Cooking Pork Steaks | Easy Stovetop Recipe

We love a good pork steak here, the beautiful crispy brown sear, and the tender, juicy meat on the inside, cooked to perfection.

It’s truly an American classic, only it’s cooked the nontraditional way, in a skillet on the stovetop.

I can still picture the heat radiating from the Weber grill as the pork steaks, hidden under the bonnet of the lid, are slowly cooking.

The sugars from the barbeque sauce are beginning to caramelize, a sign they are nearly done. Within another minute or two, the steaks will be pulled from the grill, ready to eat.

For the longest time, all I knew was grilled pork steaks. Little did I know there was a whole other world of pork steaks waiting to be explored.

But unless you live in a tropical environment where the temperature is always warm, pork steak recipes are limited to the summer months.

Oh, those summer nights, the grill, the warm weather, and the bugs, there was nothing quite like it, nor will there be until summer comes again.

Thankfully pork steaks can now be enjoyed year-round with this simple pan-seared pork steak recipe.

Cooking pork shoulder steaks

My indoor pork steak quest actually began with fried pork chops, which I fried in a cast iron skillet, and it was a complete success.

I then dabbled in smothered pork steaks, cooking in an incredible gravy, a totally new way to enjoy pork steaks.

And now, finally, I made my dream of pan-seared pork steaks come to life.

Check out our favorite pork recipes

• Pork loin roast
• Stew peas with pigs tail
• Pork belly burnt ends
• Tender pulled pork

This is such an easy pork steak recipe

This latest recipe was designed to mimic the grilled pork steaks as much as possible while being cooked on the stove, to which they are not.

I think part of the reason was that I decided to make my own bbq sauce and did so without using any sugar to make them a little healthier. As a result, the sauce did not caramelize with high heat.

That, combined with the fact that there was no charcoal, grill, or patio involved, took away from the whole experience.

The more sugars in the bbq sauce, the more caramelized the crust will become. This was made without sugar (intentionally), so it was more just basted in the bbq sauce.

Oh well, I did learn one thing, and that was there is more than one way to enjoy delicious pork steaks.

Nuff said, let’s cook our pork steaks

Gather your ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork steaks
• For the dry rub, I used salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
• For the barbeque sauce, I used ketchup, honey, soy sauce, mustard and apple cider vinegar.

How to cook pork steaks on the stove

Use a bowl to combine your dry rub ingredients, then coat both sides of the steak with it. Set aside.

Next, gather all your ingredients for the barbeque sauce and add them to a 12″ cast iron skillet on medium heat.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring often. Likely the 4 steaks will not fit in one skillet, so if you have a second one, great; otherwise, divide the bbq sauce in half and cook two steaks at a time.

As soon as your barbeque sauce comes to a simmer, add two pork steaks to the skillet. Cook for 7 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate to rest for 3 minutes before serving.

The internal temperature should read a minimum of 165°F when checked with an instant thermometer.

Pork steak cooking tips

Whenever possible, look for locally raised pork. Local meat simply tastes better, and knowing where it comes from can assure you that it was humanely and sustainably raised.

The thickness plays an important role in cook times. For my three-quarter-inch thick steaks, they took right at fourteen minutes to reach 165°F.

Let the meat rest for at least seven minutes for the best results!

Do not crowd the meat in the skillet to ensure it cooks evenly.

FAQs

Is a pork steak different than a pork chop?

Yes, pork steaks and pork chops are very different. Pork steaks are cut from the shoulder with a fair amount of marbling. On the other hand, pork chops come from the pig’s loin with little to no fat.

And unlike the steaks, pork chops, especially boiled pork chops should not be cooked past 145° at the risk of the meat drying out.

Why are my pork steaks tough?

Oddly enough, a common reason for tough pork steaks is cooking them to the minimum temperature of 145°F. Because of the fat content and connective tissue in pork steaks, they are best when cooked to 165-175°F.

The meat will actually be less chewy by giving the fat and connective tissue time to cook down.

How long does it take to cook pork steaks on the stove?

From fridge to plate, Stovetop pork steaks take less than 30 minutes to make.

Who doesn’t need a few 30-minute recipes on hand? Recipes like this have been a lifesaver on more than one occasion this summer!

Should I trim the fat from the pork steaks?

Trimming the fat is more of a personal choice. I prefer to leave the fat, which adds flavor and moisture to the meat. If you prefer a leaner steak, by all means, trim away!

Storing leftovers

Store any leftover pork steaks in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

These can also be stored in a freezer for 2-3 months.

Allow it to thaw completely before reheating it in the oven.

Key takeaways

Cooking pork steaks on the stove is a great way to enjoy this delicious meat year-round.

And hey, this would even make a great make-ahead meal for the week!

Overall, stovetop pork steaks are a recipe for the whole family to enjoy without breaking the budget!

And if you think this recipe is tasty, try your hand at reverse-seared steak – it’s easier than you think!

More Favorite Recipes:

• Make-ahead fajitas
• Venison steak (or elk steak)
• Smothered round steak
• Slow-cooked round steak
• Smokey beef back ribs