Tender Five Spice Pork Shoulder Steak – Comfort in Every Bite

Another dish of comfort food. I think the cold and wet weather in the UK has me craving something hearty every single day. This Five Spice Pork Shoulder Steak is exactly what I needed to lift the mood on this dull, grey day. And when you pair it with a warm bowl of rice and fresh, vibrant pickles, it's nothing short of magic.

It's a quick meal too - just in 15 minutes to cook - but here's the trick: you need to marinate the pork a few hours ahead of time. Working from home makes this so much easier. When I came downstairs for lunch, I spent the last 5 minutes of my break quickly marinating the steaks before popping them back in the fridge. When dinner rolled around, they were ready to go straight into the air fryer.

What you need

The star of the show here is pork shoulder steak. It's affordable, tender and has just the right amount of fat to keep the meat juicy. You might wonder, "Can I use pork belly instead?" Of course, you can - but I find it a bit too fatty. Shoulder steak gives you all the flavour without going overboard.

For the marinade, you'll need:

• Ground pepper
• Garlic granules
• Dark brown sugar
• Fish sauce
• Five spice powder
• Oyster sauce (key for keeping the pork tender without a meat tenderiser)

How to make the best Five Spice Pork Shoulder Steak

As I mentioned, the marinating is essential. You'll want to give the pork at least a couple of hours to soak up all those lovely flavours, 4-5 hours is even better if you've got the time. The good news is it takes 5 minutes, tops to prep.

• Throw all the marinade ingredients together in bowl.
• Rub the mixture thoroughly into the pork shoulder steaks. I avoid using a tenderiser for this recipe because it thins out the steaks too much and doesn't look as nice when sliced. Don't worry, the oyster sauce will work its magic and tenderise the meet perfectly.
• Pop the marinated pork back in the fridge and let it do its thing until you're ready to cook.

Cooking the Pork Shoulder Steak

I use the air fryer to save time, but if you don't have one, the oven will work just fine.

Air fryer

• Lay the pork shoulder steaks in the air fryer basket. Brush them lightly with olive oil to stop them from drying out.
• Cook at 200°C for 10 minutes.
• Flip the steaks, brush on a little more oil, and cook for another 5-6 minutes.

Oven

If you're using the oven, preheat to 200°C. Place the steaks on a baking tray, brush with oil and roast for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

And that's it. The pork comes out beautifully caramelised, tender and full of flavour.

While the pork cooks

While the air fryer does its job, I like to chop up a few fresh veggies - cucumber, carrots and red peppers - to make some quick pickles. I'll share the full recipe for these simple and quick pickles soon, but for now, just know they add the perfect crunch and zing to balance out the rich, spiced pork.

Serve it up

Slice the cooked five spice pork shoulder steaks into thick strips. Pile them onto a warm bowl of rice, and add a generous helping of your colourful pickles on the side.

It's simple. It's comforting. And it's ready in no time at all.

A little effort earlier in the day makes this the kind of meal you'll want to come back to again and again. This Five Spice Pork Shoulder Steak recipe is perfect for busy days or when you just need something to brighten up a grey evening.

Let me know if you give it a try - I promise it's worth it.

Don't forget to check out my other pork recipes here.