What is a Porterhouse Steak?

The porterhouse steak is very similar to the T-bone steak. It's a cut from the rear end of the short loin, where the tenderloin and strip portion are larger, and because of this the Porterhouse includes more tenderloin steak than T-bone, along with a larger New York strip steak. A bone holds the New York and tenderloin cuts together, creating the Porterhouse cut.

In addition to the size of the tenderloin; the thickness of the steak also determines whether a cut is considered a Porterhouse or a T-bone. USDA guidelines outlines a porterhouse must be at least 1.25 inches thick measured from the tenderloin, and a T-bone is 0.5 inches thick.

The bone, fat and muscle make the Porterhouse a very tender and flavorful cut of meat. The average 4 oz serving of Porterhouse Steak has about 240 calories, 26 grams of protein, and only 8 grams of fat. It's also a good source of Vitamin B12, Niacin, Phosphorus, Selenium, and Zinc. This cut is best cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F.