If you're a fan of ribeye, you will love this flavorful, juicy, and well-marbled pork shoulder steak!
Ready in a mere 30 minutes and served with a simple green salad, it's a quick and easy meal that deeply satisfies.
When I ordered pork chops online a few weeks ago and received pork shoulder steaks instead, I was annoyed - until I opened the package and looked at them.
Wow! These big, gorgeous steaks are about ½-inch thick. They are as well-marbled as a ribeye steak and have a nice strip of fat on the edge, similar to a New York Strip. Lightly seasoned and cooked in a cast-iron skillet, they are better than pork chops because they are fattier and juicier.
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Ingredients
If you like recipes with a short ingredient list, you will love this one! To cook these gorgeous steaks, you need only the steaks themselves, salt and pepper, a few spices, and a little bit of oil (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below).
The spices I like to use are garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin. You can experiment with adding a generous pinch of onion powder and dried thyme.
As for the meat, you'll need to ask your butcher for "pork shoulder blade steaks," though they are sometimes sold pre-packaged. They're typically 1 ¼ pound each and about ¾-inch thick.
If your butcher doesn't have pre-cut steaks, you can ask them to cut them for you from a pork shoulder roast.
Variations
The best way to vary the basic recipe is to experiment with different spices. Unlike a beef steak, which only needs kosher salt and black pepper, a pork steak benefits from a sprinkling of spices.
I love the combination of garlic powder, paprika, and cumin, but you can use whatever you like. As mentioned above, onion powder and dried thyme are nice additions.
Instructions
Making these juicy steaks is easy. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
Your first step is to mix the spices in a small bowl, then rub the spice mixture all over the steaks.
Next, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the steaks. Cook the steaks until browned, about 2 minutes per side, plus a few seconds on the fat strip.
Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the steaks until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F as measured in the thickest part. This should take about 5 more minutes per side.
Transfer the cooked steaks to a platter. Cover them loosely with foil and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.
Expert Tip
These steaks are BIG. So, you might find that your skillet can only accommodate one steak at a time. If that’s the case, you can use a cast-iron double-burner griddle, use two skillets, or cook the steaks one at a time and keep the cooked one in a warm (170°F) oven while you cook the second one.
Recipe FAQs
As the name implies, it's cut from the pork shoulder. In fact, you can buy a boneless pork shoulder roast and cut it yourself (it helps to freeze it for 20 minutes and use a sharp knife).
Since these steaks are cut from a fatty part of the animal, they are beautifully marbled and juicy. They are also very flavorful.
The chop is cut from the loin, while the steak is cut from the shoulder (Boston Butt). They are both very flavorful, but the steak is fattier and juicier than the chop, which is typically very lean (except for a fat strip on the edge).
No. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (medium doneness), with a rest time of 3-5 minutes. It's OK if it's slightly pink, but it shouldn't be red.
Serving Suggestions
These steaks are big, fatty, and rich. I like to pair them with a simple side dish, and I almost always opt for arugula salad, homemade coleslaw, or cucumber tomato salad.
They are also good with steamed veggies like steamed broccoli, steamed asparagus, or steamed cabbage.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months, separating layers with wax paper.
More Pork Recipes
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Recipe Card
Pan-Fried Pork Shoulder Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pork shoulder steaks - 1 ¼ pound each, ¾-inch thick
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or 1 teaspoon of any other salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and place them on a cutting board.
- In a small bowl, mix together the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Rub the spice mixture all over the steaks.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the oil, then add the steaks.
- Cook the steaks until browned, about 2 minutes per side, plus a few seconds on the fat strip if they have one.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the steaks, uncovered, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F as measured in the thickest part. This should take about 5 more minutes per side.
- Transfer the cooked steaks to a platter. Cover them loosely with foil and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- You'll need to ask your butcher for "pork shoulder blade steaks," though they are sometimes sold pre-packaged. They're typically 1 ¼ pound each and about ¾-inch thick. If your butcher doesn't have pre-cut steaks, you can ask them to cut them for you from a pork shoulder roast.
- These steaks are big. You might find that your skillet can only accommodate one steak at a time. If that’s the case, either use a cast-iron double-burner griddle, use two skillets, or cook the steaks one at a time and keep the cooked one in a warm (170°F) oven while you cook the second one.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months, separating layers with wax paper.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Stacy
Great recipe! It was easy, very flavorful and tender. Will definitely make it again!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Stacy! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Julie
Tender, flavorful and easy! Made it exactly as the recipe reads. Would cut the salt some next time. We’ll experiment with the rub on other meats as well. Delicious!!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Julie! Thanks for the review and feedback.
Keith buckley
I used your seasoning on a whole baked chicken, cooked it at 450 for 15 minutes, then lowered to 350 for 1hr 20min and it turned out so delicious. I hope you try it!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad you found a use for the seasoning, Keith! It sounds so good! Thanks for sharing.
NorCal Ellen
Perfect recipe for cooking two foraged-pork steaks I’d recently splurged for at a local farmer’s market. The seasoning was good, and the method/timing were a huge help so that I didn't overcook the steaks. They were delicious and tender and I’ll refer to this recipe again!
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you found this recipe helpful, Ellen! Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.
Keith
I finished them in a 400-degree oven for four minutes per side. They come out super moist.
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Keith,
I'm so glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for reviewing it and for sharing your method.
Sydney
This turned out to be a fast, easy, and delicious recipe. The meat was flavorful and tender. I added flour to the drippings and made some gravy and that just put it over the top for me. My husband preferred it without the gravy so to each their own. I highly recommend if you find this cut in the meat section. Super inexpensive and satisfying.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, Sydney! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Mary
Made exactly as directed, delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Vered DeLeeuw
Wonderful! Glad you liked it, Mary.
Leon
Wow the pork is absolutely epic with this simple spice combo and some salt n pepper. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Vered DeLeeuw
So glad you liked it, Leon!
Wesley
Cooked it as explained. No complaints from the kids which are definitely picky! Love it.
Vered DeLeeuw
"No complaints from the picky kids" is a huge compliment! 🙂 Glad they liked it, Wesley.