Ceafă de Porc la Grătar
Ceafă de Porc la Grătar·(chah-fuh deh pork lah gruh-tar)
La Grătar (The Weekend Cookout)
In Romania, a weekend cookout isn't about fussing over a smoker for fourteen hours; it's about sinking cold beers and grilling aggressively seasoned, wildly juicy cuts of pork over hot coals. The undisputed king of the backyard grill is ceafă de porc, or pork neck. To pull this off in America, ditch the lean pork chops that turn to sawdust over an open flame. You want bone-in pork shoulder steaks—they possess the exact same glorious fat marbling as the European neck and are infinitely forgiving. Soaked in a rough, traditional băiț of white wine, a heroic amount of garlic, and thyme, this is exactly what a summer afternoon in the old country tastes like.
Before you start
Mix the marinade.
In a large bowl or a gallon-sized zip-top bag, whisk together the white wine, sunflower oil, garlic, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Soak the pork.
Use a fork to poke a few holes in the pork steaks so the flavors can penetrate deeper. Add the meat to the marinade, massaging the liquid into every crevice. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or ideally overnight.
Ingredients
- bone-in pork shoulder steaks2 1/2 lb
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- sunflower oil3 tbsp
- garlic cloves6 med
- sweet paprika1 tbsp
- smoked paprika1 tsp
- dried thyme1 tbsp
- kosher salt2 tsp
- black pepper1 tsp
Method
- 01
Fire up the grill.
Preheat an outdoor grill or a heavy cast-iron grill pan to medium-high heat. If you're running charcoal, wait until the coals are covered in a thin, even layer of white ash.
- 02
Sear the steaks.
Pull the pork from the marinade, letting the excess liquid drip off to avoid flare-ups, but keeping the garlic and herbs clinging to the meat. Grill for 6 to 7 minutes until a deep, dark, caramelized crust forms.
- 03
Flip and finish.
Turn the steaks over and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes on the second side. Pull them when they hit an internal temperature of 145°F to 155°F.
- 04
Rest the meat.
Move the pork to a platter, tent it loosely with foil, and walk away for 5 to 10 minutes. Don't skip this; allowing the juices to redistribute is the difference between a good steak and a great one.
Notes
Sourcing the right cut.
Do not substitute standard lean pork chops—they completely lack the intramuscular fat required for this high-heat method. If you can't find pre-cut shoulder steaks, ask the butcher to slice a bone-in Boston butt pork roast into 3/4-inch pieces.
The full spread.
To complete the authentic experience, serve these steaks alongside a sharp mustard, a loaf of crusty bread, a fresh tomato salad, and traditional Romanian pickles (murături).
From Cook Romanian in America.