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Thick-Cut Porterhouse Steaks

By Morgan Bolling

Published on October 6, 2014

Time

2 hours

Yield

Serves 8

Thick-Cut Porterhouse Steaks

Ingredients

2 (2 ½- to 3-pound) porterhouse steaks, 2 inches thick, trimmedKosher salt and pepper 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Before You Begin

Porterhouse steaks have a bone dividing the smaller tenderloin and the larger strip. We use kosher salt because it’s easy to sprinkle evenly over the meat. Let the oil heat in the pan until it is just smoking before adding the steaks. If serving with béarnaise sauce

(see related content), make the sauce while the steaks rest.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place steaks side by side on prepared rack with tenderloins facing center, about 1 inch apart. Transfer steaks to oven. Cook until thermometer inserted sideways 3 inches from tip of strip side of steak registers 115 to 120 degrees (for medium-rare), 70 to 90 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through cooking.
  2. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place 1 steak in skillet and sear until well browned, about 2 minutes per side, lifting occasionally to redistribute oil. Using tongs, stand steak upright to sear edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Return steak to wire rack, tent loosely with foil, and repeat with remaining steak. Let steaks rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer steaks to carving board. Carve strip steaks and tenderloins from bones. Place T-bones on platter. Slice steaks thin against grain, then reassemble sliced steaks on both sides of bones. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Thick-Cut Porterhouse Steaks

Thick-Cut Porterhouse Steaks

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Time

2 hours

Yield

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 (2 ½- to 3-pound) porterhouse steaks, 2 inches thick, trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 (2 ½- to 3-pound) porterhouse steaks, 2 inches thick, trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 (2 ½- to 3-pound) porterhouse steaks, 2 inches thick, trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

With such a mammoth cut of meat, it is hard to achieve even cooking. To help our Thick-Cut Porterhouse Steaks stay pink, juicy, and tender throughout, we cook them in a low-temperature oven (275 degrees). Then we sear the steaks in a hefty 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat to get an even exterior crust. By searing them quickly, we’re able to keep the meat under the crust from turning gray.

Before You Begin

Porterhouse steaks have a bone dividing the smaller tenderloin and the larger strip. We use kosher salt because it’s easy to sprinkle evenly over the meat. Let the oil heat in the pan until it is just smoking before adding the steaks. If serving with béarnaise sauce

(see related content), make the sauce while the steaks rest.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place steaks side by side on prepared rack with tenderloins facing center, about 1 inch apart. Transfer steaks to oven. Cook until thermometer inserted sideways 3 inches from tip of strip side of steak registers 115 to 120 degrees (for medium-rare), 70 to 90 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through cooking.
  2. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Place 1 steak in skillet and sear until well browned, about 2 minutes per side, lifting occasionally to redistribute oil. Using tongs, stand steak upright to sear edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Return steak to wire rack, tent loosely with foil, and repeat with remaining steak. Let steaks rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer steaks to carving board. Carve strip steaks and tenderloins from bones. Place T-bones on platter. Slice steaks thin against grain, then reassemble sliced steaks on both sides of bones. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

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