Boasting the buttery, tender goodness of a filet mignon and the juicy, intense beefy flavor of a strip steak, the iconic T-bone Steak is famous for good reason.
Named after the "T" shaped bone in its center, T-bone Steaks comes from the loin of the cow and yield tender, quick-cooking meat. If you'd like to try more easy and delicious steak recipes, you should definitely check out our cowboy steaks, as well as our steak ranchero.
WHERE DOES THE T-BONE COME FROM?
The loin of the cow houses many of America's most beloved steaks. Beef tenderloin (also known as filet mignon), strip steak, Porterhouse steaks, and the T-bone steak all come from the loin primal. The loin primal is located at the top of the cow, below the cow's backbone, and behind the ribs, unlike the sirloin, which is found at the top of the back. This area does not do a lot of work, meaning the meat from this region stays nice and tender, and it is considered on the lean side.
PORTERHOUSE VS. T-BONE STEAK
You won't find it difficult to distinguish a filet from a strip, but you might have some trouble differentiating a Porterhouse from a T-bone Steak. The main difference is the size of the filet, so if you're into the T-bone for the filet attachment, you should probably consider going with the Porterhouse cut instead.
The porterhouse comes from the rear end of the short loin, where the tenderloin begins to widen. This cut has a full-sized filet attached, typically twice the size of a filet attached to a T-bone Steak. T-bone Steaks are cut closer to the front of the short loin, where the tenderloin is the smallest and the most tapered.
Because of the size of the filet, T-bone Steaks will be priced lower than porterhouse steaks, yet they still make a seriously impressive presentation at the dinner table and offer a variety of beefy deliciousness. Point of the story? When it comes to mammoth-sized cuts of beef, you really can't go wrong with a T-bone Steak, especially if you're a fan of New York Strips. Looking for more mouth-watering beef recipes? We've got you covered, make these a part of your next dinner!
HOW TO PICK A T-BONE STEAK
When it comes to picking the perfect T-bone Steak, there are a few different factors you want to take into consideration.
THE SIZE OF THE TENDERLOIN
The first one we will address is the size of the tenderloin. As mentioned earlier, T-bone Steaks have just a small amount of tenderloin attached. To get the most bang for your buck, seek out the T-bone Steak with the largest tenderloin attached.
MARBLING AND GRADE
Another thing you want to take into consideration is marbling. The USDA has actually determined the amount of marbling within a steak before it hits the grocery store. The steak is given a rating called a grade. The grades of steak you'll easily find at the grocery store are prime, choice, and select. Prime steaks will have the best marbling, and select steaks will have the least amount of marbling.
To find the best marbling amongst steaks within the same grade, look for milky white, thin streaks, and small flecks. The more marbling you see, the juicier your steak will be. When it comes to a T-bone Steak, look to the strip side to determine the amount of marbling.
COLOR AND FRESHNESS
The last thing you want to take into consideration when picking out the perfect T-bone Steak is the color of the meat itself. Look for a rich pink or light cherry color. The meat should be moist, but not sticky.
HOW TO COOK T-BONE STEAKS
Hands down, the best way to cook a T-bone steak is over dry direct heat, so rather than pan-searing them in a cast iron skillet over high heat, we highly suggest firing up the grill. However, this is a pricey cut of beef, and to ensure it meets your highest expectations, we'll need to cover a few cooking basics first.
REMOVE THE CHILL
Before you get to cooking your steaks, you'll want to set them out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Removing the chill for meat before cooking will promote even cooking. This is especially important because most T-bone steaks will be anywhere from one and a half to 2 inches thick.
If the meat is ice cold when it hits the grill, the exterior of your meat will come to a temperature far quicker than the interior. Of course, we want a beautiful crust on our steak; just not a burnt one!
KEEP SEASONING SIMPLE
When it comes to quality steaks, there is absolutely no reason to go overboard with the seasoning. T-bone Steaks possess amazing flavor in and of themselves. Our simple salt and pepper seasoning will only enhance the natural, beefy goodness of the cut. Don't be afraid to let the meat do the talking here.
Now, just because our seasoning is simple doesn't mean it's not specific. You definitely only want to use kosher salt when seasoning your steaks, and if possible, grind your own black pepper. Seriously, fresh ground black pepper is a difference-maker.
Once you have your seasoning measured out and ready to go, sprinkle it all over the T-bone Steaks, and rub it on all sides to adhere.
FIRE UP THE GRILL
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. To determine whether or not your grill is hot enough, carefully hold your hand about 6 inches from the grate. The fire should be so hot that you have to move your hand by the count of 3.
Once the grill is ready, add the T-bone Steaks and cook over direct heat. Before we get into cook times, we need to address a few variables. Speaking of grilling, we have tons of grilling recipes to choose from!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STEAK AND COOKING TIME
Number 1, the tenderloin side will reach a higher temperature faster than the strip. If there is a hot spot on the grill, it's best to allow the strip side to take on the heat rather than the tenderloin side of t-b0ne.
A few other things that can affect how fast or slow a piece of beef cooks are marbling, the temperature of the beef when it hits the grill, and the thickness of the steak. Thicker T-bone Steaks will take longer to cook through on the grill. Regarding the thickness of the meat, if your steaks are thicker than 1 ½", you will want to slightly lower the grill's temperature.
When it comes to cooking steaks, the suggested cook times should really be used as guidelines. For accuracy, nothing could possibly beat an instant-read thermometer.
Keep in mind, that as you were taking the temperature of your cooked steaks, the steaks will rise in temperature by about 5° as they are resting. This means you will pull the steaks from the grill about 5° before you hit your desired temperature.
- For rare steaks, cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Pull the steaks when the internal temperature has reached 120°F.
- You will want to cook for about 4 minutes on each side for a proper medium-rare. Pull the steaks when the internal temperature reaches 130°F.
- For medium to medium well steaks, cook the steaks for about 5 minutes on each side. Pull the steaks when the internal temperature reaches 140 to 145°F.
SLICE AND SERVE T-BONE STEAK
After your T-bone Steak reaches the desired doneness and has rested for about 10 minutes, carefully cut down the side of the bone using a sharp knife and remove the strip. Then, cut down the other side to remove the filet. Cut each steak into ½" strips and arrange them on a plate with the bone.
6 MORE BEEFY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Steak Quesadillas
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Steak Fingers with Country Gravy
Steak Burrito
Steak Alfredo
Steak Fajitas
T-Bone Steak
Ingredients
- 2 T-bone steaks (about 1 ½" thick)
- 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
Instructions
- Set the steaks out at room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.
- Prepare a gas or charcoal grill and bring to medium-high heat. To test whether or not your grill is hot enough, (carefully) hold your hand about 6" from the grate. It should be so hot, that you have to move it by the count of 3.
- While you're waiting on the grill to come to temperature, season the steaks liberally with salt and pepper on both sides and all around the edges. Pat to adhere.
- Add the steaks to the hot grill. For medium-rare, cook over direct heat for 4 minutes on each side, turning only once throughout the entire cooking process. Watch for flare-ups. Your goal internal temperature is 130°.
- Set the steaks aside and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes, serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Source: Weber, America's Test Kitchen
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