T-Bone vs. Porterhouse Steak: How Do They Compare?

A porterhouse steak is a cut of beef from the cow that comes from the rear end of the short loin. A porterhouse is a composite steak, meaning it is two cuts combined into one. A porterhouse combines tenderloin steak (a boneless cut also known as fillet) with New York strip steak (also called a top loin or NY strip), making the strip side a very large piece of meat. A center bone holds the two pieces of meat together. Due to its composition, the porterhouse cut of steak is a tender cut of meat, best when served medium rare, which gives it a buttery flavor.

A T-bone steak is a cut of beef from the front end of the short loin of the cow, near the saddle. Similar to a porterhouse beef steak, a T-bone cut of steak is a combination of a strip portion and a tenderloin portion. However, T-bone beef cuts will generally have a smaller tenderloin section than a porterhouse steak and are smaller overall. T-bone steaks are also composite steaks since they have two cuts, one on each side of the bone. It is a tender type of steak with plenty of marbled fat to make it flavorful and toothsome.

Porterhouse and T-bone steaks are similar types of meat that both come from the same section of a cow: the short loin. While they are both composite steaks with similar flavor profiles, there are a few notable differences between them.

• Thickness of tenderloin: The USDA has designated Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications that differentiate T-bone steaks and Porterhouse steaks based on the width or the size of the tenderloin portion. A T-bone steak can have a tenderloin section between .51 to 1.24 inches wide at its widest point, while a Porterhouse steak’s tenderloin will be above 1.25 inches wide.
• Size of steak: The larger tenderloin portion of a porterhouse steak is a wider cut of beef than a T-bone steak. Porterhouse steaks are also typically cut thicker than T-bone steaks. A T-bone may be enough food for one person, while steakhouses typically serve porterhouse steaks for two people.
• Cooking methods: You can use the same cooking methods for both T-bone and porterhouse steaks, though T-bones are generally better cuts of meat to cook on your grill. Porterhouse steaks are best when you sear them in a cast-iron skillet on a stovetop over high heat.

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