Pork steaks are a still-evolving Texas barbecue tradition

Have Texas barbecue pitmasters achieved brisket perfection? This question sparks debates among barbecue enthusiasts as they gather around a gleaming tray of the state's signature cut of beef.

Depending on your perspective, it’s either a blessing or a curse. The upside is clear: visit most craft barbecue joints in Texas, and you'll be rewarded with consistently world-class brisket. 

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The bad news is that consistency can be repetitive. The texture and flavor of “SPG” brisket – seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder – is the same at many craft barbecue joints across the state, leading to complaints about the homogenization of brisket in Texas barbecue. 

For me, this predictability is welcome – especially given today's brisket prices. At upwards of $40 a pound, I'll gladly trade experimentation for the consistency of a perfect slice.

Fortunately, pitmasters have directed their creativity elsewhere. Sausage-making has become a rich playground of innovation – the chile relleno sausage at Tejas Chocolate & BBQ in Tomball is still one of the best menu creations in Texas barbecue in the last decade.  Side dishes and desserts have also become canvases for creative invention. 

On a recent visit to LaVaca BBQ  in Port LaVaca, I found a new take on a Texas barbecue classic – the humble pork steak. Here, a slice of pork shoulder is grilled over direct heat, braised in a sour orange sauce, topped with pickled red onions and fresh pico de gallo, and served with blue corn tortillas. 

This is one of my favorite and unexpected barbecue dishes of the year. 

Why unexpected? Pork steaks have long been a staple in traditional Texas barbecue, but they're rarely seen as a platform for creative experimentation. 

It all starts with a pork shoulder, also known as a Boston butt. This cut is well-known to backyard pitmasters – it’s a relatively forgiving cut that can stand the vagaries of someone new to an hours-long smoking session. It’s almost always transformed into pulled pork after cooking. 

However, if you slice the pork shoulder into thin slabs, you get the pork equivalent of a ribeye steak. There’s a good balance of fat and lean meat, and you can even get a bone-in version if that suits your taste. 

Pork steaks are almost always grilled using direct heat, and the best versions at Texas barbecue joints are simply seasoned with salt and pepper. The key flavor component for pork steak comes from the direct heat cooking method – as the fat renders and drips on the coals below, flashes of heat and smoke help to caramelize and flavor the steak. 

The best pork steaks are found in Central Texas, following the meat-market traditions of the barbecue there. City Meat Market in Giddings is considered the holy mecca of pork steaks, with Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, Kolacny Bar-B-Q in Hallettsville  and Southside Market & BBQ in Elgin all producing worthy versions on a daily-menu basis.

At all of these locations, the pork steaks are simply and traditionally prepared. Which makes the version at LaVaca BBQ stand out even more. 

Known as the “Cochinito” (little pig) pork steak, it’s an excellent example of how traditional Texas barbecue dishes can evolve and improve. At LaVaca, the Nevarez family has become known for blending classic Central Texas-style barbecue with Tex-Mex and Mex-Mex traditions of South Texas. Their Tex-Mex take on a classic pork steak is a welcome evolution of this traditional Texas barbecue dish.

LaVaca BBQ
532 N Virginia St, Port Lavaca; 361-894-2333
Open Thurs. thru Saturday