Porterhouse steak at Ruth's Chris Steak House

PORTERHOUSE

The Porterhouse is proof that you can have your steak and eat it, too. There’s no choosing between a Filet and a New York Strip with this hearty cut. Enjoy the widest range of textures and the best example of flavors – no matter which side of the bone you pick. And, with our perfected broiling method and seasoning techniques you can rest assured that your last bite of our 40 ounce Porterhouse will be just as good as your first.

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WHAT IS A PORTERHOUSE STEAK?

The Porterhouse steak is cut from the short loin section of cattle. On one side of the bone, you’ll find a melt-in-your-mouth Filet, arguably the most tender of all high-end cuts of beef. On the other side, a firm, flavor-filled New York Strip – our founder’s favorite. The two combine to make this hearty bone-in cut a steak house legend.

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HISTORY OF THE PORTERHOUSE STEAK

 The origin of the Porterhouse can be quite contentious as cities like London, New York and Boston all lay claim to the beefed up cut. One theory can be traced to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, when a “porter house” was a chophouse known for serving steaks and ales, including London’s new porter style beers, popular in the 1750s. Others say the name originated around 1814 on Manhattan’s Pearl Street where large T-bone steaks were served. No matter which side you’re on, we’re thankful that this hearty cut came to be.

COOKING A PORTERHOUSE STEAK TO PERFECTION

Nothing is more enjoyable than a high-quality Porterhouse steak that’s been expertly aged and cooked to perfection. The end goal? A medium rare steak on either side of the bone. It’s a work of art. Mastering that art? Let’s just say that’s one of the ways our 1800° broilers set our Porterhouse steaks apart.

Cooking a Porterhouse to perfection at home calls for two things: a lot of power and a lot of heat. A grill can reach high temperatures, but the broiler is better suited for the Porterhouse. Remember that you can always cook a steak longer if it’s on the rare side at first, but you don’t want to ruin this premium cut by overcooking it.

Factor in, too, that steak will continue to cook for a few minutes once it’s rested. For a larger cut, that can mean your final temperature is as much as 10-15° higher than when it was taken out of the oven, if properly rested.

The other main distinction is size. The tomahawk is cut according to the thickness of the rib bone, and is generally about 2 inches thick, while typically weighing between 30 and 45 ounces.

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