Porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the shortloin and include both tenderloin and large strip steak. The T-Bone on the other hands is cut closer to the front of the short loin and contains a smaller section of the tenderloin.
With the mere mention of steak, the first words that come to mind are often porterhouse cut and T-bone or even ribeye and filet mignon. While T-bone and Porterhouse are the most popular and come from the beef cut directly from the short loin, they are pretty different, confusing even steak enthusiasts.
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What is a Porterhouse?
A porterhouse steak differs from a T-bone steak because it has a bigger tenderloin muscle. It’s a hybrid steak from the thickest tenderloin section at the end of the short loin.
The top loin and tenderloin portions remain after separating the two steaks that constitute porterhouse steak and removing the bone. When buying porterhouse steak, always anticipate larger servings. It’s sometimes advertised at steakhouses as a dinner for two.
How to Cook Porterhouse Steak
If you want to cook porterhouse steak, follow these easy steps:
- If the steak is frozen, make sure you fully thaw it.
- Bring meat to room temperature before grilling. You must take your steak out of the refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes in advance.
- As desired, season the steaks.
- Place the steaks over the hotter area or the grill side to cook them for 1-2 minutes. After that, switch to medium coals covered in ash and keep grilling for a particular duration. One minute before the midway point, turn.
- On a barbecue grill, heat to high before cooking. For 1-2 minutes, sear both sides, lower the heat to medium, and grill for the duration. You can turn 1 minute before the midway point.
- For a 1-inch steak, cook it for 10–13 minutes, and for a 2-inch steak for 14–17 minutes, flipping it over just before the halfway point for the perfect medium-rare Porterhouse steak. The temperature of the meat should be 130°F.
- Before serving, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes while loosely covering them with foil. During this period, the meat’s temperature will continue to rise by around 5°F. 135°F will be the final reading.
- Resting steak is essential since the warmth of cooking causes the meat’s fluids to rise to the top. If you cut it right away, those delectable liquids will land on your plate rather than inside your steak.
By giving your steak some time to rest, the liquids will have a chance to permeate the whole piece of meat, leaving it moist and tasty.
What is a T Bone Steak?
T-Bones are smaller than porterhouse steaks. The T-shaped bone that divides the steak and loin along both strip sides, which comes from the saddle, makes it simple to identify. Typically, the top sirloin-containing side is bigger and fattier.
Professional chefs, however, employ several techniques to cook both sides flawlessly. Each side of the T-bone steak is expertly grilled, sliced against the grain, and rested before presenting with garlic-flavored butter to add flavor.
How To Cook T Bone Steak
Follow the steps ahead to cook the perfect T-bone steak:
- Before cooking, let the steak rest at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes.
- With paper towels, pat the steaks to dry. After applying oil, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Thoroughly heat a cast-iron skillet.
- Add the steak when the oil in the heated skillet starts to smoke.
- For the first side, sear the meat for two minutes. For two minutes, flip and sear.
- Add fresh rosemary, butter, and chopped garlic.
- Place the steak in a 425°F preheated oven.
- Cook until it is the preferred degree of doneness.
- After moving the steak to a dish or cutting board, give it five minutes to rest.
- Slice the meat right off the bone to serve.
Difference Between Porterhouse and T Bone Steak
| Porterhouse | vs | T-bone |
| Serves two | Size | Smaller portion |
| Thicker than T-bone | Appearance | Less meat, hence thin |
| Iron pan, stovetop, or broiler can be used | Preparation | Grilling is the best option |
Porterhouse vs T Bone
Size
A porterhouse steak must be at least 1.25 inches thick since it comes from the short loin’s back, where there are a lot of tenderloins. T-bone steaks have less filet since they come from the saddle and contain some tenderloin.
A T-bone steak may differ from a porterhouse steak by the size of the filet. Porterhouse steaks are always better for supper for two people since they often include more filet than T-bone steak.
Appearance
T-shaped bones with portions of flesh on either side differentiate these steaks from other cuts of beef. They frequently have a front cut and include lower quantities of tenderloin. Because it contains more tenderloin than T-bone steak, you may be able to distinguish porterhouse steak by its thickness.
The T-shaped bone may be present in both steaks, but the porterhouse has a larger strip steak and much more tenderloin on the opposite side.
Preparation
Grilling is ideal for a T-bone steak since the large amounts of fat ensure that the tenderloin stays juicy and tasty. Without cutting through the meat, the T-shaped bone offers a reliable grip to grasp and turn the steak.
The steak needs a slight coating of oil and spices, and you must grill it quickly and hotly. An iron pan on the stovetop or under the broiler can produce better results when cooking a porterhouse steak than a grill.
If you raise the heat quickly, you’ll achieve a nice sear on the surface. Based on how you want your steak done, porterhouses take longer to prepare than T-bone steaks.
Nutritional Benefits
There are few things finer than a juicy slab of well-done T-bone or porterhouse steak on your plate, whether you are eating in or ordering takeout.
Red meat is rich in the form of vitamin B-12, which strengthens the immune response and maintains the health of red blood cells. It also contains a lot of protein necessary for muscular growth and recovery.
Which is Better: Porterhouse or T Bone Steak?
Individual interests and tastes influence the choice between T-bone steak and porterhouse steak. Both portions can be pricey, but given the quantity of tenderloin in a porterhouse steak, it should be able to feed two people with leftovers easily.
Depending on personal tastes, the steak’s doneness and cooking technique influence the final flavor. Porterhouse and T-bone steaks are made of two different types of cattle, cook at various speeds, and taste better at multiple temperatures.
However, porterhouse steaks are preferable for folks who want larger servings for two since they include more filet than T-bone steaks. A steak must meet strict rules the USDA Prime sets to be a porterhouse. They also have other institutional meat purchase specifications.
Remember that while you might get each of these steaks separately from the bone, the thickness of the cuts of meat is not always a conventional measurement.
All in all, the two steaks are a mouth-watering delicacy loved by many people around the globe. The two have unique tastes, and you can choose which one to try per your taste pallet.