Grilled Pork Steaks Recipe - Juneteenth

It's Summertime, and that means it's time to break out the grill! One of my favorite things to make for those Summer cookouts and BBQs is pork steaks. They're easy to cook, and they always taste delicious when smothered in a tangy vinegar-based barbecue sauce.

This grilled pork steaks recipe will be on my Juneteenth menu. If you're looking for a new recipe to try this summer, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed! It's my rendition of James Beard Award-Winning Pitmaster Rodney Scott's original recipe which he featured in his latest book, "Rodney Scott's World Of BBQ."

In this post I not only pay homage to Brother Scott by making one of his recipes but also pin a short love letter at the end to my fellow brother in smoke as part of a Juneteenth initiative with my Eat The Culture partners.

Grilled Pork Steaks (Inspired by Pitmaster Rodney Scott)

Grilled pork steak is a traditional favorite in the American South, and there's no better time to enjoy it than on Juneteenth. This holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, and what could be more fitting than a dish that celebrates the region's Black heritage?

The key to a good grilled pork steak is in the marinade whether you use a dry or wet marinade. A South Carolina-style (vinegar and pepper based) bbq sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy, and it penetrates the meat to create a delicious flavor that is sure to please any barbecue lover. So fire up the grill and enjoy a taste of history this Juneteenth.

Flavor Profile

Grilled pork steaks bring deep smoke, caramelized spice crust, and rich porkiness, balanced by a vinegar BBQ sauce that cuts through with tang, heat, and a little funk. It’s bold without being heavy—sticky fingers, clean finish.

Key Flavor Ingredients (Spice Rub Breakdown)

• Paprika: Lays down warmth and color, helping the pork steaks brown beautifully over the grill.
• Chili powder: Adds earthy heat and depth, anchoring the rub in barbecue tradition.
• Brown sugar: Encourages caramelization, balancing heat with molasses sweetness as it hits the flame.
• Cayenne: Brings controlled fire, sharpening each bite without overpowering the meat.
• Onion powder: Builds savory backbone, mimicking slow-cooked onion sweetness.
• Garlic powder: Delivers round, roasted garlic flavor that blooms under high heat.

Why This Works

Thick-cut pork steaks handle high heat without drying out, which creates juicy interiors and charred edges. This approach comes from Midwestern and Southern backyard barbecue, where cooks rely on forgiving cuts instead of precision thermometers.

Dry spice rub draws surface moisture and seasons deeply, which creates crust and concentration of flavor. This method comes from Southern barbecue tradition, where balance and layering beat marinades alone.

Vinegar BBQ sauce cuts fat and resets the palate, which creates brightness and craveability. This technique comes from Carolina-style barbecue, where tang keeps pork rich but never heavy.

Recipe Variations & Substitutions

• No pork steaks?
  Use bone-in pork chops instead. They deliver similar richness, though they cook faster. This swap reflects regional differences where pork steaks aren’t widely butchered.

Beats and Eats (music to grill pork steaks to)

Juneteenth is a celebration that's tied to some very dark times. People are looking to the past for motivation and inspiration for ways to move forward in a time when vestiges of that racism still exist. The song "Sunshine" is about being that light during the dark times. It is the optimism that this celebratory and commemorative day of resiliency represents.

Test Kitchen Tips for Best Results

Preheat your grill before cooking. This will help to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.

Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pork. Mine were about 1 inch thick and 4 minutes was just about right.

For a bit more smoke flavor add water-soaked wood chips to your hot coals.

The sauce is absolutely delicious. It may seem a bit unorthodox if you're not from the Carolinas and/or not familiar with vinegar-based bbq sauces. Don't worry about the heat levels in the sauce.

I know the amount of cayenne and red pepper flakes sound like a lot of heat!!! But actually, the sugar and lemon juice balance the overall flavor out. You can definitely lower the amount of cayenne if needed.

Serve these with sides like black people potato salad, bbq baked beans, corn and tomato salad, or Southern collard greens with smoked turkey. Check out this full round-up of great BBQ sides.

Follow these tips and you'll be sure to enjoy a delicious, juicy grilled pork steak every time!

I also had some pure primal fun with this tomahawk pork chop I was able to get my hands on. It was delicious and a joy to eat for sure!

If you make this pork steak recipe or any other from the site, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

Keep up with my food exploits on Instagram and YouTube. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated playlists.

Don't Forget To Checkout All The Dope Recipes From The Other Juneteenth Virtual Potluck Participants

Purple and White Potato Salad prepared by Big Delicious Life from the book Sweet Potato Soul

Jam Cake prepared by Britney Breaks Bread from the book Jubilee 

Mini Red Velvet Cake by Chenée Today from the book Life Is What You Bake

Soy Lime Beef Stir Fry by Coined Cuisine from the book Cooking Solo

Pinto Beans with Smoked Neck Bones by Cooks with Soul from the book Bludso's Bbq Cookbook

Black Pepper Strawberry Slab Pie by Dash of Jazz from the book Watermelon and Red Birds

Buffalo Cheezy Sweet Potato Fries by Flights and Foods from the book Unbelievabley Vegan 

Grilled Pork Porterhouse Steaks  by Food Fidelity from the book Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day

Barbecue Baked Beans with Red Spice by Geo’s Table from the book Son of a Southern Chef

Jamaican Beef Patty by Her Mise En Place from the book My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Spicy Vegetable Relish by Kenneth Temple from the book In Bibi's Kitchen

Red Velvet Cake with Blackberry Frosting by Lenox Bakery  from the book Grandbaby Cakes

Very Strawberry Shortcake by Mekio And The Dish from the book The New Orleans Cook Book

Pig-Pickin' Cake by My Sweet Precision from the book Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking 

Blackberry Peach Crumble Pie by Peaches2Peaches from the book Carla Hall’s Soul Food

African Soul Rice Salad with Crispy Collards by Savor & Sage from the book The Cooking Gene

Grape-Tarragon Spritzer by Sense and Edibility from the book Black Food: Stories, Art, and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora

All-Green Everything Salad w/ Creamy Sage Dressing by That Green Lyfe from the book Vegetable Kingdom

Rum Rum Punch by This Worthey Life from the book The Red Rooster Cookbook

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