Porter House v. T-Bone

Porterhouse and T-bone steaks come from the same cut of beef.

Porterhouse and T-bone steaks are both high-quality cuts of steak that come from the same section of beef. While they share many similarities, the Porterhouse is generally considered to be a finer cut of steak.

Similarities

Porterhouse and T-Bone steaks both come from the short loin section of beef, which is located between the sirloin and rib sections. Part of the tenderloin section, from which the filet mignon is cut, intrudes into the short loin. Both should be prepared by grilling or broiling and don't need any special seasoning or tenderizing.

Differences

Porterhouse steaks are cut from the larger end of the short loin, closest to the sirloin section, while T-Bones are cut from the smaller end. This means that the Porterhouse cut includes a larger section of the tenderloin than does the T-Bone. According to the Meat Packers' Association, a Porterhouse should be cut 1.25 inches thick, while a T-Bone should be .5 inches thick thick. Porterhouses are more expensive than T-Bones in general.

Delineation

While Porterhouse and T-Bone steaks look very similar, the T-Bone is distinguished by its T-shaped bone separating the steak into two portions. Butchers decide whether to call a steak a Porterhouse or T-Bone based on the amount of filet mignon or tenderloin each steak contains.

References

• Difference Between: Difference Between T-Bone and Porterhouse
• Cook's Thesaurus: Beef Loin Cuts
• The Butcher Block: T-Bones and Porterhouses