The pork steak is the best grilling deal in the entire case — $2.99 a pound, and St. Louis has built a whole barbecue identity on it. Cut 1 inch thick straight across the pork shoulder, it carries the same rich marbling that makes pulled pork great, in a form you can grill tonight. Two steaks to a pack, about four bucks. There is no cheaper way to put real barbecue on a plate.
How To Cook It
Two roads: hot-and-fast grill to 145°F, or the St. Louis way — grill, then braise-finish until fork-tender.
Typical timing: Quick: 5–6 min/side. St. Louis style: 20 min grill + 45–60 min covered braise.
- 01Quick way: season, grill over medium-high 5–6 minutes per side, pull at 145°F, rest 3 minutes.
- 02St. Louis way: char both sides over direct heat first.
- 03Move steaks to a foil pan with a splash of beer or broth and a coat of BBQ sauce.
- 04Cover and finish over indirect heat 45–60 minutes until fork-tender — the collagen melts like a mini pork butt.
- 05Sauce again right at the end over open flame to set the glaze.
Best for: Budget grilling that eats like a feast, feeding a crowd for a few dollars a head, anyone from Missouri who can’t find pork steaks up north.
What’s In It
Short list. Real ingredients.
Ingredients
- · 100% pork shoulder, blade-cut — nothing added
Sourcing: Upper-Midwest pork, cut 1 inch thick at our Bemidji counter.
Shoulder marbling means big flavor without premium-cut pricing — real pork, no enhancement solution.
Why Butcher Shop Matters
Pork steaks barely exist in northern grocery stores — the shoulder goes whole into the pulled-pork bin. We cut them because they’re one of the smartest buys in meat: shoulder flavor, steak format, $2.99/lb. A butcher can cut what the case-ready truck won’t.
Pairs With
Goes well with these.
FAQ
Quick answers.
What exactly is a pork steak?
A 1-inch slice cut straight across the pork shoulder (blade). Same meat as pulled pork, in steak form — a St. Louis barbecue institution.
How is it priced?
A two-steak pack averages about 1.3 lb at $2.99/lb — one flat price of $3.99. That’s two dinners’ worth of grilling for under four dollars.
Grill fast or cook slow?
Both work. Hot-and-fast to 145°F gives you a chewier, steak-like bite. The St. Louis braise-finish makes them fall-apart tender — if you’ve never had one that way, start there.