Smoked pork steaks

3 hr 15 min · 30 min hands-on · pull 195°F · rest 10 min

Ingredients

3 lb on the fire · ~2.1 lb to the table · 4 plates at 8 oz

• pork shoulder steaks, 1–1¼ inches thick4 (3 lb)
• kosher salt2 tbsp
• black pepper1 tbsp
• paprika1 tbsp
• cider vinegar1/2 cup
• yellow mustard2 tbsp
• brown sugar1 tbsp

Method

1. 1

   Season the steaks with salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix vinegar, mustard, and sugar for a mop.

2. 2

   Smoke at 275°F. Mop every 30 minutes after the first hour.

3. 3

   At 170°F they will look done and still chew. Keep going until 190–195°F and a probe meets little resistance, 3–3½ hours.

4. 4

   Optional: a thin sauce and 5 minutes over direct heat to set it. Rest 10 minutes.

If you don’t have it

• Shoulder steaks → Country-style ribs (from the shoulder). Same collagen, same 195°F. Loin country-style is a different, leaner cook.
• Vinegar mop → Beer mop or a thin sauce. Keep sugar low until the end. A sweet mop at 275°F for 3 hours will scorch.
• Hickory → Apple or pecan. Hickory is the tavern wood. Fruitwood reads sweeter.

Same cook, different day

• Grill finish

  You want char. Smoke to 180, then 3 minutes per side over direct heat with a thin sauce.

• Braised backup

  The smoker died. Covered pan, 300°F oven, a little stock, 2½ hours. Different dish, still dinner.

• Mustard-slather St. Louis

  You want a wetter bark. Yellow mustard under the rub. Same smoke and mop.