Note: this post is sponsored by Omaha Steaks.
Do you ever dream of a world in which one steak is actually two steaks? Or have you found yourself wanting a more tender cut of beef AND one that is a little more firm? Well that dream has come true (been a reality for about 200 years now, actually) with both the porterhouse steak and t-bone steak!
Both of these cuts have the the tenderloin filet and the New York strip, but what makes the porterhouse and t-bone different? Let’s dive into the details!
Where do these steaks come from?
Both the porterhouse and the t-bone steaks come from the same section of the cow: the short loin. As seen in the diagram above, the short loin comes from towards the back of the cow, just past the ribs. This section has the internal abdomen of the cow.
The tenderloin runs through this section, which provides the filet side of these steaks. The other side of the lumbar vertebrae (the t-shaped bone that makes the porterhouse and t-bone) we find the more firm strip steak.
What is the Difference Between a Porterhouse and T-Bone Steak?
If both steaks come from the same section, then aren’t they the same? The short answer is no. While they both come from the short loin (with tenderloin running through), the t-bone comes from the section closer to the front of the cow while the porterhouse comes from further back, where the tenderloin is bigger. And that, my friends, is what makes the difference between the porterhouse and t-bone: the size of the filet.
According to the USDA’s standards, the size of the filet on a porterhouse steak has to be at least 1.25 inches wide, measured from the bone in the middle out to the widest part of the filet itself. Meanwhile, the t-bone steak is a filet between 1.25″ and half and inch in width.
How to cook a porterhouse or T-bone steak
The tricky thing with the porterhouse and the t-bone is that they have two different cuts of beef on them that ideally cook at different speeds. The filet will finish faster than the strip, so keep in mind when gauging heat levels on your grill.
The best way to get a more even cook on a porterhouse steak (and t-bone) is the sous vide method. Sous vide is when you seal food in an airtight bag and submerge in temperature controlled water. To get the desired food temp that you would like, make sure the temperature of the water is the same.
For example, if you want your steak to be medium rare, then set the water temp to 125 degrees and cook it for at least an hour. Even if it cooks for three hours, the great thing is it won’t overcook because the cooking temp is at the doneness you want!
Personally, I’m more of a filet guy so I love the porterhouse. But I sure wouldn’t turn down a t-bone! Which do you prefer?
