How to Cook a Perfect Porterhouse Steak (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cooking method for porterhouse steak? ›

Pan-Seared Method

Preparing your Porterhouse in a skillet provides a boost of flavor to any meal. A pan-seared Porterhouse is delicious, and this method gives your meat a rich golden-brown color and enhanced taste!

Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender. Liberally salt the steaks up to an hour before cooking, then proceed according to your recipe.

Brush the cooking grills clean. Grill the steaks over high heat, with the lid closed, for 2 to 5 minutes per side, depending on how well done you would like the steak cooked (see timing guide). Once the steaks have cooked, remove from the barbecue and leave to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Rest the meat

When steak cooks, the muscle fibers tighten. If you cut into those tight muscle fibers as soon as it's off the heat, all the juices pour out. That's why resting meat for 5-10 minutes is the secret for preparing a juicy and tender steak.

This particular portion of steak is cut from the lower rib section of the cow, which lies close to the rear end, or loin. Because the porterhouse is cut from the junction of the tenderloin and top loin, it delivers a mouthwatering combination of tender, succulent filet mignon and rich, flavorful New York strip.

Another reason your steak is chewy and tough could be that you overcooked or undercooked the steak. Your steak could also be chewy and tough because you didn't let it rest long enough after cooking it.

The Aging. Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.

How does Texas Roadhouse tenderise their steaks? Season each side of the steak well with the seasoning and set aside to rest for about 40 minutes. This causes the salt to infiltrate the surface (through osmosis) and actually aids in the breakdown of muscle fibres, resulting in more tender meat.

Spread 1 tablespoon of oil over the steaks and season generously with salt and black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to each of the hot pans. Add the steaks and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned on both sides and the internal temperature is 50C for medium-rare doneness.

The Sweet Spot: 1.5 Inches

A 1.5 inch thick steak – the size you'll find from most premium butchers or wholesalers – is where steak excellence really starts to happen.

How many minutes should steak be on each side? ›

As a rule of thumb (for a steak 22mm thick) – cook 2 minutes each side for rare, 3-4 mins each side for medium-rare and 4-6 mins each side for medium. For well done, cook for 2-4 minutes each side, then turn the heat down and cook for another 4-6 minutes.

How do you prepare and season steak? The best way to season steak is to add a generous amount of salt to both sides about 45 minutes before cooking. Then, just before cooking, add your other spices, like black pepper and garlic powder, ensuring that you cover both sides of the steak.

Start In The Skillet, Finish In The Oven

Because a hot oven would continue to darken the outside of the steak, potentially too much. And also, slower cooking (think low-and-slow) is going to make the steak much juicier. Gentler cooking is going to be best here so that even our well-done steak is moist and tender.

The number one spot goes to grilling, the classic method for cooking your steak. While great grilling isn't quite as precise as sous-vide, it leads to the best, purest-tasting steaks out of non-sous vide methods. This is because grilling uses the steak's natural fats and juices for flavor.

Add the steak and then some garlic, butter, rosemary, and thyme. Sear evenly on each side. Depending on your preference, for a 2-cm thick steak, to cook to: blue, 1 min per side; rare, 1½ mins per side; medium-rare, 2 mins per side; medium, about 2¼ mins per side; well-done, about 4-5 mins per side.

Steaks cooked to medium lose some moisture while cooking, which gives them more texture. Porterhouse steaks are an excellent choice to order medium or medium-rare.

But in most cases, a porterhouse is going to win out in terms of the amount of meat you get, how tender and juicy that meat will be when it comes off the grill, and how beautiful your presentation will be once you're ready to cut the steak tableside.

There are several steak methods that could answer the question, “What is the best way to cook a steak?” However, the best cooking method for steak, generally, is grilling. Grilling works well for most steak cuts, adding lots of flavor and allowing an even cook when you know how to grill steak properly.

Directions: —Arrange oven rack to top position, place cast iron skillet on the rack and preheat the oven's broiler on its highest setting. —Pat porterhouse steak completely dry and season with salt and pepper. With such a large steak you'll want to season generously.