How to Smoke Pork Steaks (Juicy, Tender, and Mopped)
If you enjoy crispy, smoked pork steaks then you are in the right place. This steak is cut from the pork shoulder and smoked slowly while gently mopped with a flavorful sauce. Read along to learn how to smoke pork steaks, and you won’t be disappointed.
Why This Process Works
- Layers of flavor. Smoke, seasoning, and a mop sauce build a complex layering of delicious barbecue flavors with every bite.
- Strong pork flavor. These juicy pork shoulder steaks have a nice, pure pork flavor in every bite. The thickness of the steak, paired with the fatty marbling, brings out the natural flavors, still shining through the bark.
- Simple to cook. Set your smoker at 250°F and let it roll. The hardest work is being present, so you can baste with a mop sauce every so often.
Make sure you’ve got a side of Southwest Creamed Corn or Southern Macaroni Salad to serve up! Something creamy or fresh always works well with pork steaks.
Cooking pork steaks is pretty straightforward, with just a few tips to make sure you are successful. I’ll also break down the mop sauce to make sure you can build that flavor while keeping it moist.
What is a Pork Steak?
Pork steaks come from the pork shoulder, also called the Boston Butt. This is the same cut that’s usually smoked low and slow for pulled pork. It’s packed with fat and connective tissue, which helps keep the meat juicy while it cooks and gives you that incredible crispy bark on the outside.
You probably won’t find pork steaks pre-sliced at the grocery store. That’s where your local butcher comes in. Ask if they can cut a bone-in pork shoulder into steaks for you, aiming for at least 1 inch thick, or even better, 1½ inches. These shoulders are massive, so slicing them at home isn’t really practical unless you’ve got a serious meat saw.
Pork steaks are perfect for grilling or smoking when you want big flavor without having to cook a whole shoulder.
How to Smoke a Pork Steak
Step 1: Prep the Steaks
Generously season all sides with your preferred choice of BBQ rub. Our top recommendations would be:
- Salt & Pepper: It’s hard to go wrong with the basics.
- Canyon Crust Beef Seasoning: Don’t let the name fool you, this is a Texas-style blend and works well for that classic barbecue flavor.
- Sedona Sand Fiesta Seasoning: Hit the pork with a southwest blend of color and spices.
Allow the rub to melt into the pork for about 30 minutes as the meat slowly warms up at room temperature.
Step 2: Smoke the Pork
Set the pork steaks in a preheated smoker at 250°F. Let them cook undisturbed for at least 90 minutes, giving them time to form a bark.
The best part about this cook is that it really doesn’t have many steps. Most of the struggle is being present so that you can baste with the mop sauce, which is coming up next.
Step 3: Mop Sauce Recipe
Most of the time, a spritz is used to keep cuts of meat moist as they smoke. It’s not common to see a mop used for backyard cooking. There are a few recipes on the site that include a mop sauce, such as Smoked Beef Back Ribs.
Mix these ingredients together in a sauce pot over low heat until a sauce is formed. I like to place mine right in the smoker to keep it warm and accessible.
- 1 cup water
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (recommend Smoky Sweet Heat Sauce)
After the bark has formed on the smoked pork steaks, gently mop the steaks every 45 minutes for a few hours.
Step 4: Rest and Slice
The total time for this cook will be about 3-4 hours, depending on the meat. Thinner cuts will be done sooner, so just pay attention.
Finished pork steaks will be crispy on the outside, and probe tender. You should be able to slide a meat thermometer probe with very little resistance. This can start to occur between 185-195°F so pay attention. You’re not going anywhere; you have to be present to mop the pork steaks anyway.
Allow the pork steaks to rest for about 20-30 minutes before slicing. Each bite of juicy, tender pork is just moments away!
Frequently Asked Questions
Pork steaks typically take about 3-4 hours to smoke at 250°F, depending on thickness. They’re done when they reach an internal temperature of 195-205°F for fall-apart tender with a crispy bark.
Yes, you should flip every time you are ready to baste them. This helps build an even crust on each side.
You can use a spritz of apple cider vinegar instead, but the outside crust will not have the same level of flavor and texture. Get creative and try different combinations.
Yes, pork steaks can be grilled over indirect heat and finished with a quick sear. Smoking adds deeper flavor, but grilling works well too.
Wrapping is optional. If you want extra tenderness, wrap them in foil around 165°F and cook until they hit 195°F.
More Pork Recipes to Love
- The Original Sausage Popper Boats
- Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Little Smokies
- Smoked Bacon Jerky
- Smoked Bone-in Pork Chops
- Pork Belly Burnt Ends
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Smoked Pork Steaks
Slice into juicy Smoked Pork Steaks and you’ll enjoy every crispy bite. Layering smoke with sweet sauce builds a deeply flavored bark.
- Total Time: 4-5 hours
- Yield: About 6-8
Ingredients
- 2 pork steaks, at least 1″ thick, around 16 ounces each
- 3–4 tablespoons seasoning, such as Canyon Crust
- 1 cup water
- 2 smashed garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Smoky Sweet Heat Sauce
Instructions
- Season the pork steaks generously on all sides with the seasoning. Allow them to rest at room temperature while the smoker preheats to 250°F.
- Place them in the smoker and allow them to cook for at least an hour, until the bark has started to form.
- Make the mop sauce. Combine the water, garlic, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire, and BBQ sauce in a sauce pot. Warm until melted through, and keep warm while you base the pork steaks.
- Once the bark has formed, baste the pork steaks. Continue to apply a layer and flip every 45 minutes until they reach about 185°F.
- Start to check for tenderness by probing the steaks with a meat thermometer. There should be very little resistance as if you’re sticking it into a jar of peanut butter. Once that occurs, remove the steaks from the smoker.
- Allow them to rest for 30 minutes lightly tented with foil before slicing. Enjoy!
Notes
- Smoking pork steaks is more about feel and intuition than temperature. It will be fully cooked, but potentially not tender enough. Keep pushing it and basting as needed.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Pork
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: BBQ
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 steak
- Calories: 256
- Sugar: 8.8 g
- Sodium: 2017.1 mg
- Fat: 10.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Protein: 22.7 g
- Cholesterol: 66.4 mg
