Porterhouse Steaks
If you are looking to eat a big steak it is hard to do better than a nice, thick porterhouse steak. The porterhouse steak is an awesome combination of the tender filet mignon and the awesome tasting NY strip. For years it was my favorite steak (been slightly leaning towards ribeye lately) and along with tasting awesome it looks great sitting on the plate as well. Many big steak houses (looking at you Peter Luger) have made their reputation on the porterhouse steak.
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Where does the Porterhouse Steak come from?
Porterhouse steaks are cut from the back of the short loin right in front of the sirloin. This is where the tenderloin is the largest and as a result the porterhouse contains a large piece of tenderloin (or filet mignon). Technically, if the tenderloin portion is greater than 1.25 inches at its widest point the steak is a porterhouse. If it is smaller you are looking at a t-bone (we will talk about that one later).
You will usually get about 8 inches of porterhouse steaks from one whole short loin. Since porterhouse steaks are generally cut fairly thick you are probably looking at 4-6 porterhouse steaks per short loin so 8-12 of these steaks per cattle. There is no official guide to how thick a porterhouse should be cut but if it is less than 1 1/2 inches (maybe 1 1/4) I would walk away. A good porterhouse steak should weigh about a pound and a half (24 ozs).
If you have any say in the matter I would look for a porterhouse that is maybe the third or fourth cut from the back. The further back you get you definitely get more tenderloin but I think the quality of the NY strip goes down a bit. As you get closer to the middle of the short loin the quality of the NY strip portion improves.
How to cook a Porterhouse Steak
Since this is a high quality piece of meat you will want to use a high heat, quick cooking method for a porterhouse steak. For me that means cooking the porterhouse on the grill. Set up a 2 zone fire (put the coals on one side of the grill), start the steak on the cool side of the grill until it hits about 110 degrees, pull it off the heat and let it rest for a couple minutes, and put it back on the grill and sear over the hot coals for about a minute per side. This should get you right to 120-125 degrees. If you go much higher than that the quality of the tenderloin goes down quickly. I usually try to keep the tenderloin side away from the heat to help protect it.
I don’t really care for reverse searing (starting in the oven and finishing in a hot cast iron pan) for a porterhouse steak. Once you cook the steak in the oven the meat will shrink a bit but the bone doesn’t so that makes it hard to get a good sear on the steak. But there are some good ways to cook in a pan and in the oven.
Bobby Flay has a nice technique where he sears it in a hot cast iron pan on one side, pulls the steak out of the pan and cuts the meat away from the bone and finishes in the oven. Since the first side hasn’t shrunk you can get a good sear and once the meat is cut from the bone there is no problem getting good contact with the pan.
Peter Luger cooks it somewhat similar. They start the steak in an 800 degree broiler, pull it out and cut it, and stick it back under the broiler to finish. There probably isn’t a restaurant in the country that has cooked more porterhouse steaks than Peter Luger so they must be doing something right.
Where to buy Porterhouse Steaks
Most grocery stores will have some porterhouse steaks in the meat case but honestly they are usually pretty wimpy looking. They are usually cut on the thin side and are rarely big enough for what I am looking for in a porterhouse. There are exceptions so don’t be afraid to give the meat case a glance to see what they have. A porterhouse at the grocery store will usually run $12-14 per pound.
If you want a good porterhouse steak I would check out your local butcher shop. Any butcher worth their salt will have some nice thick porterhouse steaks available and you can always ask them to cut you one whatever size you want. You can also ask for one cut a few inches from the back of the short loin. When it comes to a quality steak it is hard to beat your local butcher.
Porterhouse steaks can also be ordered online from a number of different sources. I personally like Snake River Farms. Their meat is top quality, prices are solid for a quality steak ($43 for a 1.5 pound porterhouse or as low as $32 if you order 8 or more), and you can get free shipping on your order if you use code FREEAFF during checkout.
Overall it is hard to beat a nice, thick porterhouse steak. The combination of the NY strip and the tenderloin makes for a great meal and these steaks just look awesome on a plate. And gnawing on the bone afterward isn’t bad either.
Like what you read? Be sure to share it with your friends and come back tomorrow to learn about another cut of beef.
