The Best Pork Chops Aren't Actually Chops.

[elleng]

Why relegate pork shoulder to the braising pot when you could put tender, juicy shoulder steaks on the grill? Alison Roman makes the case.

'What if I told you the best grilled pork chop in the world is actually not a chop at all, but sliced pork shoulder? Marbled with and surrounded by fat, the crown jewel of winter braising could soon become the hero of summer grilling. No, not by smoking a large hunk of meat for 64 hours in an extremely expensive grill, though that would be delicious. You’re going to slice the shoulder into thick steaks, then grill them hot and fast to a perfect medium-rare, and it’s going to be revelatory.

Slicing pork shoulder into steaks about one-inch thick allows you to cook them quickly over hot coals or in a cast-iron skillet, just like a piece of red meat, letting the bits of fat (of which there are many) char and crisp. The inside is left pink, juicy and tender, never chewy or dry.

I know the idea of anything less than well-done pork can take convincing, but truly it’s fine — the United States Department of Agriculture has deemed pork safe to eat at 145 degrees Fahrenheit (or 63 degrees Celsius), which is medium-rare meat.

ust like a braised pork shoulder, these steaks are excellent with just salt and pepper — but with minimal effort, they can be more than excellent. Giving them a dip in a spicy, sweet and tangy bath made from citrus juice, chile paste and a bit of fish sauce seasons them from the inside out and helps them caramelize on the grill, getting as charred and flavorful as possible. Feel free to marinate them up to 24 hours in advance, but I, for one, am never thinking that far ahead, and know that they are good left to sit for even 20 minutes, about the time it takes to get your grill scorching hot.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/dining/grilled-pork-shoulder.html?

[Arkansas Granny]

1. I rarely see pork steaks in the grocery store anymore. Mostly pork chops and

most of them are boneless. I used to buy pork steak a lot when I had kids at home and was on a much tighter budget. I loved the flavor and they were really bargain priced. I usually fried them and served them with a cream gravy over rice.

[comradebillyboy]

2. Pork shoulder steaks definitely have better flavor

My local grocery store usually has them in stock in the meat section. I see pork shoulder roasts at Whole Foods and I presume their butcher would slice the roast if requested.

[woodsprite]

3. Maybe I'll try that. For years now, I haven't thought that pork chops have the same

flavor they did when I was younger. The ones today seem to be bland and dry - texture seems weird, almost rubbery. Never really gets fork tender, even when cooked with a sauce or sauerkraut. Maybe it's the fat content that makes it that way. It's very dense, but then I always tought pork was a more dense meat.

Our next step is to buy them from a high-end butcher shop, but they are a bit cost prohibitive. Just want to see if his chops have better flavor/texture.

[Major Nikon]

4. There's two parts to a pork shoulder

The whole pork shoulder is considered a primal cut. You can buy a whole pork shoulder, but often it is divided into the upper part or ‘Boston Butt’ and lower part which is known as the ‘Picnic Shoulder’. Of the two the upper part is more tender and generally preferred so it tends to be more expensive.

I don’t think you’ll get what you’re looking for at a high end butcher shop unless they offer chops made from heirloom varietal hogs which may be hard to find.