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 Beef cuts (American terminology) | |
| Type | Short loin and tenderloincut of beef |
|---|---|
TheT-bone andporterhouse aresteaks ofbeef cut from theshort loin (called thesirloin inCommonwealth countries andIreland). Both steaks include aT-shaped lumbar vertebra with sections ofabdominal internal oblique muscle on each side. Porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the short loin and thus include moretenderloin steak, along with (on the other side of the bone) a largestrip steak. T-bone steaks are cut closer to the front, and contain a smaller section of tenderloin. The smaller portion of a T-bone, when sold alone, is known as afilet mignon (calledfillet steak inCommonwealth countries andIreland), especially if cut from the small forward end of the tenderloin.
Experts differ about how large the tenderloin must be to differentiate T-bone steak from porterhouse. TheUnited States Department of Agriculture'sInstitutional Meat Purchase Specifications state that the tenderloin of a porterhouse must be at least 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide at its widest, while that of a T-bone must be at least 0.5 inches (13 mm) wide.[1]
Owing to their large size, and as they contain meat from two of the most prized cuts of beef (the short loin and the tenderloin), T-bone steaks are generally considered one of the highest quality steaks, and prices atsteakhouses are accordingly high. Porterhouse steaks are even more highly valued owing to their larger tenderloin.
In British usage, followed in the Commonwealth countries, "porterhouse" often means a British sirloin steak (i.e. US strip steak) on the bone, i.e. without the tenderloin on the other side of T-bone. Some British on-line butchers also offer American style porterhouse steaks.
In New Zealand and Australia, a porterhouse is sirloin steak (strip steak in USA) off the bone.
The earliest mention of the term "porterhouse steak" in a newspaper appears to have been in a letter written byThurlow Weed that appeared in theHartford Courant on August 9, 1843, but the following year (August 24, 1844) it also appeared in a list of food prices in TheNew York Herald, and it appeared regularly in newspapers after that.
In 2025 theOregon Senate voted unanimously to make the T-bone thestate steak ofOregon. The legislation is still pending.[2]
To cut a T-bone frombutcheredcattle, alumbar vertebra is sawn in half through thevertebral column. The downward prong of the 'T' is atransverse process of thevertebra, and the flesh surrounding it is the spinalmuscles. The small semicircle at the top of the 'T' is half of thevertebral foramen.
T-bone and porterhouse steaks are suited to fast, dry heatcooking methods, such asgrilling orbroiling. Since they contain a small amount ofcollagen relative to other cuts, longer cooking times are not necessary to tenderize the meat. There is some contention as to whether the boneconducts heat within the meat so that it cooks more evenly and prevents meat drying out and shrinking during cooking,[3][4] or the meat near the bone will cook more slowly than the rest of the steak,[5] and the tenderloin will tend to reach the desired temperature before the strip.[6][7]
Bistecca alla fiorentina (lit. 'beefsteakFlorentine style'), consists of a T-bone traditionally sourced from either theChianina orMaremmana breeds of cattle. A favorite ofTuscan cuisine, the steak is grilled over a wood orcharcoal fire, seasoned with salt, sometimes with black pepper, and olive oil, applied immediately after the meat is retired from the heat. Thickly cut and very large, "Bistecca" are often shared between two or more people, and traditionally served very rare, sometimes garnished with lemon wedges, if not accompanied by red wine, and accompanied by Tuscan beans as a side dish.[8]
The same cut of meat, but from a calf, is used forcotoletta alla milanese, which consists of 1.5 cm-thick cuts which are battered in breadcrumbs and fried inclarified butter with salt.
