A porterhouse steak is a cut of beef from the cow that comes from the rear end of the short loin. A porterhouse is a composite steak, meaning it is two cuts combined into one. A porterhouse combines tenderloin steak (a boneless cut also known as fillet) with [New York strip steak](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/new-york-strip-vs-ribeye-explained) (also called a top loin or NY strip), making the strip side a very large piece of meat. A center bone holds the two pieces of meat together. Due to its composition, the porterhouse cut of steak is a tender cut of meat, best when served medium rare, which gives it a buttery flavor.
A T-bone steak is a cut of beef from the front end of the short loin of the cow, near the saddle. Similar to a porterhouse beef steak, a T-bone cut of steak is a combination of a strip portion and a tenderloin portion. However, T-bone beef cuts will generally have a smaller tenderloin section than a porterhouse steak and are smaller overall. T-bone steaks are also composite steaks since they have two cuts, one on each side of the bone. It is a tender type of steak with plenty of marbled fat to make it flavorful and toothsome.
Porterhouse and T-bone steaks are similar types of meat that both come from the same section of a cow: the short loin. While they are both composite steaks with similar flavor profiles, there are a few notable differences between them. 

- __Thickness of tenderloin__: The USDA has designated Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications that differentiate T-bone steaks and Porterhouse steaks based on the width or the size of the tenderloin portion. A T-bone steak can have a tenderloin section between .51 to 1.24 inches wide at its widest point, while a Porterhouse steak’s tenderloin will be above 1.25 inches wide.
- __Size of steak__: The larger tenderloin portion of a porterhouse steak is a wider cut of beef than a T-bone steak. Porterhouse steaks are also typically cut thicker than T-bone steaks. A T-bone may be enough food for one person, while steakhouses typically serve porterhouse steaks for two people. 
- __Cooking methods__: You can use the same cooking methods for both T-bone and porterhouse steaks, though T-bones are generally better cuts of meat to cook on your grill. Porterhouse steaks are best when you sear them in a [cast-iron skillet](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-cast-iron-skillet-proper-care-and-seasoning-tips) on a stovetop over high heat.
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Whether you’re ordering at a steakhouse or firing up the grill for a BBQ, porterhouse and T-bone steaks are both flavorful, bone-in cuts that taste as good as they look. However, there are a few differences between these similar cuts of meat.

Whether you’re ordering at a steakhouse or firing up the grill for a BBQ, porterhouse and T-bone steaks are both flavorful, bone-in cuts that taste as good as they look. However, there are a few differences between these similar cuts of meat.

T-Bone vs. Porterhouse Steak: How Do They Compare?

A porterhouse steak is a cut of beef from the cow that comes from the rear end of the short loin. A porterhouse is a composite steak, meaning it is two cuts combined into one. A porterhouse combines tenderloin steak (a boneless cut also known as fillet) with <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/new-york-strip-vs-ribeye-explained' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/new-york-strip-vs-ribeye-explained","linkCopy":"New York strip steak","category":null}'>New York strip steak</a> (also called a top loin or NY strip), making the strip side a very large piece of meat. A center bone holds the two pieces of meat together. Due to its composition, the porterhouse cut of steak is a tender cut of meat, best when served medium rare, which gives it a buttery flavor.

What Is Porterhouse Steak?

A T-bone steak is a cut of beef from the front end of the short loin of the cow, near the saddle. Similar to a porterhouse beef steak, a T-bone cut of steak is a combination of a strip portion and a tenderloin portion. However, T-bone beef cuts will generally have a smaller tenderloin section than a porterhouse steak and are smaller overall. T-bone steaks are also composite steaks since they have two cuts, one on each side of the bone. It is a tender type of steak with plenty of marbled fat to make it flavorful and toothsome.

What Is a T-Bone Steak?

Porterhouse and T-bone steaks are similar types of meat that both come from the same section of a cow: the short loin. While they are both composite steaks with similar flavor profiles, there are a few notable differences between them. <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Thickness of tenderloin: The USDA has designated Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications that differentiate T-bone steaks and Porterhouse steaks based on the width or the size of the tenderloin portion. A T-bone steak can have a tenderloin section between .51 to 1.24 inches wide at its widest point, while a Porterhouse steak’s tenderloin will be above 1.25 inches wide. </li><li class="">Size of steak: The larger tenderloin portion of a porterhouse steak is a wider cut of beef than a T-bone steak. Porterhouse steaks are also typically cut thicker than T-bone steaks. A T-bone may be enough food for one person, while steakhouses typically serve porterhouse steaks for two people. </li><li class="">Cooking methods: You can use the same cooking methods for both T-bone and porterhouse steaks, though T-bones are generally better cuts of meat to cook on your grill. Porterhouse steaks are best when you sear them in a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-cast-iron-skillet-proper-care-and-seasoning-tips' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-clean-a-cast-iron-skillet-proper-care-and-seasoning-tips","linkCopy":"cast-iron skillet","category":null}'>cast-iron skillet</a> on a stovetop over high heat. </li></ul>

What Are the Differences Between a T-Bone or Porterhouse Steak?

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Whether you’re ordering at a steakhouse or firing up the grill for a BBQ, porterhouse and T-bone steaks are both flavorful, bone-in cuts that taste as good as they look. However, there are a few differences between these similar cuts of meat.

Whether you’re ordering at a steakhouse or firing up the grill for a BBQ, porterhouse and T-bone steaks are both flavorful, bone-in cuts that taste as good as they look. However, there are a few differences between these similar cuts of meat.
