ISO Help with Pork Shoulder steaks

[babetoo]

not exactly on topic but is about pork. i bought shoulder steaks, by mistake. a lot of em. tough as nails if fried. do u think i can put all in crockpot with a sauce. and used for sandwiches would work?

[babetoo]

adding to this, cause i still have a large freezer bag full of these things. any help would be wonderful

[TheMetalChef]

Originally Posted by babetoo

not exactly on topic but is about pork. i bought shoulder steaks, by mistake. a lot of em. tough as nails if fried. do u think i can put all in crockpot with a sauce. and used for sandwiches would work?

Yikes.

I'd wrap the whole lot in tinfoil with some herbs and a bit of balsamic (just enough moisture for there to be moisture) as tight as possible, and roast in a very slow oven (180-200) for 6 hours.

[Alix]

Hey babetoo, I moved this to its own thread so you will get more response. Hope it helps!

My 2 cents is that I would cut up the shoulder steak into bite sized pieces and then do it in homemade BBQ sauce after a quick fry. Serve over rice.

[TheMetalChef]

Originally Posted by Alix

My 2 cents is that I would cut up the shoulder steak into bite sized pieces and then do it in homemade BBQ sauce after a quick fry. Serve over rice.

Would only work if you beat the living hell out of it first. The shoulder being cut up into steaks basically puts you in that nasty "too much heat" situation, where there's no way to get it tender unless you apply as little heat to it as possible, just barely enough to get it done.

If I was stuck with a mountain of pork shoulder steaks, I'd dust them with a mixture of paprika, dry mustard, and five spice, stick them in my smoker on a low, low smoke (160 degrees) until they reported 155 degrees via digital thermometer (with an alarm). This operation would likely take 9 hours or more because of the low temp, but they'd be butter tender, juicy, and full of flavor from that rub.

I don't get the impression this is an option for the OP, though...

[Uncle Bob]

Morning Miss Babe.....Another option would be to "smother" or as some folks say here "Gravy them down" --- or heck you could just call it pork steak fricassee ---Anyway Trim as much visible fat off each steak as possible...Season with Salt and pepper...flour, and lightly brown in a little oil. Remove them from the pan....Make a medium brown roux using 1/4 cup oil and 1/3 cup flour...when the roux is ready add some sliced onion...as much as you like. (A whole onion wouldn't hurt) and just a little bell pepper for flavor. Cook the onion and pepper in the roux for 5 or 6 minutes....Next add some liquid (water will be fine) to make a somewhat thin gravy....Season the gravy to your liking with Salt, black pepper, garlic/garlic powder, bay leaf, Worcestershire Sauce, Cajun/Creole seasoning, thyme, Louisiana Hot Sauce etc etc.....Make it taste good!! When the gravy is to your liking add the pork steaks back in, and completely submerse "smother" them in the gravy. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to barely simmer....Cook until the steaks are fork tender/easily break apart....Adjust seasonings and serve over rice or smashed tators..For an extra special treat along with the rice/potaotes..break open a hot buttermilk biscuit and ladle some on.... Mmmmm Mmmmmm Good!!!

Have Fun & Enjoy!

[Andy M.]

I vote for Uncle Bob's recipe!

[Alix]

Originally Posted by TheMetalChef

Would only work if you beat the living hell out of it first. The shoulder being cut up into steaks basically puts you in that nasty "too much heat" situation, where there's no way to get it tender unless you apply as little heat to it as possible, just barely enough to get it done.

Untrue MetalChef. I do it all the time. I was perhaps to concise in my directions, but I generally leave the meat in the crockpot with the sauce for a LONG time (which must tenderize it) or I do a quick fry and top with sauce so it doesn't have time to get tough and nasty. I'm sure there are ways it could go like you describe, but it hasn't happened to me. I'll try to be more specific in future with my descriptions.

UB, YUMMY!!!

[bigdaddy3k]

What does "tough" mean? Are they as tough as a cheap beef steak? We used to just broil and sauce and eat with a steak knife. We loved them!

[Michael in FtW]

Sear the steaks in a tablespoon or two of bacon grease, add a jar of Aunt Nellie's Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, reduce the heat to a low, put the lid on the skillet and braise for about 30 minutes or so. Serve with applesauce and some potato and onion or potato and cheese or potato, cheese and onion pierogies.

I also like Uncle Bob's "smothered steak" idea. And, nothing wrong with saucing some and cooking low and slow in the crock pot.

[Constance]

DH cooks pork steaks on the grill, basting with my oriental BBQ sauce.

He also likes them with just salt, pepper and garlic, but I find those tough and dry.

I've also fixed them Creole style, like Uncle Bob, and they are very good that way!

Michael has a good idea, except I'd cook them with sauerkraut instead. That would be good for the crockpot.

[justplainbill]

We sometimes cut them up and cook them in our spaghetti sauce; along with chicken, sausage, and meatballs (which are added later).

[bigdaddy3k]

Originally Posted by Constance

DH cooks pork steaks on the grill, basting with my oriental BBQ sauce.

He also likes them with just salt, pepper and garlic, but I find those tough and dry.

I've also fixed them Creole style, like Uncle Bob, and they are very good that way!

Michael has a good idea, except I'd cook them with sauerkraut instead. That would be good for the crockpot.

The red cabbage is very close to sauerkraut. It's just a sweet and sour version. It ends up being slightly milder.

[Michael in FtW]

Yeah, it's good with sauerkraut, too, if you want something a little more pungent. I started making it with the sweet and sour red cabbage because of my step-mom, I was trying to vary her diet and she didn't like sauerkraut, but she liked it when I did it this way.

And Bill - that sounds a lot like my big old pot of Italian gravy that I make once in a while .... about 10-12 pounds of meat (sausages, pork chops or roast, beef roast, meatballs, chicken thighs or breasts, etc.) makes enough for about a weeks worth of meals.

[spork]

The shoulder is my favorite cut of pork. Loins make me yawn. I too like cooking it low and long, anywhichway like a luau at the endoftheday. If you have the appliance, or a butcher who is so friendly and accommodating as to raise your Sweeney Todd hackles, shoulder also make the best ground pork.

For some curious reason, pork pairs well with fruits and anything else both sweet and acidic. BRB... can DC's Admins more comprehensively code our forum's Ignore Functions to include turning off bigdaddy3k's tagline? :)

[babetoo]

Originally Posted by Alix

Hey babetoo, I moved this to its own thread so you will get more response. Hope it helps!

My 2 cents is that I would cut up the shoulder steak into bite sized pieces and then do it in homemade BBQ sauce after a quick fry. Serve over rice.

thanks so much alix, i think it worked, lots of good ideas.

[bigdaddy3k]

Originally Posted by spork

can DC's Admins more comprehensively code our forum's Ignore Functions to include turning off bigdaddy3k's tagline? :)

No body understands true art.

[justplainbill]

Originally Posted by Michael in FtW

Yeah, it's good with sauerkraut, too, if you want something a little more pungent. I started making it with the sweet and sour red cabbage because of my step-mom, I was trying to vary her diet and she didn't like sauerkraut, but she liked it when I did it this way.

And Bill - that sounds a lot like my big old pot of Italian gravy that I make once in a while .... about 10-12 pounds of meat (sausages, pork chops or roast, beef roast, meatballs, chicken thighs or breasts, etc.) makes enough for about a weeks worth of meals.

Gravy? I used to cal it gravy until the food snobs told me to call it sauce.
No sense cooking stuff for hours and hours unless you can get several meals from it.

[Michael in FtW]

I was married to an Italian from Brooklyn - her dad and uncles were off-da'-boat Italians ... they called it gravy ... she called it gravy ... so I still call that big ol' pot of culinary Nirvana gravy because it is so much more than just sauce!

[letscook]

I had that happen to me - so tough if i had false teeth they probably would of bounce right out of my mouth.

So with a couple of packages left I figure out what to do with them.

I put them in my crock pot with carrots, saurkraut, onions, some cut up potatoes and let them go for the day - sometime, when I make pork this way I add a can of chopped tomatoes also.
they came out great. What a difference from tough to tender.

And to use up the rest of them i put in crock pot with barbque sauce - couple of bottles of your favorite and let them go them shredded and pulled pork sammys. good also.

I was surprise that as tough as they were how tender & tasty they came out.
If they didn't come out good - at least the dog would of eaten high on the hog!
( no pun intended)