Porterhouse.
Two steaks. One bone. Half NY Strip, half Filet — the king of the steakhouse table and the toughest steak to cook evenly on the whole cow.
- Origin
- Short Loin
- Marbling
- Split
- Difficulty
- Technical
- Sweet Spot
- Med-Rare
Two Muscles. One Steak.
The porterhouse is a vertical cross-section through the rear of the short loin. On one side of the T-shaped bone: the strip (longissimus dorsi) — firm, beefy, marbled. On the other side: the filet (psoas major, tenderloin) — tender, lean, mild. Same steak, two entirely different eating experiences.
The USDA has a specific rule for what qualifies as a porterhouse versus a T-bone: the filet portion has to be at least 1.25 inches wide. That means porterhouses come from further back in the short loin, closer to the sirloin, where the tenderloin muscle is at its widest.
Practically, this means porterhouses are big. A typical porterhouse runs 20 to 32 ounces — often meant to serve two people at a steakhouse table. It's presentation food.
The catch: the strip and the filet want different cooks. Strip has more fat and can take more heat. Filet is leaner and finishes faster. Cook them both correctly on the same steak and you're doing something most home cooks don't attempt.
The Facts
- PrimalShort Loin (rear section)
- Also CalledThe King Steak, Big T-Bone
- Typical Weight20–32 oz
- Ideal Thickness1.5" – 2"
- Filet Minimum≥ 1.25" wide (USDA)
- USDA Grade Sweet SpotChoice or Prime
Flavor Profile
- Beef FlavorHigh (strip side)
- TendernessVery high (filet side)
- JuicinessHigh both sides
- TextureTwo textures on one plate
- Fat PayoffStrip cap renders well
- The Money BiteFilet meat closest to the bone
Keep It Simple. Trust the Bone.
Porterhouse is not the place for creative rubs. You've got two premium muscles and a marrow-rich bone all doing flavor work already. Heavy rubs mask what you paid for. The Italian steakhouse move — Florentine style — is the strongest case for anything beyond salt and pepper: olive oil, garlic, rosemary. Bright and simple.
Salt & Pepper.
Steakhouse standard. The bone adds flavor. The two muscles bring their own character. Your job is not to get in the way.
- 01Kosher salt — generous, both sides
- 02Fresh cracked black pepper, coarse
- 03Dry brine at least 1 hour, overnight ideal
- 04Pepper just before the sear
Bistecca alla Fiorentina.
The Italian classic. Not a rub — a finish. Olive oil, garlic, and rosemary added after the sear turn a porterhouse into something you'd order in a Tuscan steakhouse.
- 01Kosher salt + cracked pepper for the cook
- 02Extra virgin olive oil (drizzled after resting)
- 031 clove garlic, rubbed on the cutting board first
- 04Fresh rosemary, torn
- 05Lemon wedge (optional but traditional)
Grill First. Everything Else Second.
Porterhouse is a grill cut. Cast iron works for smaller ones, but the size and the two-zone requirement really favor an open grill where you can control heat by position instead of timing. This is one steak where I don't recommend cast iron unless the pan is 15" or bigger.
Grill (Strong 2-Zone)
The only correct method for a porterhouse. Position the filet side over the cooler zone during the sear to slow its cook. The strip gets its char, the filet doesn't overshoot. Flip once. Baste with butter and herbs at the end.
- Hot Zone
- 700°F+ (direct)
- Cool Zone
- 325°F (indirect)
- Sear Time
- 2 min per side, filet over cool zone
- Finish
- Move to cool zone until filet hits 128°F
Cast Iron + Oven
Only if your pan is genuinely big enough (15"+). Sear in cast iron, finish in a 275°F oven with the filet oriented toward the oven's cooler side. Weeknight option — but grill is better here.
- Pan Temp
- 500°F sear
- Oven Finish
- 275°F until filet at 128°F
- Watch For
- Filet overcooking before strip is done
- Best For
- Small porterhouses (~20 oz)
Fire Setup. By Rig.
For a 1.5"–2" porterhouse. Notice the temperature differential is more extreme than any other cut — you need a genuinely hot zone and a genuinely cool zone.
Kettle / Weber
Two full chimneys of lump on one side, empty on the other. Strong differential. Position filet over the empty zone during sear.
3+ Burner Gas
All burners high for preheat. Turn off half the burners entirely. Position filet over the unlit side during the sear.
Reverse Sear
Reverse sear is your friend here. Smoke low until filet reads 110°F, then finish with a hot sear in cast iron or a grill sear-station.
15"+ Only
Sear both sides, then oven finish. Standard pan won't fit a real porterhouse — don't try it on a 10" or 12" skillet.
Read the Filet.
On a porterhouse, always check temperature on the filet side. It cooks faster and is less forgiving. When the filet is right, the strip will be right too — because you've kept the strip over the hotter zone the whole time.
Steakman Picks · Medium-Rare
Rare
Cool red center. Strip's fat cap hasn't rendered — texture-first cook.
Med-Rare
Both muscles hit their peak. Strip renders, filet stays tender. The sweet spot.
Medium
Strip still fine. Filet starting to lose juice — you're pushing the smaller muscle.
Med-Well
Filet is drying out. You've cooked past what filet can give you.
Well Done
Don't put a porterhouse through this. If someone wants it, cook them a Round steak instead.
Carryover cook: A porterhouse carries over 5–8°F after you pull it — more than most cuts because of the size and the bone. Rest a full 10 minutes minimum, loosely tented. The bone keeps radiating heat inward during the rest, which is why the "final" internal temp lands higher than you'd expect.
Six Steps. Every Time.
Cooking porterhouse well is a positioning game. Every step below is about controlling where the steak sits, not just when to flip it.
- 01
Dry Brine, Both Muscles
Kosher salt heavily on both sides — remember you're seasoning two different muscles. Rest uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight if you can. Room temp 45 minutes before you cook.
- 02
Build a Strong Two-Zone
This is where most porterhouse cooks fail. The temperature differential needs to be extreme — 700°F hot side, 300°F cool side. Halfway heat on the cool zone won't protect the filet.
- 03
Position Filet Over Cool Zone
When you lay the steak down, the T-bone should run parallel to the heat boundary, with the strip over the coals and the filet over the cool side. This slows the filet's cook from the start.
- 04
Sear, Flip Once, Sear
2 minutes per side. Keep the filet over the cool zone both times. You're getting a crust on the strip side and gentle heat on the filet side simultaneously.
- 05
Slide Everything to Cool Zone
Move the whole steak to indirect heat. Close the lid. Now everything cooks gently until temperature. Baste with butter, garlic, and rosemary in the last minute if you're going Florentine.
- 06
Pull by Filet, Rest 10 Minutes
Instant-read into the filet section — not touching the bone. 128°F for medium-rare. The strip will be at 130–132°F, which is exactly where you want it. Rest a full 10 minutes on a warm plate loosely tented.
Gear That Handles Size.
Porterhouse is a big steak with technical demands. Your gear has to be bigger and better than what handles a strip or ribeye.
Weber Kettle 22" Min
Big enough to build a real two-zone with a 32oz steak on it. Kettle also runs hotter than most gas grills.
Thermapen One
Not optional here. You're navigating two muscles with different targets — narrow tolerance matters.
18" Long Tongs
A porterhouse is heavy. Short tongs give you no leverage and put your hand too close to 700°F coals.
Large Carving Board with Well
Big steak, big juices. A grooved board catches everything and gives you room to carve off the bone.
10" Chef's Knife
You're separating strip and filet from the bone, then slicing across the grain. Sharp long blade wins.
The Porterhouse FAQ.
Porterhouse vs T-Bone — what's the difference?
Both are cross-sections of the short loin containing a strip and a filet separated by a T-bone. The difference is filet portion size. USDA requires the filet on a Porterhouse to be at least 1.25 inches wide; a T-Bone's filet is smaller (0.5–1.24 inches). Porterhouse is cut from further back in the loin where the tenderloin is bigger.
How do you cook porterhouse evenly?
Use a strong two-zone fire. Position the filet side over the cooler zone during searing to slow its cook. The filet always finishes first — pull the whole steak when the filet hits 128°F for medium-rare. The strip will be at 130–132°F, both correct. Trying to cook porterhouse over uniform heat guarantees overcooked filet.
What's the T-bone for?
The T-shaped bone separates the strip loin from the tenderloin. During cooking, it insulates the meat closest to it (slowing that section's cook) and adds beefy marrow flavor. It's also the classic presentation — a porterhouse is meant to be carried to the table whole and carved in front of guests.
How do you carve a porterhouse?
After resting, run a boning or chef's knife along the T-bone to separate the strip and filet from the bone in two whole pieces. Slice each against the grain — perpendicular to the muscle fibers. Serve the sliced strip and filet reassembled around the bone for presentation. Never carve across the bone.
Can one porterhouse feed two people?
Yes — that's basically the point. A 24–32 oz porterhouse serves two comfortably with sides. Each person gets both a filet portion and a strip portion. It's more of an experience than a meal.
The Short Loin Family.
Cuts from the same primal, or cuts that make up the porterhouse itself.
T-Bone
Smaller filet, same architecture. Cut from further forward in the loin. The value alternative.
NY Strip
The strip side of a porterhouse, standalone. Easier to cook, half the theater.
Filet Mignon
The tenderloin side, standalone. When you want the texture without the bone or the strip.
Club Steak
Bone-in strip without the filet. The porterhouse's little sibling on the strip-only side.