One of our favorite meals when cooking for a big crowd is pork steaks.  Also called pork shank steaks, these steaks come from the pork shoulder and are webbed with delicious marbling.  For a quick and inexpensive week day meal, we also like to cook pork chops or pork cutlets, which can be whipped up in less than thirty minutes.  These cuts are leaner and a little less forgiving, so it’s important to keep an eye on them and take them off the grill when they reach an internal temperature of ~145 degrees (F).  Let them rest in their own juices for 5-10 minutes and then slice to your preference.  These are great with BBQ sauce or chimichurri!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs pork chops, cutlets, or ribeyes (1/2 inch to 1 inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons Rattler Rub (more if desired) 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard

Directions

Similar to other grilled meats, season the pork chops liberally with olive oil, mustard and Rattler Rub and let sit for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.  The olive oil and mustard will act as a binder for the seasoning. Mustard is commonly used this way in South Texas, and the Texas Hill Country, as an Ode to its German heritage.  

When cooking over charcoal or gas, keep the heat as close to medium as possible.  Again, with less fat and marbling, pork chops and cutlets are much more lean and will cook relatively fast in comparison.  Depending on the thickness, these should be turned every 2-3 minutes until medium rare (about 8-10 minutes).  Take them off of the grill and let them sit in their own juices for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  

If you have a bit more time on your hands, these can also be smoked for an extra pop of flavor.  Put the chops on a 225 degree smoker and let smoke until the internal temperature reaches 120 degrees.  Then transfer to the grill and sear for 1-2 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.  This method is especially tasty if you can find large 2 inch thick bone-in pork chops!