Brined & Grilled Pork Blade Steaks With Spring Onion & Rhubarb Mostarda

Courtesy of chef Matt Jennings

What does this mean for you? It means flavor. Meats cooked on the bone are much more flavorful, and this 'steak' is no exception. It also means you can brine it! Pork,  especially shoulder cuts, benefit from being submerged in a brine for at least 24 hours before cooking (depending of course on the size of the cut). I suggest talking with your butcher to procure some, as it may not be something they have lying around.

This is an easy Mediterranean inspired dish for entertaining on those first few warm spring days on the back deck. For best results, make your mostarda first and let it sit overnight at least. It can be made up to three days ahead in order to save you time.

Day 1 - Mostarda Makes The Dish - Spring Onion & Rhubarb Mostarda

Ingredients

- Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste

- 1 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

- Kosher salt, to taste

- 4 cups spring onion (or use scallion, if you can't find spring onion), cut into 1/2-inch dice

- 2 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch dice

- 1 cup dried golden raisins

- 1 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup champagne vinegar

- 1 lemon, peel removed in strips with a veggie peeler and cut into 1/4-inch dice

- 2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds

- 1 tablespoon dried mustard powder

- 1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

- 1/2 bunch thyme

- 1/2 bunch parsley

- Mustard oil, for drizzling

Directions

1) Coat a large straight-sided saute pan or skillet, with a few teaspoons of olive oil.

2) Once hot, but not smoking, add in the red onions, crushed red pepper, and season with the salt.

3) Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the onions until they are soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes.

4) Add in the spring onions & rhubarb, golden raisins, sugar, champagne vinegar, lemon zest, mustard seeds, mustard powder, and season with salt, again, if necessary.

5) Stir to combine. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.

6) Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

7) Remove the lid and cook another 15 minutes, stirring the rhubarb mixture frequently until the liquid has evaporated and the rhubarb mix is a chutney-like consistency.

8) Check to make sure the rhubarb and spring onions are cooked through and soft but can still hold their shape.

9) Pour mixture out onto a baking sheet to cool.

10) Cool slightly.

11) While cool to the touch, fold in minced chives, thyme and parsley and drizzle with mustard oil to give the condiment a kick!

Day 2 - Make The Brine

Ingredients

- 14 cups cold to tepid water

- 1 cup kosher salt

- 1 cup brown sugar 

- 2 Rosemary sprigs

- 4 teaspoons pink peppercorns (white or black will do)

- 2 cups ice cubes

Directions

1) In a large pot, bring 14 cups water to a boil.

2) Remove from heat and add 1 cup salt, the brown sugar, rosemary sprig, and 2 teaspoons peppercorns, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved.

3) Add ice cubes and chill until cold.

4) Submerge your pork blade steaks only once the brine is completely cooled.

Day 3 - Grill & Garnish

Directions

1) Start your grill so it is nice and hot.

2) You want to make sure you are able to mark these steaks on the grill.

3) While the grill is heating up, remove the pork blade steaks from the brine.

4) Pat them dry with paper towel.

5) On a plate, drizzle them with canola oil blend.

6) Season them with cracked black pepper -- but they may not need too much salt due to sitting in the brine.

7) Next, simply grill the blade steaks until they are cooked through and perfectly charred.

8) To plate, smother them with the Rhubarb & spring onion mostara and serve alongside freshly dug potatoes or a spring green salad.

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