What is a porterhouse steak?

Are you famished? In the mood for a good hunk of meat? Does the sizzling, smoky smell from a grill firing up get you visibly excited?

You desperately need a good steak, my friend – and for the hungry man (or woman), a porterhouse grilled the right way may be just the thing to curb your appetite.

What is a porterhouse steak?

The porterhouse is actually a specific cut of meat, originating from the area where the top loin and the tenderloin of the cow meet. It’s often referred to as an over-sized T-Bone steak, but the porterhouse can be characterized as thicker and contains far more tenderloin instead of the loin. In fact, if you cut out the bone and separated the two conjoined steaks that make up a porterhouse, you’d be left with a tenderloin and a top loin steak (also called New York strip). For that reason, a couple dining out often split a porterhouse steak (but we recommend you order two entrees and then take some home for the next day!)

How to pick out a great porterhouse

If you’re the undisputed heavyweight champion of your own grill and want to cook your own porterhouse, what should you look for? Go to a local or family-owned meat shop and look for a cut at least ¾ inch thick and preferably 1 inch. That thickness will be important for cooking it correctly without drying it out.

You’ll probably want to skip the generic supermarket for porterhouse because their butchers often sell “thin cut steaks” or special cuts, which are really not worth it and won’t offer the same porterhouse dining experience.

Make sure to have the butcher hand you the porterhouse cut in paper and examine it closely, looking for a rich, deep color. It shouldn’t have any gray tiny or coloring, or you don’t want that one. It will have a good strip of fat, but the fat should be white, not yellow. You’ll see significant marbling, especially in the loin part of the porterhouse.

The cost of a porterhouse

If you are looking to scrape and skimp on a good feed, a porterhouse might not be for you. Likewise, buying a porterhouse that is cut too thin, has a grayish tint or yellowish fat lines probably isn’t worth the price. But while a good dry-aged or prime grade porterhouse will cost you a pretty penny, it’s well worth it. However, to save a few bucks, try a quality “choice” grade steak that’s fresh – you won’t sacrifice flavor or texture.

Grilling your porterhouse

Porterhouse steaks are pretty versatile, in that you can grill them but also broil, sauté, or pan-fry these cuts of meat.

You probably don’t need a marinade, and only light seasoning is required, but use salt liberally. A porterhouse reaches its potential of flavor and texture in the medium rare range, but don’t cook it beyond medium-well. 

Porterhouse are best grilled quickly on a hot grill, searing the surface sufficiently. A couple of minutes before it’s ready, drop a pat of butter on the center of the steak, a common restaurant trick that really brings out the richness and flavor!

Enjoy your porterhouse!

 

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