Pork steak… is it even worth it? I mean, whenever someone mentions a steak we all tend to think about beef. And even though beef steaks are the best, it’s also the most pricey option. But did you know you can make a great steak from a much more affordable cut of pork? Even something as cheap as pork loin can work really great. Yes, a pork loin steak can taste just great! You just have to follow a few easy steps that I’m going to show you in today’s pork steak recipe.

Why should you try making steaks from pork cuts?

We need to set one thing straight first, when making a beef steak you need properly aged meat, no arguing needed here. Fresh beef simply doesn’t work well for a steak, it would be tough and chewy. The only exception is the tenderloin, but that also happens to be the most expensive cut there is. On the other hand, some pork cuts deliver great results and can make great steaks, even when using freshly butchered meat.

Then there is the price factor, pork is WAY cheaper than beef. You can find solid quality pork loin for sale at around 2-3 bucks per pound, that’s simply hard to beat. Solid beef ribeye usually costs more than 10 bucks per pound and up, for example… and that’s quite a difference.

And let’s not forget about those people who get scared by a little bit of red 🙂 Serve a medium rare steak to them and they will run away from the table. I have quite a few friends like this, so making beef steaks for them is a no-go, unless I want to make them “well done” which would be a waste of an expensive cut. For these people, pork steak is a great option as the pork meat is not “that red” by default and it loses most of the color quickly when cooked. A properly prepared medium pork steak is just a bit pinkish on the inside and that’s something these eaters can accept 🙂

What cuts of pork to use for steaks?

Personally, I prefer 3 cuts of pork to make my pork steaks from. Pork tenderloin is the number 1 choice, it’s a very tender and lean cut and delivers great results. It’s also the most expensive cut of pork. Pork loin is my number two, bone in or boneless. If you can get it with some fat on, that’s even better. Pork collar (neck) is my number 3. This cut contains more fat and membranes, so it’s not as lean as the other cuts, but it’s very intense in flavor and perfect for grilling.

Pork butt or shoulder can be used too, but usually I go with one of the three mentioned earlier. Because of easy availability and great value per dollar, I am about to use a boneless pork loin cut in today’s pork steak recipe.

More Pork Recipes To Try:

I cook pork pretty often, so let me show you some of my favorite ways of preparing it. A nice Oven roasted pork collar is definitely something to try. If you’re into grilling, check my Grilled pork tenderloin steaks. How about a nice Pork schnitzel with potato salad? That’s quite a staple in our home. Or maybe you are looking for a less common soup recipe? Try this Tomato cabbage soup with pork shoulder.

Pork Loin Steak Recipe Ingredients

For the steaks:
1kg (2lbs) boneless pork loin
olive oil
salt & pepper
Dijon mustard

For the sides:
1 cup of sliced onions or shallots
1 cup of sliced mushrooms
olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste
drippings from the pan
mashed potatoes (optional)

How To Make A Pork Steak

Watch the video or scroll down for step by step instructions:

As mentioned, I’m working with a nice piece of boneless pork loin today. It looks quite clean so not much trimming is needed. I’m definitely leaving the little bits of fat on, those will provide more flavor and tenderize the pork steaks. Are you wondering about the sliced shallots and mushrooms on the photo below? We’ll get to those in a few minutes 🙂

Let’s cut the pork loin into individual steaks, these should be about an inch thick in order to stay juicy on the inside. If you cut them too thin, they will become dry and chewy, which is not something we want to happen.

I am about to keep the seasonings for these pork steaks really simple. Add a touch of olive oil and spread it all over the meat with your hand. Flip the steaks and put oil on the other side as well. This will provide a nice flavor and also help the other seasonings sticking to the meat better.

Let’s move on with a generous amount of salt and freshly ground black or 4-color pepper. Flip the steaks and season the other side too. Just salt and black pepper again. Part of the seasonings always stick to the cutting board, so flip the steaks a few times to catch all of it.

TIP: The cooking method I’m using today requires two steps. I am about to sear the steaks on a pan first, then finish them in my oven. To make sure the oven is ready when we need it, turn it on now and preheat to 175C or 350F.

Heat up your pan and drizzle it with oil, once it becomes hot, it’s time to start searing. The key to preparing juicy and tender pork loin steaks is in the right timing. If you keep them on the pan for too long, the steaks will become dry and that’s game over. About 2-3 minutes per side on high heat is all we need. If that sounds too short to you, keep in mind I’m about to finish the steaks in my oven that I have already started to preheat.

3 minutes have passed so it’s time to flip our steaks. I would say it was just about the right time.

And now a simple trick that I’m using with cheap and less flavor intense cuts of meat. Once the first side is seared, brush it with a bit of Dijon mustard. This will improve the flavor by a lot.

Once the second side is seared, flip the steak once more so the mustard gets some heat too. Give it just a minute and take the pan off the heat.

Place a slice of butter on each steak and put the pan into the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. The butter will melt quickly and improve the final flavor. It will also mix with the juices and drippings, which will come handy in a few minutes.

NOTE: I’m using an oven safe pan with a separable handle. If you don’t have one, simply transfer the pork steaks to a smallish baking dish or a sheet pan, along with the pan drippings/juices.

Now we have time to quickly prepare something simple to serve along with the pork steaks. Heat up two tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan and add a cup of finely sliced onions/shallots and mushrooms. I’ve prepared these in advance to save some time. Sautee these on high heat for about 5 minutes and mix frequently.

Once the onions and mushrooms become lightly browned, add salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can be generous with the pepper but don’t add too much salt, you will see why in the next step.

To get more flavors in, add a tablespoon of soy sauce and honey. Reduce the heat and keep sauteeing.

Don’t forget about our pork steaks, take them out of the oven once the time has elapsed.

See the juices in the pan? Baste the steaks with them properly!

And don’t just stop there. Add a few tablespoons of those delicious drippings to the onions and mushrooms we are sauteeing. Give it a few more minutes, while the steaks are resting and we are done.

And now it’s time to serve. I have some mashed potatoes left from the other day, so let’s put those to good use. Add the sauteed onions and mushrooms on top of the steaks, decorate the plate with some veggies or parsley and that’s it… simple and delicious.

Thanks for watching and see you next time.

Optional Tips For This Pork Steaks Recipe

• I’ve used boneless pork loin in the recipe, but if you can get your butcher to prepare nice thick bone-in cut’s for you, that works even better.
• You can use the same process to prepare pork steaks from different cuts. Pork neck or collar works great, pork shoulder or pork butt are great options too.
• The trick with mustard that I have shown you in this pork steak recipe works well with cheaper cuts of beef too. Check my rump steak recipe, for example.
• You can experiment with the sides as well. Baked potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, boiled potatoes. toasted bread… oh and a simple coleslaw salad would be a great addition too.
• This pork steak would go really well with my creamy mushroom sauce, just like any steak for that matter 🙂