Easy BBQ pork steaks grilled hot and basted with butter, vinegar, beer, and half a packet of Italian dressing seasoning, then finished with caramelized BBQ sauce. That's it. A backyard classic ready in 35 minutes.
BBQ pork steaks were the first thing I learned to cook on a grill back in high school, and I've been making them the same way ever since.
BBQ pork steaks done right have a specific flavor you can't get from any other cut. They are slices of bone-in pork butt, so they have the marbling and connective tissue that remain tough until you get them to the right internal temperature.
The problem is that most people undercook them by treating them like a pork chop. They're not. They need a little time, heat, and a lot of basting. This recipe gives you all three.
This isn't a low-and-slow situation. You're grilling medium-high, flipping often, and building layers of flavor every time the baste hits the meat. If you want something fresh and no-cook, browse the salad recipes for something that can be made ahead while the grill heats up.
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Why This Recipe Is Different
- Dinner is ready in under an hour.
- Basting seasons the meat and manages the grill. Every flip puts more flavor on the pork while keeping flare-ups from getting out of control.
- You're not chasing a tight temperature window. Pork steaks need to reach at least 185°F, and unlike a tenderloin or chop, they're forgiving if you go a few degrees past that.
What Is A Pork Steak?
A pork steak is a bone-in slice cut from a pork butt, also called a pork shoulder. It's the same cut used for pulled pork, just sliced crosswise into steaks instead of roasted whole.
- They're available at most grocery stores in the Midwest, especially in Missouri.
- Don't see them in the meat case? Ask the butcher to cut a bone-in pork butt into steaks. Request 1-inch thick.
- Target 185-205°F internal temperature, not 140°F like my pan-seared bone-in pork chops. The higher heat breaks down the connective tissue and fat.
- They won't shred like my pulled pork taco filling, but they'll be easy to cut with a steak knife.
- Pork steaks are more economical than most cuts you'd put on a grill, making this a budget-friendly choice when you're feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
You only need 6 simple ingredients to make these easy BBQ Pork Steaks!
- Unsalted Butter: It carries the fat-soluble flavors from the seasoning and distributes them across the surface of the pork with every baste.
- White Vinegar: Acts as a tenderizer throughout the cook. The acid keeps working on the surface of the meat each time you baste.
- Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix: A dry seasoning packet that handles all your herbs and aromatics in one step. It's a shortcut that doesn't taste like one.
- Lager-Style Beer: Adds a mild, slightly bitter depth that balances the vinegar. Use any inexpensive lager like Coors, Miller, or Budweiser.
- BBQ Sauce: Goes on at the very end, only long enough to caramelize into a sticky, slightly charred glaze. Use your favorite bottle. For Kansas City-style sauce, I like Joe's Original or Rufus Teague Touch of Heat, which is not very spicy. I keep extra on the side for serving.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start the grill and let it preheat on medium-high to 550-600°F. Pull the pork steaks out of the fridge and set them on the counter while the grill heats up.
Note: One batch of baste is enough for up to 8 pork steaks, so if you're feeding a crowd, you're already covered without doubling anything.
Step 1: Make the baste. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the white vinegar, Italian dressing mix, and beer. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
Step 2: Place the pork steaks on the grill. Baste generously with the marinade. Cook for 3 minutes.
Step 3: Flip and baste again. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
Step 4: Continue flipping and basting every 3 minutes. You're looking for an internal temperature of 185-205°F, or until a fork inserted into the meat comes out easily. Depending on thickness, this takes about 20-25 minutes total.
Step 5: Baste with BBQ sauce with a clean brush or spoon and flip the sauce-side down onto the grill for 1-2 minutes to caramelize.
The BBQ sauce can burn easily, so leave the lid open while you baste and flip.
Step 6: Repeat on the other side. Remove the pork steaks from the grill and place them on a clean plate. Let them rest for a few minutes. Serve with BBQ sauce on the side.
Top Tip
To prevent cross-contamination, use a clean basting brush for the BBQ sauce. Or use a spoon for the butter-vinegar-beer baste, followed by a basting brush for the BBQ sauce.
You will need to stay close to the grill during this cook. That said, standing at the grill with a basting brush in your hand is a perfect reason to be outside if you need a break from your guests.
Make Ahead Instructions
These are meant to be eaten immediately. However, you can keep these in an oven-safe pan, covered, and held at 200-225°F for up to an hour.
Storage & Reheating Information
To Store: Keep leftover pork steaks covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, covered, until warmed through. You can also reheat in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, for about 10 minutes until warm. They will be a little firmer than fresh off the grill, but still good.
Freezing: You can freeze cooked pork steaks in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
FAQ
Yes. Push all of the hot coals to one side of the grill before placing the pork steaks on the grate. You'll cook over indirect heat, with the pork sitting on the side opposite the coals. This gives you the high heat and smoky flavor of charcoal without constant flare-ups. It makes basting and flipping every few minutes feel manageable instead of stressful.
Yes. You can simply omit the beer or substitute it with an equal amount of chicken broth.
It's usually in the salad dressing aisle near the bottled dressings. If your store doesn't carry it, any dry Italian dressing seasoning packet is a close substitute.
The fat renders and drips down into the fire, which can cause flames to shoot up. Frequent flipping of the steaks helps reduce the flare-ups. Move the pork steaks to a different area on the grill as you turn them. Spraying a squirt bottle of water also helps reduce the flames.
If your pork steaks continue to flare up and burn or you see black smoke, pull them off, close the grill lid, and turn the heat down a notch to allow the grill to cool down. Resume grilling after the flames are gone.
Did you try any of these tips? Leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out! Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Easy BBQ Pork Steaks
Equipment
- grill
- 1-quart saucepan
- 2 basting brushes or basting spoons
- meat thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- ½ packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix (0.7 ounce) (2¼ teaspoons)
- 6 ounces lager-style beer
- 4 pork steaks
- 6 ounces BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Start the grill. Let it preheat for 5-10 minutes to 500℉ on medium-high setting. Remove the pork steaks from the fridge and set them on the counter.
- Make the marinade by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the white vinegar, Italian Seasoning, and beer. Whisk and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
- Place the pork steaks on the grill grate. Generously baste them with the marinade. Let them cook for 3 minutes.
- Flip the pork steaks and baste again with the marinade. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Repeat flipping and basting the pork until a fork pierces the meat and comes out easily or the meat reaches an internal temperature of 190-200°F with a meat thermometer. This will take about 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your pork steak.
- Use a clean brush or spoon to baste the pork steaks with BBQ sauce and flip the sauce-side down to caramelize for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for the other side. The BBQ sauce can burn easily, so leave the lid open while you baste and flip. Remove the pork steaks and place them on a clean plate. Serve with BBQ sauce on the side.
Notes
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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