Ideal for pan searing, the porterhouse steak gives a premier restaurant presentation but is easily over or undercooked due to its size. But with this tried and true method, you can master the pan sear for this perfect porterhouse steak.
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The porterhouse, the king of all steaks, is begging for a good pan sear. It’s a cut of beef every steak lover should master to truly enjoy an elevated steak recipe at home.
What is a Porterhouse Steak?
A porterhouse steak is a large, high-quality cut of beef that comes from the short loin section of the cow, where the tenderloin and the top loin meet. It is a composite steak (meaning its technically two steaks), that includes portions of both the tenderloin (filet) and the top loin (New York strip) muscles, separated by a T-shaped bone. It’s also called the King Steak and for a good reason.
The porterhouse is known for its generous size, tenderness, and rich flavor. It’s thicker than a standard t-bone steak and is similar to a ribeye steak. It’s often considered one of the finest and most luxurious steak cuts, and is a popular choice at steakhouses and fine dining restaurants. And now in your kitchen.
To cook a porterhouse steak, it’s usually seared in a hot pan or grilled, and then finished by roasting in the oven or cooking over indirect heat. This method ensures a beautiful crust on the outside and a tender, juicy interior without overcooking it.
Ingredients for the Best Porterhouse Steak
Few ingredients are needed to make this simple porterhouse steak recipe. With just a few items from the fridge, you’ll have the perfect steak to enjoy.
- Porterhouse Steaks – 1 to 2 steaks, about 2″ thick, with a nice bone. These steaks can be cut by an experienced butcher at your local grocery store or check our article on the best online meat delivery services for where we buy meat online.
- Vegetable oil or canola oil – or your favorite neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point.
- Salt and Black Pepper – we use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper when cooking.
- Butter – we use unsalted butter while cooking and homemade compound butter like herbed butter to finish for extra flavor.
How to Make a Porterhouse Steak
- Start by patting your cut of meat dry with paper towels. Allow the steak to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to help it cook evenly.
- Coat the steak in oil.
- Season your steak with salt.
- With the oven rack in the middle position, preheat the broiler.
- Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat. It’s ready when it’s just starting to smoke.
- Carefully place steaks in the large skillet and sear steaks without moving for 4 minutes until a deep brown crust forms.
- Flip the steak and put some butter on top.
- Slide the steak under the broiler and cook for 4-6 minutes. The time will depend on the thickness of the steak. Cook to your desired internal temperature.
- Remove the steak from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes, covered in foil.
- On a clean cutting board, slice the steak from the bone and then into thin strips. Serve topped with flavorful juices from the pan and your favorite steak sauce like our red wine pan sauce or our brandy peppercorn sauce.
Girl Carnivore EXPERT RECIPE TIPS
Use a cast-iron skillet
- For this perfect pan-seared porterhouse steak, start with a good oven-safe skillet. You want a heavy cast iron skillet that weighs a ton and has a lot of love soaked in. Plus, the cast iron pan gives it a perfect crust that is satisfying.
Use an instant-read thermometer
- To check the temperature of your meat, place a meat thermometer into the center of the steak. You can also check for doneness by cutting into your large steak until the appearance is up to standards but we don’t recommend this.
Quick steak internal temperatures
- Your desired final temperature will vary based on how done you want the juicy steak. Medium-rare steaks are typically 135 degrees F, and medium is closer to 145F.
What to Serve with Steak
The king of t-bone steak certainly needs delicious side dish recipes to round out the meal and the big beefy flavor. Try serving your tender steaks with our favorite smoked crab imperial recipe is a way to dress up any occasion. For more side dishes, try BBQ Glazed Smoked Brussels Sprouts with Bacon or Domino Potatoes. You can never go wrong with a side of creamy mashed potatoes or a smoked baked potato, or a kale salad packed with greens.
Leftovers and Reheating
Store your leftover steaks in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. Make sure your fridge is set lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit for safe storage.
The best way to reheat leftover steak if by cooking it at a low temperature for about 30 minutes. It can also be reheated in the microwave or in an air fryer. Re-searing it in the oven will yield the best results.
Sometimes leftovers are best served as a completely different meal. Try making a Steak and Potato Soup to use up leftover meat. Topped with fresh herbs, it’s a great recipe to have on hand. You can even store it in the freezer.
Recipe FAQs
A porterhouse is the same as a t-bone; it just has to be over 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick to be called a porterhouse.
When choosing a thick porterhouse steak, you will notice that the meat is made up of two high quality cuts. It consists of the tenderloin, aka filet mignon steak, on one side and a strip steak on the other. It is very similar to a ribeye, except that the fat content differs.
The porterhouse cut is not only a huge impressive steak but it delivers exceptional flavor with a combination of tenderness from a filet mignon and flavor from a New York strip steak. The size is also unmatched and easily feeds two people! Perfect for when you want to celebrate a special occasion or date night.
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Pan-Seared Merlot Steak
Give your porterhouse steak a nice sear using a cast-iron skillet instead of the traditional gas grill or charcoal grill. The hot skillet yields great results without having to step outside. Give it enough time to cook evenly on both sides of the steak and you have a delicious meal ready in no time.
Love a big bone in porterhouse steak? Be sure to drop a comment if you’ve tried it and rate the recipe to help the next guy out! These little actions keep fresh content coming out from the Girl Carnivore Meat Labs!
Perfect Pan Seared Porterhouse Steak Recipe
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Steaks
- 4 lb Porterhouse Steaks 2 steaks, about 2" with a nice bone.
- 1 tbsp Canola Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Prep the steak
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
- Allow the steaks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. This will help with an even sear and cooking.
- And coat with oil and season your steak well with salt.
- Slide the oven rack to the middle top position and preheat your broiler so that it's has steady heat going.
Sear the Porterhouse Steaks
- Meanwhile, heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it is just starting to smoke.
- Place the steak down in the hot pan and sear without touching for 4 minutes.
- When a nice crust has formed, remove skillet from heat and carefully flip the steaks seared side up in the same pan.
- Add a large dollop of butter over each steak
Finish in the oven
- Slide under the broiler and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes depending on how thick your steak is, being sure to cook the steak to your desired internal temp. using an instant read meat thermometer for the most accurate results.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest, tented loosely with foil, for 10 minutes.
To serve
- To serve, carefully transfer the steaks to a cutting board.
- Slice the filet from the bone, and then the strip steak from the bone.
- Then carve each steak into thin strips to serve, nestling the meat back along the meat to look like one steak for presentation.
- Top with reserved juices, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and your favorite steak sauce.
Notes
- For this perfect pan-seared porterhouse steak, start with a good oven-safe skillet. You want a heavy cast iron skillet that weighs a ton and has a lot of love soaked in. Plus, the cast iron pan gives it a perfect crust that is satisfying.
- To check the temperature of your meat, place a meat thermometer into the center of the steak. You can also check for doneness by cutting into your large steak until the appearance is up to standards but we don’t recommend this.
- Your desired final temperature will vary based on how done you want the juicy steak. Medium-rare steaks are typically 135 degrees F, and medium is closer to 145F.
Nutrition
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I wish I could find some of these! I got a couple at a good price recently but they are way too thin.
That steak looks absolutely delicious.