What’s the Difference Between a Pork Chop and Pork Steak?

You’re shopping for the perfect pork for this BBQ pork steak recipe, but you encounter a dilemma. Should you choose a pork chop? Or go with the recipe’s suggestion for a pork steak? What’s the difference, anyway?

Your taste buds will probably not notice a huge difference between pork chops and steaks. But they are two different cuts of meat. A pork chop comes from the loins or ribs of the hog. They tend to be pretty lean, with the butcher cutting off any visible fat.

Pork steaks, on the other hand, come from the shoulder area. You will notice that they have more fatty marbling and connective tissue than leaner pork chops. They also contain darker portions of meat, rather than having one uniform color throughout.

Pork steaks require more cooking and braising than pork chops. So, we choose pork steaks in our grilled pork steak with marinade recipe. But again, if you have tons of chops on hand, feel free to use them at will.

Great Accompaniments for Cider Brined Pork Steaks

Sure, you could just give your guests a big plate of grilled BBQ pork steaks and let them dig right in. But you probably want to serve up some side dishes to round out the meal.

Not sure what to whip up to go along with these pork steaks? Here are a few ideas:

• Salad with mixed greens: Add some cut-up veggies for a burst of color and flavor. Then, top with a crumbling of feta or blue cheese and a homemade balsamic dressing.
• Corn casserole: You can’t go wrong pairing grilled pork steaks with a hot corn casserole.
• Homemade baked beans: These babies can be smoked in your Grilla Grill while you finalize your pork steaks.
• Cornbread or crusty bread: Round out your offerings with some homemade bread or French bread loaves.

Remember to include dessert on your menu, such as a baked apple crumble highlighted by the smoky infusions from your grill.