Pork Blade Steak
- Thread starter Steve A.
- Start date
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Blade steaks grill well. I prefer them over center-cut loin chops any day--more flavorful. They take to a flavored brine quite well, can handle a substantial rub, and marinate easily. A few suggestions:
For a quick (60-90 min) brine figure 1/2 c Kosher to 1 qt water; for a 4-6 hour brine halve the salt. Put the salt in a bowl with 1/4 c sugar, 3/4 c dark rum, a T of dried thyme, a few cloves of smashed fresh garlic (or a T of granulated), and 2 t each of allspice, coriander, black pepper, and ginger. Pour in just enough of the water to barely cover the ingredients in the bowl and muddle well, mashing everything with the back of a wooden spoon till well combined; add the remaining water and stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Chill in the freezer or fridge for several min then add the steaks to the brine or put the brine and steaks in a Ziploc. Rinse briefly and dry well; grill (I prefer grilling to just shy of medium; the temp will rise during a 5 min rest for a med/med-well finish). A finishing glaze is nice with brined pork steaks or chops allow you to add complementary flavors and flavors from the brine. For this one I'd put about 1/4 c fresh lime juice in a little pot with a T of honey, a t of rum, and a pinch each of gran of fresh minced garlic, allspice, pepper, and ginger (very tiny pinches), a few grains of salt, and 2 t unsalted butter. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and reduce till just syrupy; reserve off heat. A min or so before you pull the steaks, paint their top sides with a thin veneer using a pastry brush. (Nice sides with this would be grilled ripe plantain, grilled pineapple, and black beans cooked with onion and garlic, scented with lime and cumin, and mixed with white rice, or grilled sweet potatoes.)
A rub: Mix 2 T New Mex ground chilies (or a milder chile if preferred), 2 t cumin, 1 t unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 t Turbinado or light brown sugar, 1 t oregano, 1 t each gran garlic and onion, and a tiny pinch salt. Lightly salt the steaks on both sides; apply the rub over the salt. Grill over moderate heat being careful not to allow the sugar in the rub to burn--just get a nice color/caramelization going on both sides then move to indirect, if needed, to finish. (Nice with a squeeze of lime and a side of cowboy beans or spiced grilled potatoes.)
Another idea: Cube the steaks, rub as above (or similarly) and skewer the cubes, alternating with pineapple and/or onion. Grill, turning every couple min. (Nice as a filling for corn tortillas, with shredded salted cabbage (better than lettuce, imo), fresh avocado, and fresh tomato salsa made with cilantro.)
A marinade: Mix 2 small cloves garlic, minced, 2 T finely chopped scallion, 2 T tamari or soy sauce, 1 T honey, 2 T lemon juice. Marinate 6-8 hours. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill as above, taking care not to burn the honey. (Nice with lemon-garlic-ginger brown rice and grilled or roasted asparagus.)
Another: Mix then puree in a blender 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2 small garlic cloves, 1/2 a small onion, 1 T lemon juice, 2 t salt, 1 t pepper. Marinate 6-8 hours. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill. (Nice with a pomegranate glaze and a side of grilled cherry tomatoes with pistachio-studded rice.)
Another: Mix and puree together 1/2 c evoo, 1-2 jals (seeded and ribbed if desired), 2 small cloves garlic, 1/2 a small onion, 2 t cumin, 2 t oregano, a 1/4-1/2 c of cilantro leaves, 2 T lime juice, 2 t salt, 1 t pepper. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill. (Nice topped with fresh salsa with a side of cilantro-lime-garlic rice and pintos with jal and bacon.)
Enjoy.
For a quick (60-90 min) brine figure 1/2 c Kosher to 1 qt water; for a 4-6 hour brine halve the salt. Put the salt in a bowl with 1/4 c sugar, 3/4 c dark rum, a T of dried thyme, a few cloves of smashed fresh garlic (or a T of granulated), and 2 t each of allspice, coriander, black pepper, and ginger. Pour in just enough of the water to barely cover the ingredients in the bowl and muddle well, mashing everything with the back of a wooden spoon till well combined; add the remaining water and stir well to dissolve the salt and sugar. Chill in the freezer or fridge for several min then add the steaks to the brine or put the brine and steaks in a Ziploc. Rinse briefly and dry well; grill (I prefer grilling to just shy of medium; the temp will rise during a 5 min rest for a med/med-well finish). A finishing glaze is nice with brined pork steaks or chops allow you to add complementary flavors and flavors from the brine. For this one I'd put about 1/4 c fresh lime juice in a little pot with a T of honey, a t of rum, and a pinch each of gran of fresh minced garlic, allspice, pepper, and ginger (very tiny pinches), a few grains of salt, and 2 t unsalted butter. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and reduce till just syrupy; reserve off heat. A min or so before you pull the steaks, paint their top sides with a thin veneer using a pastry brush. (Nice sides with this would be grilled ripe plantain, grilled pineapple, and black beans cooked with onion and garlic, scented with lime and cumin, and mixed with white rice, or grilled sweet potatoes.)
A rub: Mix 2 T New Mex ground chilies (or a milder chile if preferred), 2 t cumin, 1 t unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 t Turbinado or light brown sugar, 1 t oregano, 1 t each gran garlic and onion, and a tiny pinch salt. Lightly salt the steaks on both sides; apply the rub over the salt. Grill over moderate heat being careful not to allow the sugar in the rub to burn--just get a nice color/caramelization going on both sides then move to indirect, if needed, to finish. (Nice with a squeeze of lime and a side of cowboy beans or spiced grilled potatoes.)
Another idea: Cube the steaks, rub as above (or similarly) and skewer the cubes, alternating with pineapple and/or onion. Grill, turning every couple min. (Nice as a filling for corn tortillas, with shredded salted cabbage (better than lettuce, imo), fresh avocado, and fresh tomato salsa made with cilantro.)
A marinade: Mix 2 small cloves garlic, minced, 2 T finely chopped scallion, 2 T tamari or soy sauce, 1 T honey, 2 T lemon juice. Marinate 6-8 hours. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill as above, taking care not to burn the honey. (Nice with lemon-garlic-ginger brown rice and grilled or roasted asparagus.)
Another: Mix then puree in a blender 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2 small garlic cloves, 1/2 a small onion, 1 T lemon juice, 2 t salt, 1 t pepper. Marinate 6-8 hours. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill. (Nice with a pomegranate glaze and a side of grilled cherry tomatoes with pistachio-studded rice.)
Another: Mix and puree together 1/2 c evoo, 1-2 jals (seeded and ribbed if desired), 2 small cloves garlic, 1/2 a small onion, 2 t cumin, 2 t oregano, a 1/4-1/2 c of cilantro leaves, 2 T lime juice, 2 t salt, 1 t pepper. Wipe off excess marinade. Grill. (Nice topped with fresh salsa with a side of cilantro-lime-garlic rice and pintos with jal and bacon.)
Enjoy.