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October 18, 2026Learn how to cook the perfect Coppa Pork Steak at home with this easy reverse-sear method, flavored with sweet brown sugar, fresh sage, and savory onions.
If you are looking for other ways to cook and prepare pork steaks, try our Mexican Pork Steak.
A Quick Look at Coppa Steaks
- ✅ Recipe Name: Coppa Steaks with Caramelized Onions
- ⏲️ Ready In: Brining Time 2 hours (or up to 12 hours) Cook Time 33 to 36 minutes
- 👨👨👦👦 Serves: 2 people
- 🍽️ Calories: 609 kcal per serving
- 💪 Protein: 30 grams per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: coppa pork steaks, Vidalia onion, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil, butter, sage leaves, sugar
- 📋 Dietary Info: Coppa pork steaks are rich in flavor, marbling, and tenderness, making them a satisfying protein choice.
- 💯 Why You’ll Love It: Highly marbled cuts like the coppa pork steak are similar to premium meat experiences, offering rich flavor that’s budget-friendly and satisfying.
If you haven’t tried a coppa pork steak yet, you are missing out on one of the best-kept secrets in the meat display. Cut from the pork collar (the top of the shoulder), the coppa features beautiful marbling that rivals a high-end beef ribeye. Some even call this cut the pork ribeye steak. It packs so much rich flavor and healthy fat that it is incredibly forgiving to cook.
In this recipe, we use a simple dry-brining technique and a reverse-sear method to guarantee a perfectly golden, crispy crust while keeping the inside unbelievably juicy. Paired with sweet, slow-roasted Vidalia onions and basted with aromatic sage butter, this is a restaurant-quality meal you can easily pull off at home.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Coppa pork steaks- standard cut will be 1 inch thick, or thick cut will run 1.25 to 1.50 inches
- Brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Vidalia onion- if you don’t have Vidalia onions, substitute with another sweet white onion, such as Walla-Walla or Maui
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Sage leaves- fresh sage leaves really pack a flavorful punch; dried sage can be used if that is what you have available.
- Granulated sugar
Coppa Pork Steak Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Pat the pork steaks dry with paper towels. Dry-brine each steak with a sprinkle of brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper.
Place steaks on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours (or up to 12 hours).
Step 2: Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to take the chill off. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.
Step 3: Scatter the thinly sliced Vidalia onion across the bottom of the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Place the wire baking rack with the steaks directly over the onions.
Step 4: Insert an oven-safe digital thermometer into one steak. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the internal thermometer registers 110 to 120 degrees F. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Note: Start checking temperature after 12 minutes to prevent overcooking.
Step 5: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and just starting to smoke. Place the steaks in the hot skillet and sear for about 1 1/2 minutes, until beautifully browned. Flip the steaks. Immediately add the butter and fresh sage leaves to the pan. Tilt the skillet slightly and use a large spoon to continuously baste the steaks with the foaming sage butter for another 1 1/2 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the steaks from the skillet to rest and transfer to a cutting board. Allow them to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 7: While the meat rests, quickly toss the roasted onions directly into the hot skillet to soak up the remaining sage butter and pan juices. Add the granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, deeply browned, and caramelized.
Step 8: Plate the juicy coppa pork steaks and top generously with the savory caramelized onions.
Recipe Tips
- Because coppa pork steaks have excellent fat marbling, the dry-brining process and internal temperature checks are key to ensuring optimum juiciness, flavor, and a perfect crust.
- Fresh sage leaves really enhance the flavors and meld together with the butter during the finishing steps.
- This cut of meat pairs well with a creamy side of polenta or garlic mashed potatoes.
Coppa Steak FAQ’s
The coppa pork shoulder steak is cut from the well-marbled muscle from the upper shoulder of a pig. The marbling throughout the muscle creates an extremely tender, full-bodied, meaty flavor.
Your local grocery store meat counter will likely have coppa steaks. This cut is also know as a pork collar steak, pork neck steak or pork Delmonico.
Coppa pork steaks are thick and have considerable marbling, making them ideal for a pan reverse-sear or grilling. The brine step in the recipe above helps enhance the flavors of the juicy pork.
More Recipes
Pork steaks are more affordable than other cuts of pork because of their higher fat content. If you enjoy the added juicy flavor of the coppa steak, try this quick and easy Mexican Pork Shoulder Blade Steak , Pork Pozole or this Crock Pot Pork Steak with Gravy recipe.
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Coppa Pork Steaks
Ingredients
- 2 coppa pork steaks 1-inch thick
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Vidalia onion thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 –6 fresh sage leaves
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt for the onions
Instructions
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with the brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper.2 coppa pork steaks, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Place the steaks on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).
- Preheat your oven to 250°F. Set steaks out on countertop at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to take the chill off.
- Scatter the thinly sliced Vidalia onion across the bottom of the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Place the wire baking rack with the steaks directly over the onions.1 Vidalia onion, 3 Tbsp olive oil
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the internal thermometer registers 110°F to 120°F. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and just starting to smoke.
- Place the steaks in the hot skillet and sear about 1 ½ minutes. Flip the steaks.
- Add the butter and fresh sage leaves to the pan. Tilt the skillet slightly, and use a spoon to baste the steaks with the foaming sage butter for another 1 ½ minutes.2 Tbsp butter, 4 –6 fresh sage leaves
- Remove the steaks from the skillet and transfer to a cutting board; allow them to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Quickly toss the roasted onions directly into the hot skillet to soak up the
- remaining sage butter and pan juices. Add the granulated sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are deeply browned, and caramelized.2 tsp granulated sugar, ½ tsp kosher salt
- Plate the juicy coppa steaks and top generously with the savory caramelized onions.
