Best pork steak recipe in pressure cooker, Pork Steaks in the Oven and smoked options are here! With light seasonings, breaded or gravy on top there are a ton of possibilities with this cut of meat.
What cut of meat is a pork steak? These are cuts of that come from the shoulder of the pig (specifically the upper portion of the shoulder, near the neck). This area is also where Boston butt or pork shoulder roast comes from. They are also called blade steaks or Boston butt steaks are. Let’s get into how to cook them perfectly. (post may contain affiliate links)
Recipe for Pork Steaks
If you are unfamiliar with this cut you are in for a treat! The texture to me is closet to Thin Pork Chops but larger and nicely marbled. With a bit of added fat you get super moist bites that are delicious with gravy or just lightly seasoned. I will share a few cooking methods with you below.
You can pound them out like tender Pork Cube Steak to make them even more tender. In this case I did not bread the outsides but that is possible if pan fried. In the recipe card I will share my most preferred way of cooking these, under high pressure in an Instant Pot so they melt-in-your-mouth!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil, vegetable or avocado oil is needed for the first step to sear the pork both sides. The reason we do this is to lock in the moisture for a more tender result.
- 2-3 pounds pork steak is a good amount to fit without overlapping a lot in your pot.
- Italian seasoning or herbs de provence are great seasonings to use beyond just salt and pepper. Use your favorite flavors to season the outsides.
- Diced onions add texture and flavor, I use white or yellow but could be omitted if they aren’t your favorite.
- Minced garlic from fresh cloves or jarred adds a lot of flavor and highly recommended.
- Beef broth is better than water especially if you are going to make gravy with the drippings at the end
- Cornstarch, + 2 tbsp water is necessary if you want to thicken sauce into a gravy. Arrowroot is a gluten free substitute.
What seasoning to use
I mean the choices to season the pork as far as this goes on and on. You can start with salt and black pepper or jump to recipe and use what is listed in the recipe card below. We have just sprinkled on a bit of this and that at times. Others we have wanted a bolder choice so I use our dry rub for pork chops instead.
From Frozen
If you are Cooking Frozen Pork I would refer to this post for accurate temperature and timing depending on how you want to cook them. It isn’t ideal to start from rock hard however if done right you can still get a great texture to them.
in Pressure Cooker
Below we will share this cooking method, which we love. Why?? Because cooking meat with high pressure and a natural release in the end to lock in those juices is the best. NO heating up the whole house and I always get the moistest bites of meat ever this way.
Should you marinate? That is another step you could do for a few hours before, or overnight even. You have to be careful about how much salt is in it if you use the sauce below. It is often a great idea though, especially for cuts like these, chops, tenderloin, or shoulder to help tenderize it even more.
At what temperature are pork steaks tender?
Pork steaks should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F or 63°C followed by a 3-minute rest, according to USDA guidelines. This results in juicy, slightly pink pork. With that said some prefer them more “well done” and we don’t judge. 😉 To achieve the perfect texture for your family refer to this guide;
- 145°F (63°C): Tender and juicy, slightly pink in the center
- 160°F (71°C): More firm, less juicy, fully opaque
- 180°F+ (82°C): Fall-apart tender if braised or slow-cooked (ideal for BBQ-style pork steaks). If you’re slow-cooking or braising, going to 190–200°F (88–93°C) will break down the collagen and give you that shreddable, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Recipe for Pork Steak
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 pounds pork steak
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup onions, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, + 2 tbsp water if you want to thicken sauce into a gravy
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Season pork steaks with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pressure cooker and turn on saute function. When oil is hot add pork steaks and sear on both sides, you may need to work in batches. Remove and set aside. Season with Italian seasonings.
- Add onions and garlic into pot and continue to saute with drippings until browned. Turn pot off. Add broth and gently scrape the bits off of the bottom of the pan. Return pork steaks into the pot, overlapping if necessary.
- Seal lid and steam valve shut. Set to high pressure for 6 minutes. When cooking is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before opening allowing remaining steak to release. Remove pork and set aside to keep warm.
- To make gravy, turn the pot to saute and once the liquid is boiling, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry (mixed with cold water until smooth) and stir well until gravy begins to thicken. Serve together.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to save leftovers
Often times I don’t guess right and there are only a few of us at home so we have pieces left over. You always want to allow food to cool to room temperature before packaging up into a freezer bag (without air) or in an airtight container. Keep as much sauce with them as possible to keep moist. In the fridge it will stay for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheat with the gravy in a pan and a lid over medium heat for a few minutes, the best way. In the microwave it will dry out a bit but in a bowl with a damp paper towel over the top will help with that.
With that said I have a lot of Leftover Pork Recipes to choose from too. It is super versatile if you don’t have a lot of sauce left on them but either way I use it all because I hate wasting food. Our go to is dicing and throwing into fried rice or chili for added meat.
in Air Fryer
If you prefer to cook Pork Steak in Air Fryer I have steps for that too. With this method you won’t really get drippings so gravy would need to be made separately. However if you like a crispy outside I would suggest this method lightly seasoned.
in a Smoker
Smoked Pork Steaks are fantastic too, but take quite a while. For this one, once again you won’t get the sauce all together. These are best with a dry rub and I do agree the wood chips or pellets give them a wonderful flavor.
in Slow Cooker
If you wanted to try it this way you could follow our Crockpot Steak instructions. I will admit, this is not as good texture-wise as our directions below however you can cook potatoes with them at the same time which is nice. AND you can thicken the liquid at the bottom in this case.
in a Pan
If you wanted to cook these in a cast iron skillet that would work too. You would just add the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat to sear your pieces to begin and then either add your sauce to simmer with the meat or leave just lightly seasoned until 145F.
