We love these easy smoky grilled BBQ Pork shoulder steaks so much we decided to turn them into a delicious salad topper. We also happened to have some zucchini and sweet Datterini tomatoes fresh from the garden and this salad happened (and keeps happening♡). Pan-seared zucchini complements the pork as does the acidity and total sweetness of these Italian tomatoes making for a great summertime (or anytime) hearty salad that still feels light enough for bikini weather.

Pork shoulder blade steaks are not only inexpensive, but they’re worthy of multiple dinners a month in my opinion — and you don’t need to have a grill (or even a grill pan) to make them. When a delicious cut of meat like this only takes 6 minutes to cook, you’re never far from a whole, healthy dinner any night of the week.

4 raw pork blade steaks in a white ceramic dish with a little extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top

seasoned raw pork steaks in a white ceramic dish with a reddish-orange color from the spices

4 pork steaks cooking on a cast iron grill pan starting to run opaque in color on the bottom and juices expelling from the top

Grilling Pork Shoulder Steaks is Easy — a Few Handy Techniques

Pork shoulder or pork butt steaks are a tender (mostly dark) cut of meat interspersed with fat and they make a great alternative to steak. I also use this cut of pork to grind when making potstickers and dumplings and to make the best tacos al Pastor. It’s really tender and inexpensive. Use the below tips and techniques to help get the best-tasting grilled pork steaks.

Use a well-seasoned cast-iron grill pan or another heavy-gauged grill pan. A heavy-bottomed pan with good even heat distribution helps evenly and quickly cook steaks and get good grill marks on the meat (cast-iron, carbon steel, 7-ply stainless steel like All-Clad, or even All-Clad heavy-duty aluminum with multiple layers).
Wash, pat dry, season, and marinate the steaks before you cook them. Pat the pork steaks dry after a quick rinse, rub them with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and season them with the homemade spice rub (do not add salt at this stage), and allow them to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature (or covered in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to overnight bringing them back to room temperature just before grilling).
Salt the steaks just before adding them to the hot grill pan. Do not season the steaks until just before time to put them onto the grill pan. Adding salt draws out moisture and you already know that “wet” meat keeps you from getting a flavorful “crust”, or good pan sear. I season only the side of the meat that will first be in contact with the skillet and as soon as I’ve added them (seasoned-side down), I season the tops of the steaks.
Get the grill pan smoking hot. Allow the pan to get really hot, add the steaks directly to the hot pan, and season the top sides. When the steak makes contact with the pan, it needs to be so hot that it sizzles.
Have patience. Once you place the steaks onto the grill pan don’t move them around. Let them have constant contact with the hot pan so the browning can take place. If you move them around or flip them over too soon, you’ll miss out on all that extra flavor (the “crust”) and the grill marks you’re after. After about 2 minutes, you can peek at the underside of the steaks using a pair of tongs but don’t move it around too much. This is a good way to help you know when it’s a good time to flip them over which in this case, is after about 4 minutes.
Use a timer for a little extra help. Setting a timer as soon as your steaks hit the pan really helps you determine how long they need to cook. It’s an easy way to not have to think as much about when the steak is going to need to be flipped or be finished cooking. That said, I never leave a steak alone. I check steaks periodically to make sure I have the flame adjusted properly and that they’re cooking the way I intended. It’s not foolproof to set a timer because several factors are involved with properly cooking steaks such as the cut of meat, thickness of the steak, whether or not it’s bone-in or boneless, and even the type of range and skillet you’re using. But using a timer does provide a little extra help especially if you’re busy prepping other sides.

Easy Grilled Smoky Pork Shoulder Steak Salad Ingredients

We use a quick and really delicious homemade pork spice rub to give these pork steaks their signature grilled flavor, but feel free to sub in Montreal Steak Seasoning, or your favorite spice. Also, it’s not a bad idea to add a hardboiled egg for extra protein (and cucumber also tastes great in this salad). We typically squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the top and finish it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, but if you’re looking for a really delicious and different vinaigrette recipe, try our Summer Starburst Vinaigrette — it’s one of our all-time favorites.

1 to 1 1/2 pound pork shoulder or pork butt steaks (500g)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika (4g)
1 teaspoon onion powder (4g)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (2g)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (1g)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric (less than 1g) *omit if you don’t have it
kosher or sea salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper, if desired
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (9g)
1 bag of mixed baby salad greens + a handful of chopped iceberg lettuce
2 small zucchini or 1 large zucchini, sliced vertically into thin strips
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (for pan-searing the zucchini) (5g)
a handful of sweet baby grape tomatoes, to taste
1 recipe Summer Starburst Dressing, or favorite salad dressing

spices added to a bowl to get a BBQ grilled flavor pork steak

spices blended in a bowl with an orange-reddish hue

How to Make Grilled Pork Shoulder Blade Steak Salad

This is an extra healthy way to prepare pork especially since we use just 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, but feel free to slather them up with a little more oil if desired. Also, pan-seared carrots are a great topper on this salad.

Marinate the meat. Wash and pat dry the pork steaks until completely dry. Rub 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil into the meat covering every surface. Add paprika, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and turmeric to a small bowl and combine using your hands. Sprinkle the spice rub evenly over both sides of the meat to ensure even coverage. Allow the pork to marinate for at least 15 minutes (or covered and stored in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to overnight).
Prep the salad greens. Wash and dry the salad greens and iceberg lettuce. Chop into bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl. Top with sliced tomatoes and set aside.
Pan-sear the zucchini. Heat a cast-iron skillet or another heavy-bottomed skillet to high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the skillet is very hot, but not smoking, add the zucchini in a single layer being sure not to overlap the slices. Drizzle the tops with a little more olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Do not move the slices once they hit the skillet until they turn golden brown on the bottoms (after approximately 5 minutes of cooking). Flip the zucchini over, season with a little more salt and black pepper, reduce the heat to medium-high, and continue cooking for about 4 to 5 more minutes, or until they turn golden brown with slightly crispy edges. Check the underside of the slices periodically lifting a corner slightly with a pair of tongs to check for color. When they’re ready, the slices should be tender but still have a slight firmness. Remove them to a platter and when cool enough, slice them into the desired size.
Grill the steaks. Heat a cast-iron grill pan or another heavy-gauge pan over high heat. Just before the pan begins to smoke, drizzle 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the tops of the steaks rubbing it in and coating them well. Season the steaks with salt (and pepper if using). When the pan begins to smoke, add the seasoned pork (salted side down) allowing space in between each steak. Reduce heat to medium-high and set a timer for 6 minutes and do not move the steaks once they hit the pan. Cook steaks for about 4 minutes, or until nicely browned and you can see grill marks on the bottoms. At this point, the tops of the pork will become white around the edges with some darker pink in the thicker spots. Flip and continue cooking for another 2 minutes for a total of about 6 minutes or until the steaks are just cooked through. Turn off the heat, allowing thicker steaks to remain on the pan if needed to finish cooking through. Remove the steaks to a serving platter and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing and topping the salad, Enjoy!

perfectly golden brown purple cauliflower steaks covered with toasty sesame seeds

closeup pan-seared caramelized and golden brown zucchini slices on a white platter and a sprig of crispy rosemary on top

tomato stained orange vinaigrette with herbs in a glass Weck Jar on top of a decorative vintage tray with pink flowers, green leaves, and green and cream colored background

perfectly pan seared long carrot slices glistening with olive oil on a white platter

What to Serve with Grilled Pork Shoulder Steak Salad

To be honest, this salad holds up as a full meal all on its own, but if you may want to add a small roll or crusty baguette and no one’s going to stop you if you want to throw a baked potato on the side (or a few extra pan-seared veggies).

Let’s get started!