mmmmmm...pork steaks.....

**A very special thanks and shout out to my friend Paul for suggesting pork steaks. My blog, my stomach, and my husband thank you!!**

So one of my first big posts was about pork but I can't believe I failed to mention pork steaks. *sigh* What was I thinking? Pork steaks are a St. Louis favorite; if you've ever had one, you understand why. Now one thing to know about pork steaks is that they are a pretty fatty cut of meat. I know this sometimes scares people away in the grocery store when they see how much fat runs throughout this particular cut of pork. What's important to know, however, is that this amount of fat is necessary because the area this cut comes from on the pig tends to be a bit on the tough side. Gross you say? No, no...the trick is to cook your pork steak over lower heat for a longer period of time which causes the fat to melt away and actually tenderize the steak. Delicious, I say. :)

So tonight, I didn't quite have as much time as I would like for a nice thick pork steak, so I picked up a thin cut (bone-in) and took a little different approach to the traditional pork steak. Below, I use the same recipe for the sauce but give you two ways to cook your pork steak. If you are using a nice thick (1-1 1/4 in thick) pork steak go with the low and slow method and DO NOT trim the excess fat from the outside! (just trust me on this one, k?) Working with a thin cut like I was? Go with the basting method and feel free to trim just a touch off the outside since you won't be cooking it quite as long, giving the fat the time it needs to dissolve.

Here's the recipe for the sauce...I found this variation on www.cdkitchen.com but using just straight up bbq sauce is perfectly acceptable as well. ;)

Pork Steak Sauce

1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbls. Worstershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
(if you're going with low and slow you might want to double...or more...the recipe depending on how many steaks you are cooking so there is plenty to simmer in)

Low 'N Slow Cooking

Over low heat (gas or charcoal) cook your pork steak for 8-10 minutes per side. This should finish off the actual cooking of the meat. Place pork steaks into a pan filled with the bbq sauce you just mixed up and let em simmer in there for as long as you can stand to wait for them. ;) If the sauce starts to get too thick for your liking, poor a little beer in the pan.

Basting Style

Over low heat, cook your thin cut pork steak for about 6 minutes per side. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes while turning and basting every minute or so to get it nice and carmelized and saucy. You can still use this method on a thicker cut pork steak, just be sure to increase the initial cooking time to cook it all the way through.

Typically I prefer the low 'n slow style of bbq'ing but tonight the basting style was a better match for us. The pork steaks were terrific and we loved the sauce! Grilled up some yellow squash, mushrooms, and red and green peppers with a little evoo and pepper in the grill pan and made a little salad. Ah, perfection. We will definitely be making this dinner again before the end of summer.....

Have any kitchen inquiries? Send them my way! I'd be happy to try to shed some light or share a favorite recipe I have!