Pork loin steaks are one of the quickest, best-value dinners in the butcher's case: lean, boneless, and on the plate in 15 minutes. The only real way to ruin them is to cook them too long. This guide covers the pan, oven, grill, air fryer and BBQ, with a pork loin steak cooking times table by thickness and the safe temperature to aim for, so they come out juicy every time.
Before you cook pork loin steaks
Take the steaks out of the fridge 15–20 minutes before cooking, so the middle isn't fridge-cold. Pat them dry with kitchen paper, because a wet steak steams instead of browning. Snip the fat edge every 3–4cm with scissors so the steak doesn't curl up in the pan, then season both sides with salt and pepper just before they go in. If you have a meat thermometer, get it ready: it's the easiest way to stop lean pork drying out.
How to cook pork loin steaks in a pan
- Heat a heavy frying pan over a medium-high heat with a teaspoon of oil.
- Hold each steak fat-edge down in the pan for a minute to render and colour the fat.
- Lay the steaks flat, leaving space between them, and cook for 3–4 minutes without moving them, until golden underneath.
- Turn and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Add a knob of butter, a crushed garlic clove and a sprig of thyme for the last minute and spoon it over.
- Check the centre has reached 70°C, then rest the steaks on a warm plate for 3 minutes.
Our Pork Loin Steaks 4x 135g usually need 4 minutes on the first side and 3–4 on the second. Cook four steaks in a large pan, or in two batches, as crowding drops the heat. There's more detail in how to cook pork loin steaks in the pan.
Pork loin steak cooking times
These are guide times for boneless loin steaks cooked from fridge-cold. Pans, grills and air fryers vary, so go by the thermometer: the centre should reach 70°C and hold it for 2 minutes, which a 3-minute rest takes care of.
| Thickness | Pan (medium-high) | Grill (medium-high) | Oven 180°C (160°C fan) | Air fryer 190°C | BBQ (direct heat) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thin, about 1cm | 2–3 min a side | 3–4 min a side | 14–16 min, turn once | 9–11 min, turn halfway | 3 min a side |
| Standard, about 1.5cm | 3–4 min a side | 4–5 min a side | 18–22 min, turn once | 12–14 min, turn halfway | 4 min a side |
| Thick, 2–2.5cm | 5–6 min a side | 6–7 min a side | 25–30 min, turn once | 15–18 min, turn halfway | 5–6 min a side, then cool side |
Rest every steak for 3 minutes before serving. If you're not using a thermometer, cut into the thickest part: the meat should be white to very pale pink with clear juices.
How to cook pork loin steaks in the oven
The oven is easiest when you're cooking a whole pack at once. Heat it to 180°C (160°C fan), rub the steaks with a little oil and seasoning, and lay them on a lined tray. Cook for 18–22 minutes, turning once. For more colour, sear them in a hot pan for a minute a side first and cut the oven time by about 5 minutes. Roast some potato wedges on the shelf above and dinner is one tray. See pork loin steaks in the oven for the full method.
Under the grill or in the air fryer
Under a preheated medium-high grill, put the steaks on the rack about 8–10cm from the heat and cook them for 4–5 minutes a side. In an air fryer, preheat to 190°C, lightly oil the steaks and cook them in a single layer for 12–14 minutes, turning halfway. Both methods let the fat drip away. Step-by-step guides: pork loin steaks under the grill and pork loin steaks in the air fryer.
How to BBQ pork loin steaks
Set up the BBQ with a hot side and a cooler side. Cook the steaks over direct heat for about 4 minutes a side, then move them to the cool side with the lid down for a minute or two if they haven't reached 70°C. Watch for flare-ups from the fat edge, and keep sugary marinades off until the last few minutes so they don't burn. Our BBQ pork loin steaks guide has more, and our BBQ meat range covers the rest of the grill.
Garlic and piri-piri pork loin steaks
Garlic Pork Loin Steaks 4x 135g and Piri-Piri Pork Loin Steaks 4x 135g cook to the same times as plain steaks. They're already seasoned, so taste before adding salt, and use a medium heat rather than a smoking pan, because the marinade can catch and burn before the middle is cooked. In the oven or air fryer they need no extra attention at all.
What to serve with pork loin steaks
Because loin is lean, give it something saucy alongside. Try pork loin steaks with mustard cream, pork loin steaks with apple sauce, cider and apple, or honey mustard pork loin steaks with mash. Buttery mash, greens and a pan gravy made from the juices are hard to beat on a weeknight.
Loin steaks vs pork chops
A pork chop is cut from the same loin but keeps the bone, which protects the meat and adds a little cooking time. Boneless loin steaks cook faster and dry out faster, so keep a close eye on them. If you prefer bone-in, follow how to cook pork chops. For temperatures across every pork cut, see pork internal temperature.
Buying pork steaks in bulk and freezing
If pork steaks are a weekly dinner, bulk packs work out cheaper per plate. Piri Piri Boneless Pork Steaks x16 packed in 4's come packed in fours, so you only defrost what you need. Browse bulk pork steaks, boneless pork steaks and the full pork steak range, or read which bulk pork steak pack size makes sense. To freeze, separate the steaks with baking paper, and defrost them overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Piri Piri Boneless Pork Steaks x16 packed in 4's
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
Pork loin steak FAQs
How long do you cook pork loin steaks in a pan?
On a medium-high heat, a standard pork loin steak about 1.5cm thick takes 3–4 minutes a side, around 7–8 minutes in total. Our 135g loin steaks usually need 4 minutes on the first side and 3–4 on the second. Thin steaks need 2–3 minutes a side; thick ones 5–6. Always check the centre reaches 70°C.
What temperature should pork loin steaks be cooked to?
In the UK the Food Standards Agency benchmark is 70°C in the centre, held for 2 minutes. Take the steaks off as they reach 70°C and rest them for 3 minutes. A faint blush of pink juice is fine once that temperature has been reached.
How do you stop pork loin steaks drying out?
Don't overcook them. Loin is lean, so pull the steaks at 70°C rather than cooking them until they are grey and firm. Dry and season them well, cook them hot and fast, rest them for 3 minutes, and serve them with a sauce, gravy or apple sauce.
Can you cook pork loin steaks from frozen?
It's better to defrost them overnight in the fridge, as they cook more evenly. If you must cook from frozen, use the oven at 180°C, allow roughly half as long again, and probe the centre to make sure it reaches 70°C. Don't pan-fry them half-frozen in the middle.
How long do pork loin steaks take in the oven or air fryer?
In the oven at 180°C (160°C fan), standard loin steaks take 18–22 minutes on a tray, turned once. In an air fryer at 190°C they take 12–14 minutes in a single layer, turned halfway. Check for 70°C in the centre either way.
