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    Home » Recipes by Type » Pressure cooker

    Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style

    Published: May 1, 2018 · Modified: Oct 21, 2020 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 41 Comments

    BBQ Pork Steaks on a plate with a text description below them
    Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style

    Pork shoulder is my favorite piece of pig, and these St. Louis style Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks show it off in all its glory.

    Pulled (or chopped) pork shoulder is the dominant style of barbecue in most of the Southern US. Pulled pork reigns from North and South Carolina in the east, and sweeps west until it hits the wall of beef barbecue in Texas. Barbecued pork steaks are St. Louis specialty1, cross-cut from the shoulder into inch thick steaks.

    Pork shoulder needs long cooking times. The shoulder is a hard-working muscle, full of connective tissue. Undercooked pork shoulder is tough and chewy. If you cook it long enough, the connective tissue melts into gelatin, and the shoulder turns tender and juicy. An Instant Pot (or another pressure cooker) stands in for the traditional barbecue smoker. I replace hours and hours of low-and-slow barbecue with 45 minutes at high pressure. Sure, it’s not the same as Real Barbecue™. But it is juicy, tender, and a whole lot faster.

    (For the record: Yes, I know this isn’t barbecue. I don’t know why I bother apologizing; angry barbecue purists looked at the title and jumped straight to leaving angry comments. As we speak, they’re yelling at me about sullying the spirit of St. Louis. Oh well. That’s what the “Delete Comment” button is for.)

    Here in Ohio, the trick to this recipe is finding thick-cut pork shoulder steaks. My local grocery stores sell pork shoulder steaks, but they always cut a half-inch thick. I have to take a shoulder roast to the butcher and ask him to cut it thick, somewhere between an inch and an inch and a quarter. Other than that, I consider this a weeknight recipe; it takes a little over an hour to cook, but only ten minutes of that is active time.

    Video: Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks St. Louis BBQ Style (2:04)

    Video: Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks St. Louis BBQ Style [YouTube.com]

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    Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style | DadCooksDinner.com

    Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style


    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 16 reviews

    • Author: Mike Vrobel
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 6 steaks 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Pressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ Style. Pork shoulder steaks, BBQ style, ready in about an hour from an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 6 thick-cut pork shoulder steaks (1- to 1¼-inch thick)
    • 1 teaspoon barbecue rub (My homemade rub is here, or use a store-bought rub)
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (If you use homemade rub - store-bought rub will already have salt)
    • 1 cup water (or the minimum amount for your pressure cooker)
    • ½ cup barbecue sauce for the cooker (My homemade barbecue sauce recipe is here, or use a store-bought sauce)
    • ½ cup barbecue sauce to stir into the sauce

    Instructions

    1. Prepare the pork steaks: Sprinkle the pork steaks evenly with the fine sea salt and the barbecue rub.
    2. Everything in the pot: Pour 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker pot, add the pork steaks in a loose pile, and then drizzle ½ cup of barbecue sauce over the pork steaks. (Don’t stir – we want the sweet barbecue sauce to float on top of the water to keep it from burning.)
    3. Pressure cook for 45 minutes with a natural pressure release: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes in an electric pressure cooker ("manual" or "pressure cook" mode in an Instant Pot), or for 40 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. Let the pressure release naturally, about 15 more minutes.
    4. Broil (optional) and serve: Carefully remove the pork steaks from the pressure cooker; they’re fall-apart tender. Measure out ½ cup of the pot liquid, and stir in ½ cup of barbecue sauce. (If you have one, use a fat separator to defat the pot liquid first). Brush the pork steaks with this sauce. Optional: broil the pork steaks until the sauce is bubbling and browning at the edges, then brush with another layer of the sauce. (Broilers vary a lot, so keep an eye on them - it takes about 5 minutes for my broiler to brown the steaks.) Serve, passing the rest of the sauce for dipping.

    Notes

    • I make my own homemade barbecue rub and barbecue sauce. My homemade rub is salt-free; if you use a store-bought rub, and it has salt as the first or second ingredient in the ingredient list, skip the fine sea salt – it has enough salt already.

    TOOLS

    • 6 quart or larger pressure cooker (I love my Instant Pot Electric PC)
    • Fat Separator
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    • Category: Weeknight Dinner
    • Method: Pressure Cooker
    • Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @DadCooksDinner on Instagram and hashtag it #DadCooksDinner

    What do you think?

    Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

    Related Posts

    Pressure Cooker Baby Back Ribs
    Pressure Cooker Barbecued Beef Top Round Sandwiches
    Pressure Cooker Pork Western Shoulder Ribs
    My other Pressure Cooker Recipes

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    1. I’m already curling into a ball, bracing for the hate mail from St. Louis. “This isn’t real barbecue!” I know, I know, low and slow over a wood fire, maybe with charcoal. The barbecue purists are already mad at me, and Texas thinks I messed with their chili, so...everything is normal? ↩︎

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      February 04, 2022 at 7:05 am

      Are you putting the pork steaks on top of the trivet?

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        February 04, 2022 at 11:15 am

        No

        Reply
    2. Bill says

      December 06, 2021 at 10:54 am

      Made these last night and they’re wonderful. I want to use the same rub and your barbecue sauce on boneless/skinless chicken breasts. What would you do differently? Timing? Amount of water?

      Thanks.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Bill says

      December 04, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      I love your recipes and you sense of humor. When I'm looking on the net for a certain type food and I see your name, I don't bother looking any further. I'm making these pork steaks tomorrow.

      Reply
    4. anne says

      July 01, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Very good recipe. We used sweet baby ray and some memphis bbq rub. We ate from the cooker with more sauce put on. I only cooked mine for 30 min and let the pressure drop for 15. Thanks for posting.

      ★★★★

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        July 02, 2021 at 7:22 am

        You're welcome!

        Reply
    5. Stephanie says

      May 18, 2021 at 12:58 am

      Easy and super yummy!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        May 18, 2021 at 11:02 am

        Thanks!

        Reply
    6. Sam says

      February 23, 2021 at 10:23 am

      Do you use the trivet? Or just straight in the pot?

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        February 23, 2021 at 10:54 am

        Straight in the pot.

        Reply
    7. Carolyn Blake says

      January 18, 2021 at 12:22 am

      I used 2 - 1" pork steaks. This was easy and delicious and the pork was falling apart. My pressure cooker retains all the water so next time I will add the bbq sauce in a cup, then enough water to make one cup liquid total. I have a lot of saucy juice left over. Tomorrow I will make a pot of rice and serve it with the "bbq pork gravy." Thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Iamnirt says

      November 22, 2020 at 6:43 pm

      Finally found a pork steak recipe for the instant pot and these were fantastic! I modified the ending and just took them out of the instant pot and brushed them with bbq sauce and broiled in oven a few minutes. Tasted just like delicious pork ribs. Will make this again for sure! And pork butt steaks are on sale lots.
      Thanks dadcooksdinner ! For sharing an excellent recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Kurt Schriewer says

      October 13, 2020 at 7:04 am

      This St Louis native has found an amazing pork steak recipe. I add a small cap of liquid smoke and marinate the pork steaks for 1-2 days covered in rub, ketchup, mustard, 1/3 cup of pickle juice and. 1/3 cup of beer. I use traditional St Louis style steaks cut 1/2 inch thick and cook at high pressure for 18 minutes (and 15 min natural release) with 2 minutes per side on a hot grill, carmelizing the bbq sauce. They turn out ‘fall apart tender’ and with an amazing taste.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. martha says

      August 24, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      My whole family loved it

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Andy Sturm says

      August 09, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      It was yummy! Thanks for posting

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Nikki says

      July 08, 2020 at 1:08 pm

      I made this last night...in Saint Louis. I reverse seared it after it came out of the IP and my Saint Louis native husband loved them. They are south side Lou approved 👍

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        July 08, 2020 at 5:12 pm

        Lou approved? Excellent!

        Reply
    13. Toni Bacchitta says

      April 11, 2020 at 9:31 pm

      Another absolute HIT Mike. Loved this. Definitely one that I'll make again and again!!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    14. Dan says

      March 24, 2020 at 10:16 am

      Can use froen staeks or do they have to be thawed???

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        March 25, 2020 at 7:00 am

        Yes, they have to be thawed.

        Reply
    15. Donna says

      February 29, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      Thank you, it is February 29 and we have snow in places around our house. I was looking for bbq pork steak to try in instant pot. I did boneless pork ribs in my 3 quart and they were fantastic. Husband said hey try steaks so am going to try in my 6 quart today.
      I live in Missouri. I know a lot of bbq restaurants in St Louis. But I want to cook myself.

      Reply
    16. Brittany M George says

      December 02, 2019 at 3:40 pm

      So yummy! And guess what... I was born and raised in STL and this recipe is amazing when it's too cold to go out and barbeque but I have a pork steak craving!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    17. Contrary Mary says

      September 01, 2019 at 5:46 pm

      I'm from STLMO, born n raised. I'm all for getting tender juicy bbq flavor pork steaks without all the time swatting bugs outside. I used a can of Busch beer instead of water, of course. I rubbed in my own blend of various spice blends that I keep on hand. Covered them and let the meat sit an hour or so before placing in the instant pot with the beer. Poured bbq sauce over the tops of the steaks. When they come out of the pot, I'll have my man put them on the grill just long enough to cook some more sauce on them. I can't wait! Perfect for our labor day weekend meal.
      I'm very happy I found your web page. Love your recipes and your writing.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Emily says

      July 27, 2019 at 11:42 pm

      Delicious! We loved this recipe! We only used 2 steaks, worked magically. I also used your bbq rub linked in the article, fantastic. Thanks for sharing your talents!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Brian says

      May 01, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      Hi. Would it be the same cooking time for only one or two steaks?

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        May 01, 2019 at 5:41 pm

        Yes

        Reply
    20. Robin Vines says

      April 14, 2019 at 7:14 pm

      Delicious and so easy to prepare, with the help of my Instant Pot. Thank you for the great recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        April 14, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        You’re welcome!

        Reply
    21. Judy Peters says

      February 15, 2019 at 3:05 pm

      Making this way. Love all BBQ - NC SC TN TX and this recipe kinda gets it all in one. Everyone likes the taste especially me. Little work and clean up. A WINNER.

      Reply
    22. Martina says

      January 12, 2019 at 11:04 pm

      I randomly found this recipe while searching for "instant pot pork steak". I'm so glad I found it! My husband hasn't been too thrilled about my change in cooking routine. Not only was it super easy, my husband loved it! I've book marked and pinned this recipe to make again.

      ★★★★

      Reply
      • WickedWitchofSTL says

        September 08, 2020 at 8:32 pm

        Same! Best search result for “instant pot pork steak” this is my go to recipe for my lazy bbq days!!! I fished all day sooo ran out of time for low and slow! Thanks for the recipe!!!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
    23. Drew Noe says

      November 06, 2018 at 7:20 pm

      I have a plethora of pork steaks cut 1/2” thick. How much should I reduce the cook time to keep them from being over cooked?

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        November 07, 2018 at 3:00 pm

        Try about 20 minutes at high pressure.

        Reply
    24. Kevin says

      October 17, 2018 at 9:09 pm

      Hey, if it helps, I'm born and raised stl, and this is great. Yeah, its not REAL bbq. So what? Its got the spirit of it and thats awesome. Im not gonna be mad if ya had to cut off the c of your reds jersey and stitch a birds on the bat patch over it. 😉 The point is, ya got there. Great recipe, ya did good kid, ya did good.

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        October 18, 2018 at 8:01 pm

        Thanks, Kevin!

        Reply
    25. Robbin Otto says

      May 28, 2018 at 3:35 pm

      I have a great friend who was raised in St. Louis. She always cooked pork steaks with bbq sauce in a slow cooker and then finished on a grill to get that smoky flavor. They were excellent and so tender! I am sure the pressure cooker will yield the same results only faster. I am going to try this but maybe do a quick release so we can finish on the grill without it falling through the grates. I will let you know how it turns out.

      Reply
      • Bev says

        August 23, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        I wouldn’t do a quick release with any kind of meat - the natural release allows the juices to redistribute back into to the meat. Maybe cook them for a shorter time, do a natural release, and then do a short grill time, just for flavor. 🤷‍♂️

        Reply
    26. Greybeard says

      May 08, 2018 at 10:40 pm

      Any reason I can't do this with only two steaks?

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        May 09, 2018 at 9:56 pm

        Nope - it will work exactly the same.

        Reply
    27. Cindy says

      May 01, 2018 at 4:26 pm

      Sounds yummy! Could you substitute thick pork chops!

      Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        May 01, 2018 at 9:08 pm

        No, pork chops are too lean for long cooking times. They will be wildly overcooked if you use this method.

        Reply

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    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner! I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

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