A pork steak is a thick cut of pork shoulder, grilled low over charcoal and braised in barbecue sauce, usually the local Maull's. It is the signature St. Louis backyard cookout dish.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
The pork steak became a St. Louis summer staple in the 1950s, helped by local meatpackers cutting pork shoulder into affordable steaks and by Maull's, a St. Louis barbecue sauce dating to 1926. Cooked slow over coals then simmered in sauce until tender, it is rarely seen as a restaurant dish and instead defines backyard grilling across the metro, a regional cut few cities outside the area know.
Tip from the editors. The slow braise in sauce after grilling is what makes the shoulder tender; do not skip it.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Sugarfire serves creative, award-winning barbecue across several metro spots, from brisket and burnt ends to daily specials, a casual counter-service chain.
Order: Brisket, burnt ends and a spiked shake.
Tip: Check the daily special board; the brisket and burnt ends are the staples. Save room for a spiked shake.
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