An East-Meets-Midwestern Barbecue Inspires Sumptuous Delights

Grilled Dry-Rubbed Pork Steaks with Sides, Apps, and Cocktails (and don’t forget the dessert!)

Basil Caesar Salad, All-American Potato Salad, and Grilled Dry-Rubbed Pork Steaks. A perfect farewell to summer.

Every so often along comes a cut of meat that has heretofore escaped your grill’s searing clutches. Sometimes even escaping your grillmaster’s lexicon. For us, the new cut on the block calls itself Pork Steak. If you have heard of pork steak, you’re probably from the South or Midwest where pork steaks are grilled regularly. They’re sliced from a Boston Butt, that rich part of the pig that’s also called pork shoulder. Steve’s dad visited us recently from the land of Table Rock, Missouri, and he brought with him his Midwestern recipe so you can make the tastiest grilled pork ever to grace your picnic table. And besides being fall-apart tender, you can grill it all even before your guests arrive. The spice rub Steve’s Dad came up with really gives the meat an authentic Midwestern flavor of smoke and sweet heat.

What to serve our Brooklyn guests before dinner was an easy choice; even though we could feel the cool fall air descend upon us, we decided to leave summer behind with a bang:

{ For recipes, and to read more about and see photos from our amazing barbecue, click here. }