How to Cook Porterhouse Steak

A massive pan-seared porterhouse steak, prepared in a cast iron skillet, perfect for 2-3 people.

How to Cook Porterhouse Steak

What Is a Porterhouse Steak?

The infamous porterhouse steak. It’s surely the king of all things beef. The porterhouse is a large cut of beef that contains both the New York strip (sirloin) and filet mignon cut (tenderloin), separated by a T bone. It’s the best of both worlds and the ultimate steak for sharing (or not).

Porterhouse steak cuts diagram

This porterhouse recipe all started on a trip to Florence, Italy (which is known for Florentine, dry-aged cuts of beef). Aside from your traditional pasta dishes, red wine, and gelato, the city is the steak lover’s dream and a little piece of Heaven on earth.

Tips For Picking Out Porterhouse

Here’s what to look for when shopping for your porterhouse steak. Pick out the largest, porterhouse steak you can find. The closer to two pounds the better (if sharing). Remember this is also counting the bone, so it’s not all beef.

Look for a well-balanced cut that contains as much of the tenderloin (filet mignon) portion as possible. This is the most important factor to look for. This is the smaller, more circular portion of the steak, and of course the most expensive, tender, and flavorful. A little bit of marbling throughout is nice.

How to Cook Porterhouse Steak Perfectly Every Time

The secret to perfect steak is combining pan searing with an oven finish. This gives you a nicely seared outside with a juicy tender inside. Sear the porterhouse on the stovetop in a cast iron skillet on high heat with oil and then immediately transfer to a preheated oven at 415° F with butter, garlic, and fresh rosemary.

I typically sear for 2 minutes per side and bake for 5-6 minutes for medium-rare. That’s the beauty of cast iron, you can easily transfer from stovetop to oven. This is the best way to cook a porterhouse steak.

If you don’t have one, I highly recommend picking one up. They are very versatile and can be used for so many different recipes on my blog. Here is the one I have.

Porterhouse Cooking Chart

Note: Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.

Cutting the Porterhouse

In Florence, the porterhouse is served separated from the bone and cut into 1-inch strips. You can divide up the strips and enjoy the best of both worlds. Lightly brush with garlic and rosemary-infused butter to top it all off.

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How to Cook Porterhouse Steak
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Porterhouse Steak Recipe

  • Author: Shawn Williams
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2-3 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Italian

Description

A massive pan-seared porterhouse steak, prepared in a cast iron skillet, perfect for 2-3 people.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 2 pound (32 ounce) porterhouse steak, roughly 1 1/2 inches thick
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 whole garlic cloves
  • 12 sprigs, fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil for searing
  • kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 415° F. Remove porterhouse from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, this is to bring the steak to room temperature and ensure your cooking times are more accurate. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the oil to a cast iron skillet and turn up high, allow the skillet to become VERY hot. Place the porterhouse in the skillet and sear undisturbed for 2 minutes. Flip the porterhouse and sear for an additional 2 minutes. This will give your porterhouse a nice crispy edge.
  3. Add butter, garlic, and rosemary to the skillet and transfer directly to the oven. [WARNING] skillet may be hot, handle with oven mitts. For rare, bake for 4 minutes. Medium rare, 5-6 minutes. Medium, 6-7 minutes. Medium well, 8-9 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of the steak, the more or less time it will take. This recipe is ideal for a 2-2 1/2 pound portion, roughly 1 1/2 – 2 inches thick.
  4. Remove steak from the skillet let rest on a cutting board for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is important to bring your steak to its final serving temperature. Cut the porterhouse into 1 inch thick strips, separating from the bone, baste with garlic and rosemary butter from the skillet and serve.

Notes

Cooking steaks at high temps in a skillet tends to get smokey. Open a kitchen window and turn on your kitchen’s overhead vent fan before you start to help with ventilation.

Temperatures for steak 
Rare: 120° F to 125° F 
Medium rare: 125° F to 130° F 
Medium: 135° F to 140° F 
Medium well: 145° F to 150° F 
Well done: 160° F and above


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: About 1 pound
  • Calories: 724
  • Sugar: 0g
  • Sodium: 262mg
  • Fat: 36.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 15.8g
  • Carbohydrates: 0g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 92.5g
  • Cholesterol: 207mg

Keywords: porterhouse steak recipe, how to cook a porterhouse steak