I've written a few articles about the regional variations of Barbecue in recent weeks. My friends in Saint Louis, my home town are asking me why I don't discuss the Saint Louis specialty, the Barbecued Pork Steak. I haven't overlooked the pork steak; it is just hard to categorize it in general categories.
I love the Barbecue Pork Steak, and some of my earliest memories of "barbecue" are of the Pork Steak. Spicy, sweet, smoky, tender and juicy, I wish I had one right this minute. They are traditionally served with baked beans and potato salad on the side, and will appear at almost every outdoor event throughout the summer in traditional Saint Louis cookouts.
Cook Steak
The reason I have not discussed the barbecue pork steak previously is that they are neither "Fish nor Fowl" in the barbecue/grilling sense. They are not traditional "smoked barbeque." The pork steak is not cooked low and slow in a wood fueled indirect heat smoker for hours, but is usually grilled over direct heat on a charcoal or gas fired grill, and then basted in a sauce until ready to eat. It sure doesn't mean that they are not delicious.
What exactly is a pork steak and how to cook them?
A pork steak is a cut of meat from the pork shoulder, usually off the piece referred to as the Boston butt. The butt is sliced into thin steaks approximately one half to three quarters of an inch thick, and are usually around nine inches long or so and three or four inches wide. It is hard to find a pork steak outside of the Midwest. I lived in the New York City area for many years, and it was almost impossible to find one. Butchers looked at me like I had three heads if I asked if they had any. But, with proper instruction, they could and would make them for me by slicing up a Boston butt.
A pork steak is generally seasoned prior to cooking with whatever spice rub you prefer, or simply use salt and pepper. They are quickly seared over a hot fire, and then the heat is set on low. Many grill chefs at this point will put their steaks in one of those disposable type aluminum foil roasting pans and douse it with a barbecue sauce (in St. Louis, the sauce of choice is a local brand called Maull's, but use whatever you prefer) move to a cooler side of the grill, and baste for 30 minutes to an hour. Many times beer is also added to the sauce so it doesn't get too thick. That is the chef's personal choice. Some grill chefs do not baste in the pan, but prefer to slather the steaks with sauce with the brush/mop method while continuing to cook over low heat. If using this method, be careful not to burn the steaks as most sauces contain sugar which tends to burn quite easily.
When the steaks are finished, they are served with whichever sides you prefer, accompanied usually by white bread to sop up the extra sauce, and are the centerpiece of cookouts and family gatherings throughout the region that surrounds Saint Louis. I'm not sure how far this region of Pork Steak stretches from our epicenter, but I know it at least reaches as far south as Northern Arkansas, east across Southern Illinois, North throughout Iowa, and West, probably close to Kansas City. Of course, at that point Kansas City regional style takes over where pork ribs and beef brisket are king.
If you have been unfortunate in life to have never had a pork steak, I urge you to find some them, and cook your own. If you can get the cut, they are very easy to prepare by almost any backyard grill chef, and are very delicious. You'll be happy you tried them. If you can't get the cut, just ask your neighborhood butcher to slice the "Boston Butt" into ¾ inch steaks, you're ready for some cooking and for some good eating.
Saint Louis' Own Barbecue, The Pork Steak - A Regional Oddity
Free book review shows you a simple, easy, proven way to smoke perfect barbecue everytime - guaranteed. Get it here: http://www.bbq-jim.com Jim Hess is an expert article writer. He reviews e-books about barbecue cooking. See Jim's webpage here: http://www.bbq-jim.com
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