepper flakes and ginger if you prefer. Choose regular brown sugar or a sugar substitute. Make sure to taste test the marinade before adding anything extra.
• The dry rub uses a basic homemade seasoning mix including paprika, garlic and onion powder.

How to cook marinated pork steaks

• Combine the ingredients for the marinade. Put the pork and marinade in a large bowl or plastic storage bag. Let pork marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, up to overnight.

• Remove from refrigerator, drain and discard marinade. Blot pork steaks with paper towel.
• Stir together the dry rub and pat on top and bottom of the pork.
• Preheat your BBQ grill over medium high heat. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side if they are thinner pork steaks. Grill 7-8 minutes per side if they are thicker. If the steaks are getting too charred, lower flame and continue cooking.Test for doneness with a meat thermometer. It should register at least 145°F.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• Use a food safe plastic bag or glass bowl to marinate your pork. Don't use a metal or aluminum pan or bowl to marinate pork steaks. The metal will react with the acid in the marinade and create a metallic taste.
• For an indoor grill or fry pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray, preheat pan over medium heat for a minute. Grill pork steak for same amount of time as the outdoor grill, about 4-6 minutes per side. Watch for extra browning or smoking and turn down flame to low-medium if needed. Test with an internal meat thermometer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between pork steak and pork chop?

There are a few main differences between the two. The pork steak comes from the shoulder and is sold with and without a center bone. It is cheaper than a pork chop by up to half the cost per pound. It tends to have a stronger flavor than the chop since it has more dark meat in it.

The pork chop comes from the loin of the pig and is also called center loin, sirloin or tenderloin. It also is sold with and without a bone. Although all pork is a low carb, keto form of protein, the pork chop is leaner, has less fat and is lower calorie than the pork steak.

How to keep pork from drying out?

Here are a few tips:
Choose a pork cut that is thicker rather than thinner.
Marinate the meat for at least an hour. Choose a marinade that has some type of acid in it to help tenderize the meat. (such as lemon, lime, vinegar)
If you use a dry rub, make sure it has salt in it. This will help tenderize the meat and retain water.
And most importantly don't overcook it. Test with a meat thermometer earlier than you think. Put the thermometer into the meat only, avoiding the bone. Pork should be cooked to 145°F.

What side dishes go well with pork steaks?

There are so many side dishes that would go well with pork but some that I recommend would be Roasted Celery or Marinated Asparagus. These can cook in the oven while you grill the pork.

Or if you want a some quick stovetop side dishes, try my Charred Brussels Sprouts or Blackened Green Beans.

Storage Suggestions

• You can store leftovers in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in pan on low-medium heat on the stovetop for a few minutes until hot. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!

Some other quick dinner ideas to try!

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