Savor flame-kissed beef with this unbeatable grilled t-bone steak! It’s a great two-for-one steak with tons of bold, beefy flavor. This simple technique for a hot sear on the grill promises to deliver a restaurant-quality steak recipe right in your backyard.
Table of Contents
In this recipe:
The thick-cut porterhouse may be the king of cuts, but the humble t-bone is its more affordable thinner doppelganger and a great steak for the value. T-bones are perfect for romantic date nights or backyard grilling. They often go on sale at your local market near the summer holidays, like Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. So stock up then for quick and easy grilled steaks if you like things a little leaner than the mighty ribeye.
🥩 THE CUT: WHAT IS T-bone STEAK
Similar in shape to a porterhouse steak, the t-bone steak is cut from the front of the short loin area of the cow. It has 2 cuts, the filet, and the New York strip steak, divided by the lumbar vertebrae’s signature “T” shaped bone. T-bones are thinner than porterhouse steaks and have a smaller portion of the tenderloin since they come from closer to the ribcage. As all cuts of steak from the loin area, these are lean and tender.
You can easily spot the difference between a porterhouse and a t-bone steak by looking at the width of the steak, 1 1/2″ or less, and the size of the filet. But just because this cut of beef is smaller doesn’t mean it’s not as savory. Actually, its thinner size makes it ideal for hot and fast cooking. Perfect to master how to grill a steak on a charcoal grill.
Where a porterhouse loves a slower reverse sear, you can throw a good t-bone steak on the grill and have dinner on the table in under 15 minutes. As far as great steaks for grilling and an insanely easy recipe, this grilled t bone steak is at the top of our list.
Ingredients
- T-bone steaks – look for a well-cut steak with bright red color and even marbling. There should be a thin layer of fat along the edge of the strip steak. Not finding t-bones at your local grocery store? Any local butcher will stock them or you can see our favorite online meat delivery services and have them delivered right to your front door.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Coffee-infused spice blend. We used Cowboy Crust. Other great options are Girl Carnivore Ooomami or Jack Daniel’s Steak seasoning.
- Steakhouse herb compound butter
🔪 How To Grill T-Bone Steaks
We’re going with a direct heat method of grilling this steak hot and fast. Always use caution when working with a hot grill.
- Remove the t-bones from the package and pat them dry with paper towels. Season your t-bone steaks liberally with salt and pepper. Then rub the steak with the coffee spice blend on both sides. Make sure to season the edges as well. Allow the steak to rest at room temperature while you preheat the grill.
- Make sure your grill grates are cleaned and well-oiled.
- Preheat your grill to high heat. To do this, turn all 3 (or 4) burners high and allow the grill to preheat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it holds an even 450 to 500 degrees F.
- When the grill is ready, turn off 2 burners just to keep yourself cool, and place steaks on a 45-degree angle on the grill grate over the hot side of the grill (the side with the burner still on).
- Sear for 2 minutes, then lift and rotate the steak 90 degrees using long tongs to create the iconic cross-hatch grill marks and a nice crust.
- Cook the steak for another 2 minutes and then flip it over the hot grates. Cook the steak for 2 minutes longer, or until the t-bone has reached your desired internal temperature, and carefully remove it from the grill and transfer it to a baking sheet for resting.
- Depending on your grill, this may cause flare-ups if there aren’t guards. Adjust the heat if needed to control any flare-ups.
- Place a dollop of compound butter loaded with fresh herbs over each steak and tent loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes.
- When ready to serve, slice the perfectly grilled steak from the bone and serve.
GIRL CARNIVORE EXPERT TIPS
For a charcoal grill
- To grill a t-bone steak on a charcoal grill, ignite your charcoal using a charcoal chimney. When the charcoal is about 70% ashed over, pour it into a pile in the center of the grill. Place the grill grate on top and adjust the airflow vents on the bottom for maximum air.
- Allow the charcoal to preheat, with the lid off, until you have hot white ash-covered coals, around 450 to 500 degrees F.
- Sear the t-bone, as directed above, to your preferred internal temperature.
- Since this steak cooks hot and fast, your choice of charcoal matters. We recommend Cowboy all-natural hardwood briquets and wood wool all-natural fire starters for the best flavor.
For a pellet grill
- Check the manufacturers’ instructions for your pellet grill to see how hot the sear setting gets.
- Set the grill to sear and make sure the hopper is full of pellets. You want the grill temp as hot as it gets, around 450, but some pellet smokers may not get this hot. Allow the grill to preheat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Sear steaks as directed in the recipe card to your desired internal temp on the preheated grill.
- For the best flavor, we recommend Jack Daniels charcoal pellets.
If your t-bone is 1 1/2″ or thicker, you may need to move the steak to the cool side of the grill after you flip it to allow it to reach your desired internal temperature. Always use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp for the most accurate results, bearing in mind that the tenderloin is a lean steak that drys out over medium, 135-140 degrees F.
Because this t-bone steak recipe is a quick cook, we don’t bother with our normal trick for smoking on a gas grill. The lid is open the whole time, mitigating any flavor the steak could absorb.
What to serve with grilled t-bone steaks
We love any good juicy steak served just like a classic steakhouse with a great baked potato and a hearty vegetable like creamed spinach. This is also great with creamy smoked macaroni and cheese or smoked artichokes.
Pair this grilled steak with succulent toppings like smoked crab imperial or our red wine steak sauce with mushrooms for added flavor.
Wine pairing
We love a t-bone paired with a Malbec, Syrah, or light Pinot Noir due to the mild flavor of the filet.
Leftovers and Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped in foil for up to 3 days in the fridge. Chop up leftovers and use them in a variety of dishes like:
- steak salads
- in your morning breakfast hash
- toss it into perfect scrambled eggs
- breakfast burrito filling
- steak nachos
- Swap the sausage in your breakfast sandwich
More great steaks to grill
Because you are cooking two steaks at the same time, mastering this cut can be a little tricky. But if you like your steak from rare to medium and find a t-bone around 1″ thick, a quick hot sear is perfect for getting the job done, no matter what grill you’re cooking on. If you’ve tried this one, make sure to rate the recipe card and drop a comment to help out the next guy.
Grilled T-Bone Steak
Ingredients
- 2 T-bone steaks around 1 ” thick and 1.5 to 1.75 pounds each
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1-2 tbsp Coffee spice blend or your favorite steak blend
- 2 tbsp homemade herb compound butter
Instructions
Prep the steaks
- Remove the steaks from the package and pat dry.
- Season the steaks liberally with salt, pepper and steak spice blend on both sides and edges.
- Allow the steaks to sit on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet at room temperature while you preheat the grill.
Prep the grill
- Set up your grill for direct heat, by making sure the grill grate is cleaned and igniting the burgers and allowing the grill to preheat with the lid closed on high.
- Allow the grill to preheat to 450 – 500 degrees F.
Grill the steaks
- When the grill is ready, turn off 2 of the burners just to manage the heat for yourself.
- Place the steaks on the hot side of the grill, directly on the grill grates at a 45 degree angle.
- Wait 2 minutes, and using long tongs, carefully rotate the steak 90 degrees.
- Wait another 2 minutes to form a good sear and then flip the steak.
- Cook for another 2 minutes longer, or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches your desired temperature.
- Depending on your grill, this may cause flare-ups if there aren’t guards. Adjust the heat if needed to control any flare-ups.
Rest and serve
- Remove the steak from the grill and transfer it to a clean baking sheet to rest.
- Add a dollop of compund butter over each steak and tent loosely with foil.
- Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Allow the charcoal to preheat, with the lid off, until you have hot white ash-covered coals, around 450 to 500 degrees F.
Sear the t-bone, as directed above, to your preferred internal temperature.
Since this steak cooks hot and fast, your choice of charcoal matters. We recommend Cowboy all-natural hardwood briquets and wood wool all-natural fire starters for the best flavor.
For a pellet grill Check the manufacturers’ instructions for your pellet grill to see how hot the sear setting gets.
Set the grill to sear and make sure the hopper is full of pellets. You want the grill temp as hot as it gets, around 450 but some pellet smokers may not get this hot. Allow the grill to preheat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Sear steaks as directed in the recipe card to your desired internal temp on the preheated grill.
For the best flavor, we recommend Jack Daniels charcoal pellets.
If your t-bone is 1 1/2″ or thicker, you may need to move the steak to the cool side of the grill after you flip it to allow it to reach your desired internal temperature. Always use a digital meat thermometer to check the temp for the most accurate results, bearing in mind that the tenderloin is a lean steak that drys out over medium, 135-140 degrees F. Because this is a quick cook, we don’t bother with our normal trick for smoking on a gas grill. The lid is open the whole time, mitigating any flavor the steak could absorb.
Nutrition
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Save Recipe BookmarkRecipe FAQs
Since the t-bone steak is two steaks in one, keep in mind the filet mignon is best cooked, not past medium. For medium-rare, grill the steak to an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit. For medium, aim for 135-145 degrees. Always use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the temperature. Remember to allow the steak to rest after grilling, during which the temperature will continue to rise about 5 degrees.
Grilling any steak depends on the thickness of the steak, how hot the grill is, and what temperature you want the steak cooked to. On average, a 1-inch steak will take about 6-10 minutes for medium-rare, fliped once halfway through grilling.
Yes, for a t-bone steak of 1″ thick, rest for about 5 minutes after grilling. Add a dollop of homemade compound butter to melt over the steak as the juices redistribute for the best flavor.
