The Peameal Steak
The Peameal Steak: A Different Take on a Toronto Classic
You’ve had peameal on a bun. You’ve had it beside eggs. But have you ever had it cut thick and grilled like a steak?
This carnival season, we wanted to have a little fun with one of Toronto’s most iconic foods. By starting with a whole peameal roast and cutting it thick, you get something completely different: a smoky, caramelized exterior with a juicy, tender centre.
It’s familiar, very Canadian, and just unexpected enough to make you look at peameal a little differently.
Ingredients
1 Whole Peameal
Freshly ground black pepper
Grilled seasonal vegetables
Dijon mustard
Directions
Start with a whole peameal roast
This is where buying peameal whole really pays off. Instead of being limited to traditional bacon-sized slices, you can control the cut and turn the same piece of pork into something completely different.Cut it like a steak
Slice the peameal approximately 1 to 1½ inches thick. You want enough thickness that the outside can take on serious colour from the grill without the centre drying out. This is very different from the thin slices we used for the breakfast preparation.Preheat the grill
Get your grill hot before the peameal goes on. Because the pork has already been cured, you're not trying to slowly build flavour—you want strong direct heat to develop a golden, lightly charred exterior.Grill the first side
Place the peameal steak directly onto the hot grill and leave it undisturbed long enough to develop defined grill marks and a good crust.Turn to build the crosshatch
Rotate the steak before flipping to create those classic crosshatched grill marks. Flip and repeat on the second side. The thicker cut gives you enough time to build colour without overcooking the inside.Rest and then serve
Give the steak a few minutes to rest before cutting into it. Serve it whole or slice it across the steak and pair it with grilled vegetables and mustard.