If you're a ribeye fan, you will love this flavorful, juicy, and well-marbled pork steak! Ready in 30 minutes and served with a simple green salad, it's a quick and easy meal that deeply satisfies.

When I ordered pork chops a few weeks ago and received pork steaks instead, I was annoyed - until I opened the package. Wow! These big, gorgeous steaks are about ¾-inch thick. They are as well-marbled as a ribeye steak and have a nice strip of fat, 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.
Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
Pork steaks: Also known as "pork shoulder blade steaks." They're typically 1 ¼ pounds each and about ¾-inch thick. If your butcher doesn't have pre-cut steaks, you can ask them to cut them from a pork roast. You can also order them online.
To season: Unlike a beef steak, which only needs kosher salt and black pepper, a pork steak benefits from additional spices. I like to use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin.
Instructions
Making these juicy steaks is easy. The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the spices in a small bowl and rub the spice mixture all over the steaks.

Heat a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks. Cook them 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 for about 5 more minutes per side, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer them to a platter, cover them loosely with foil, and allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.

Perfect recipe for cooking two foraged pork steaks I’d recently splurged on 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!
NorCal Ellen
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Recipe Tips
- 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 double-burner griddle (as shown in the image below), use two skillets, or cook the steaks one at a time and keep the cooked steak in a warm (170°F) oven while you cook the second one.

- It's helpful to gently press on the steaks with a spatula, as shown in the photo below, to ensure they come into contact with the pan.

Recipe FAQS
It's best to use garlic powder. It coats the steak more uniformly and won't burn as easily as fresh garlic.
Unlike beef steak, which I often cook medium-rare, pork steak 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.
This can certainly happen. See the photo below - one of the steaks I cooked was around ¾ inch thick, while the other was around ½ inch thick. I cooked both in the same double-burner griddle, but cooked the thinner one for 4 minutes per side at the second stage of cooking.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container (like the one shown in the image below) in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months.
Serving Suggestions
Pork steak is big, fatty, and rich. I like to pair it with a simple side dish, and I almost always opt for arugula salad, homemade coleslaw, or cherry tomato salad. In the photo below, you can see the steak served with the simplest salad of mixed greens dressed with vinaigrette.

And here it is with a cherry tomato salad:

This steak is also good with steamed veggies like steamed broccoli (shown in the photo below), steamed asparagus, or steamed cabbage.

Recipe Card
Juicy Pan-Fried Pork Steak
Video
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, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil - optional
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. If the skillet is well-seasoned, you can skip the oil.
- 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.
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 pounds 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 steak in a warm (170°F) oven while you cook the second one.
- Thinner steaks (½ inch thick) should be cooked for about 4 minutes per side at the second stage of cooking. Always check with a thermometer to ensure they are fully cooked.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer bags for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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debbie says
do you have to use a cast iron pan or will a regular nonstick frying pan work?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Debbie,
A nonstick pan will work if it's heavy-bottomed and marked as appropriate for medium-high temperatures (around 400°F). I own this skillet and have used it in this recipe with no issues.
Rich says
This was a great recipe. Note that the amount of dry rub the recipe makes may be more than you need for the size of your steaks. My steaks were a little smaller and so I didn't use all the rub, probably 3/4 of it and that was perfect. Great flavor and it turned an interesting piece of meat into a great piece of meat. I've never had this cut before.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed it, Rich! I was pleasantly surprised, too. Thank you for the tip about the amount of dry rub.
Jose Castello says
Just amazing!! Flavorful, easy and Fast!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed it, Jose! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Stacy says
Great recipe! It was easy, very flavorful and tender. Will definitely make it again!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Stacy! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Julie says
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 says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Julie! Thanks for the review and feedback.
Keith buckley says
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 says
I'm glad you found a use for the seasoning, Keith! It sounds so good! Thanks for sharing.
NorCal Ellen says
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 says
I'm so glad you found this recipe helpful, Ellen! Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.
Keith says
I finished them in a 400-degree oven for four minutes per side. They come out super moist.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Keith,
I'm so glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for reviewing it and for sharing your method.
Sydney says
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 says
I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, Sydney! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Mary says
Made exactly as directed, delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful! Glad you liked it, Mary.
Leon says
Wow the pork is absolutely epic with this simple spice combo and some salt n pepper. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Vered DeLeeuw says
So glad you liked it, Leon!
Wesley says
Cooked it as explained. No complaints from the kids which are definitely picky! Love it.
Vered DeLeeuw says
"No complaints from the picky kids" is a huge compliment! 🙂 Glad they liked it, Wesley.