The undisputed king of the steakhouse, one porterhouse steak can weigh 2 pounds: it's the classic "hanging off the edge of the plate" dinner extravaganza. Generally marketed in restaurants as a meal for two, the porterhouse combines the tender filet mignon with the meaty-flavored New York strip, eliminating the need to make a difficult choice.
The porterhouse is a composite steak that's derived from the point where the tenderloin and top loin meet. If you remove the bone and cut out the two steaks that make up the porterhouse, you get a tenderloin steak and a top loin (or New York strip steak). So, if you order a porterhouse, expect big portions!
A porterhouse can be served whole or sliced, depending on how you want to divide it up. For someone with a very hearty appetite, it is a tremendous meal—even a challenge. As a steak for two, a porterhouse makes the perfect steak to indulge in on particularly special occasions.
For the most authentic steakhouse flavor, cook your porterhouse on the grill. But you can also get great results with the broiler or in a smoking hot cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Use light seasoning but a generous amount of salt and try not to cook the steak beyond medium, or 145 F, at the most.
To grill a porterhouse, start hot and fast, giving the surface a good sear. Cook it to the point right before the fat would start to burn, then flip it and sear the other side. To get those restaurant-style diamond grill marks, rotate it 45 degrees on the same side before you flip it and repeat on the other side.
Once it browns on both sides, move it to a cooler part of the grill to finish it to your desired doneness. To add richness, place a pat of butter in the center of the steak a few minutes before you pull it off the grill. This is a popular restaurant trick that brings out the flavor.
The burly porterhouse makes an ideal candidate for a cowboy steak. Give it a Southwestern twist by rubbing it all over with a paste that includes garlic, chili powder, chipotle powder, salt, and pepper. Then wrap it in plastic and refrigerate it for a few hours so it absorbs the spices before you grill it.