Pork steaks on a pellet grill are thick shoulder steaks rubbed with mustard and BBQ seasoning, smoked low, braised in tangy barbecue sauce until fork-tender, then finished over higher heat so the sauce turns sticky and caramelized. They’re a lazy-weekend barbecue dinner with all the smoky flavor of pulled pork in a steak you can cut with a fork.
How to make pork steaks on a pellet grill: coat 4 shoulder steaks in yellow mustard and BBQ rub, smoke them at 200°F for 2 hours, braise them covered in sauce at 250°F for about 1 1/2 hours until about 195°F inside, then caramelize them at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes per side and rest 10 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five ingredients: pork steaks, mustard, rub, BBQ sauce and apple juice.
- Smoky and tender: smoke for flavor, a covered braise for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Sticky, caramelized sauce from the hot finish.
- Mostly hands-off. The grill holds the temperature while you wait.
Ingredient Notes
Pork steaks. Four steaks about 1 inch thick, cut from the pork shoulder. They’re sold as pork steaks, Boston butt steaks or blade steaks. Because they come from the same cut as pulled pork, they need a long cook to turn tender.
Yellow mustard. A quarter cup, brushed on as a binder for the rub. It helps keep the pork moist, and you won’t taste it once the steaks are cooked.
BBQ rub. A quarter cup of your favorite rub.
BBQ sauce and apple juice. Three-quarters of a cup of sauce stirred with 1/4 cup of apple juice makes the braising liquid and the glaze.
Ingredients
- 4 pork steaks, about 1-inch thick, cut from the shoulder (Boston butt or blade steaks)
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup BBQ rub
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup apple juice
How to Make Pork Steaks on a Pellet Grill
1. Heat the grill. Heat the pellet grill to 200°F.
2. Season the steaks. Wipe the pork steaks with a damp paper towel to clear off any bone fragments. Coat the 4 steaks in the 1/4 cup yellow mustard and sprinkle them with the 1/4 cup BBQ rub.
3. Smoke. Place the seasoned steaks on the grill grates, close the lid and smoke for 2 hours.
4. Mix the sauce. Stir together the 1/4 cup apple juice and 3/4 cup BBQ sauce.
5. Braise in the pan. Put the steaks in an aluminum pan, coating each steak with the sauce mixture as it goes in. Cover the pan with foil and set it back on the grill.
6. Raise the heat. Raise the grill to 250°F and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, until the steaks reach about 195°F inside on a meat thermometer. This is well past the 145°F safe minimum, which is what turns shoulder steaks tender.
7. Caramelize. Raise the grill to 300°F and put the steaks back on the grates. Brush them with sauce from the pan and cook 10 to 15 minutes on each side, until the sauce is caramelized the way you like it.
8. Rest and serve. Take the steaks off the heat and let them rest about 10 minutes before serving.
When Are Pork Steaks Done? 145°F vs 195°F
Ask three pitmasters when a pork steak is done and you’ll hear three numbers. Here’s how they fit together.
| Temperature | What it means |
|---|---|
| 145°F, then a 3-minute rest | The safe minimum for pork steaks, per USDA FSIS. Never pull them sooner. |
| About 160°F | Tender enough for a foil-wrapped steak cooked low. |
| About 195 to 200°F | Where shoulder steaks turn truly tender; this recipe braises to about 195°F. |
Safe is 145°F. USDA FSIS says pork steaks are safe once they reach 145°F on a food thermometer before they come off the heat, followed by at least a 3-minute rest. FSIS also says you can choose to cook them higher.
Tender is about 195°F. Pork steaks are cut from the shoulder, the same cut used for pulled pork. That cut needs a long cook to tenderize, which is why this recipe keeps going well past 145°F and braises the steaks in sauce until they reach about 195°F.
Go by temperature, not time. Steaks vary in thickness, and grills vary too. The 2 hours of smoke and 1 1/2 hours of braising are a guide; the thermometer tells you when to move on.
Why smoke, then braise? The open smoke gives the steaks their smoky flavor. The covered pan of sauce and apple juice gives them a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The final round on the grates brings back a sticky, caramelized outside.
Tips for Success
Why are my pork steaks tough?
They came off too soon. A shoulder steak at 145°F is safe but still firm. Keep braising in the covered pan until it reaches about 195°F, checking with a thermometer rather than the clock.
Why do I find little bone bits?
Bone-in shoulder steaks can carry small bone fragments. Wipe each steak with a damp paper towel before the mustard goes on.
Can I get more char?
Yes. After the braise, raise the grill to 450°F and sear the steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side, basting them with the pan drippings.
Variations
- Different pellets: hickory, pecan or an apple blend all work; mix and match.
- Butter braise: smoke at 275°F for 2 hours, then braise in the pan with BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup butter until 195 to 200°F.
- Foil packets: wrap each smoked steak in foil with a couple of tablespoons of apple juice and cook about 1 hour at 225°F, then finish 15 minutes unwrapped, brushed with sauce.
- Quick dry-rub steaks: season with smoked paprika, seasoned salt, chili powder, black pepper and sugar, smoke at 250°F for 60 minutes, brush with barbecue sauce and finish 10 to 20 minutes more, until at least 145°F.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave. Reheat covered on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven to 165°F, and bring any leftover sauce to a rolling boil. USDA FSIS does not recommend reheating leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Pork steaks want classic barbecue sides: a spoonful of easy creamy corn casserole and a pot of smothered green beans round out the plate. For more pork from the same cut, try country-style pork ribs or slow cooker root beer BBQ pork ribs. On a weeknight, honey garlic pork chops and 3-ingredient slow cooker pork chops are quicker ways to get pork on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cook pork steaks on a smoker?
Smoke them low at 200°F for about 2 hours, braise them covered in the sauce mixture at 250°F until they’re about 195°F inside, then finish them uncovered at 300°F to caramelize the sauce.
What are the common mistakes when cooking pork steak?
Cooking by the clock instead of a thermometer, and pulling a shoulder steak at 145°F when you want it tender. Skipping the wipe-down that clears bone fragments is another easy miss.
Can I smoke them hotter?
Yes. Starting at 275°F for 2 hours before the braise also works; just keep checking the temperature so the steaks reach 195 to 200°F in the pan.
Final Notes
Keep a thermometer handy from the moment the steaks go in the pan; it’s the only reliable signal that they’re ready for the final round. Tell me in the comments which pellets you used.
Pork Steaks on a Pellet Grill
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Ingredients
- 4 pork steaks about 1-inch thick, cut from the shoulder (Boston butt or blade steaks)
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup BBQ rub
- 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup apple juice
Instructions
- Heat the pellet grill to 200°F.
- Wipe the pork steaks with a damp paper towel to clear off any bone fragments. Coat the 4 steaks in the 1/4 cup yellow mustard and sprinkle them with the 1/4 cup BBQ rub.
- Place the seasoned steaks on the grill grates, close the lid and smoke for 2 hours.
- Stir together the 1/4 cup apple juice and 3/4 cup BBQ sauce.
- Put the steaks in an aluminum pan, coating each steak with the sauce mixture as it goes in. Cover the pan with foil and set it back on the grill.
- Raise the grill to 250°F and cook for about 1 1/2 hours, until the steaks reach about 195°F inside on a meat thermometer. This is well past the 145°F safe minimum, which is what turns shoulder steaks tender.
- Raise the grill to 300°F and put the steaks back on the grates. Brush them with sauce from the pan and cook 10 to 15 minutes on each side, until the sauce is caramelized the way you like it.
- Take the steaks off the heat and let them rest about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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