Basta spendere una fortuna! Prova questo taglio alla brace.

Stop burning money on premium steaks that vanish in two bites. Summer grill season doesn’t need a platinum card, just a smarter cut. In Italy, they have a name for it that sounds like a wink: coppa. In English? Pork collar. Basta spendere una fortuna — try this on the grill and see what happens.

A neighbor flipped thick, marbled slices over a bed of coals, and the scent—sweet, porky, a little wild—turned the whole block into storytellers. Plates started moving, people started smiling, and the usual grill bravado softened into quiet nods.

He hadn’t splurged on ribeye or tomahawk anything. He’d grabbed pork collar, cut into steaks the width of a thumb, and let the fire do the flattering. The fat laced through every bite, tender as a promise. The secret wasn’t fancy.

Meet the cut that outsmarts your budget

Pork collar sits in that magical borderland between the neck and the shoulder. It’s packed with intramuscular fat and gentle connective tissue, so it tastes like a celebration even on a Tuesday. Price-wise, it’s a win: in most markets it lands far below steak and often under tenderloin.

The grill loves it. The collar doesn’t dry out, it doesn’t pout when the heat runs a bit hot, and it welcomes smoke the way bread welcomes butter. Pork collar is the sleeper hit of the grill. Slice it thick, let it char a little, and you’ll hear it sing.

In a street market in Bari, I watched a butcher named Teresa pile collar steaks like tiny pink shields. She talked while trimming, hands flying. “People think party equals bistecca,” she said, “but this feeds everyone.” Her math was blunt: collar came in about 40–60% cheaper than premium beef, and people left happier. The line at her stall didn’t lie.

Why pork collar punches above its weight

Flavor rides on fat and collagen, and collar has both in the right measure. The fat weaves through the meat, keeping it juicy while flames lick the edges. Collagen loosens as it cooks, turning bites silkier the moment you hit a blush-pink center.

It’s forgiving, and your timing doesn’t need to be perfect. On a two-zone grill, you sear for color, then slide it to the cooler side to coast to temperature. Even if you miss by a minute, the fat buffers your mistake. We’ve all had that moment when the doorbell rings at the worst time.

Slice thickness matters. One-inch steaks hold onto moisture and stay sturdy over coals. Half-inch pieces cook fast but can jump to dry-land in a blink. Balance your ambition with your patience, and remember the carryover heat: pull it off a few degrees early, let it rest, and watch the juices settle back where they belong.

How to nail pork collar on the grill tonight

Start with a quick dry brine: sprinkle kosher salt on both sides of one-inch collar steaks in the morning, then tuck them in the fridge uncovered. That’s it. Before cooking, add cracked black pepper, cracked fennel seed, lemon zest, and a whisper of chili. Set up a two-zone fire—hot side for sear, cool side for finish—and preheat the grate until it hums.

Lay the steaks over the hot side for 2–3 minutes per side for color, then slide to the cool side. Aim for 63°C/145°F at the center, then rest for 5–8 minutes. Let’s be honest: nobody really does that every day. But it’s worth it here, because the rest is where the meat turns plush and the crust relaxes into flavor.

Skip sugary marinades that scorch too soon. If you want herbs, toss warm slices with chopped rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl right after resting. The meat drinks it in without drama. Your grill can be generous if you give it the right cut.

“Grill the collar like you mean it,” Teresa told me, smiling. “Hot for color, slow for kindness. People taste your patience.”

• Thickness: 1 inch is the sweet spot for juicy results.
• Target temp: 63°C/145°F, then rest 5–8 minutes.
• Seasoning: salt early; fennel, pepper, lemon just before cooking.
• Wood: a handful of oak or fruitwood chips for perfume.
• Finish: slice across the grain to keep every bite tender.

Common slips and easy fixes

Flare-ups happen when dripping fat kisses the coals too eagerly. Move the steak to the cool side, close the lid for a minute, and let the fire calm down. If you keep opening the lid, the grill runs wild. Close it and let the heat do the schooling.

Over-marinating in acid turns collagen mushy and the surface papery. Keep acids for the finish, not a long soak. Salt early, everything fragrant late. If you prefer a glaze, brush it on in the last minute so it bubbles but doesn’t burn. The line between lacquer and soot is thin.

Quantity anxiety? Figure on 200–250 g per person if it’s the star, less if it’s part of a spread. Collar feeds a crowd without feeding your stress. If leftovers happen, chill slices flat, then pan-crisp them tomorrow for breakfast with eggs and a squeeze of lemon. That tiny crunch at the edges is a private victory.

Flavor dials that make it yours

Collar is a willing canvas. Go Tuscan with rosemary, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Go Seoul with gochugaru, sesame oil, and scallions. Ride the Yucatán with sour orange, oregano, and cumin. Each path is friendly to charcoal, and each one hits a different memory.

Try a pepper-crust that crackles: coarsely ground black pepper, coriander seed, and a spoon of smoked paprika. Rub just before grilling so the spices stay bright. After resting, shower with flaky salt and a drizzle of good oil, then squeeze a little citrus to wake it all up.

Serve it sliced over grilled bread rubbed with a cut clove of garlic. The juices run into the crumb and turn the toast into a sauce. Or lay it across a crisp salad of fennel, orange, and mint. A small switch on the grill reshapes the whole table.

Small budget, big table

There’s a kind of relief in discovering the party cut was hiding in plain sight. Pork collar doesn’t ask for perfection. It just wants heat, a little patience, and people around a table that’s a bit too small for the noise you’re about to make.

The first time you slice into it and see the shimmer, you’ll get it. The second time, you’ll buy two trays and invent a reason to invite your neighbor. The flavor is generous in a way that makes you more generous too.

Soyons honnêtes : the price-to-joy ratio is lopsided in your favor. Share the trick, tweak the rub, pass the plate, and keep the grill honest. The big cuts can wait for anniversaries. Tonight, you’re cooking like you know a secret—and now you do.

FAQ :

• What exactly is pork collar?It’s the upper shoulder/neck section of the pig, also called coppa. It’s marbled like a dream and cut into steaks or roasted whole.
• How thick should I ask the butcher to cut it?About 1 inch (2.5 cm). Thick enough to sear without drying, thin enough to cook through on a backyard grill.
• Is 63°C/145°F safe for pork?Yes, for whole-muscle pork that’s the recommended safe temperature. Resting keeps it juicy and brings the texture in line.
• Can I cook it on a gas grill?Absolutely. Create a hot and a cooler zone by turning one burner lower, and toss a smoker box with wood chips on the hot side for aroma.
• What if I can’t find collar?Ask for shoulder blade steaks, Boston butt steaks, or pork neck steaks. Similar marbling, similar success on the grill.