Today I’m going to show you how to grill a porterhouse steak. The porterhouse is the ultimate steak lover’s steak as it includes two cuts of meat rolled into one. First you have on one side the top strip loin, then on the other side is a tenderloin. This is a great steak that you will want to learn how to grill to perfection.
The key to making a great porterhouse steak is the ingredients. The key ingredient of course is the steak. Go to the butcher’s shop and get yourself a porterhouse that is at least 1 ½ inches thick. I like to marinate this steak in olive oil and fresh rosemary right after grilling, so you are going to want to get yourself a quality olive oil and some fresh rosemary.
Set up your gas or charcoal grill for direct cooking over high heat. Once the grill is ready, brush the grate with a bit of oil. Sprinkle some kosher salt and black pepper on both sides of the steak. We are going to put some nice crosshatches on the steak, so place them on the grate at a 45 degree angle to the bars. Rotate the steak after 3 to 4 minutes of grilling to create the crosshatch grill marks. You will want to do the same after you flip the steak to create them on both sides.
For a rare porterhouse steak you will want to grill it for about 7 to 10 minutes per side. It will read about 125F on an instant read thermometer, here is the one I use. Depending upon your tastes, you may want to add a couple more minutes per side to reach your desired level on doneness. If you like your steak medium-rare it should read about 145F on an instant read thermometer.
While the porterhouse is finishing up, grab a baking dish and sprinkle some chopped fresh rosemary on the bottom; about a tablespoon would be fine and also about 2 cloves of minced garlic. Once the steak is done transfer it to the baking dish and drizzle about ½ cup of olive oil over it. Turn the steak a few times to coat it in the herbs and oil. Let it marinate for about 5 minutes.
Once it is done marinating, it’s time to carve into it. Here is where some good steak knives come in handy. I really like these. Once you’ve sliced up your steak, spoon bit of the herb and oil mixture over it and enjoy. This is how to grill a porterhouse steak that turns out absolutely amazing.
image courtesy of Alan Light/flickr