Why go to a steakhouse when you can make the most perfect porterhouse right at home? Sous Vide Porterhouse Steak is a no-fail recipe that’s really easy to make. It’s super tender, juicy and full of flavor! Once tried, you’ll never go back!
What is porterhouse steak?
Porterhouse steaks are one of the most desirable cuts of meat. It consists of two tender steaks: filet mignon and a New York strip, connected by a T-shaped bone (see the picture below). Porterhouse steaks are considered one of the highest quality steaks due to their tenderness and flavor, as a result they’re more expensive than most steak cuts.
Why sous vide porterhouse?
Sous vide means “under vacuum” in French. It’s a cooking technique where the food is vacuum-sealed in a bag, and then cooked for a long time to a precise temperature in a warm water bath.
When cooking a porterhouse with traditional methods such as grilling, pan-frying, or baking, there’s a small window of the perfect doneness. If we miss that window, the steak will taste dry and chewy. For an expensive cut like porterhouse, you’d want to cook it to perfection. Sous vide method guarantees the success and ensures the steak is not overcooked or undercooked by using precise temperature control. In addition, it cooks the food evenly from edge to edge. It’s a stress-free way to cook porterhouse steak.
How to sous vide porterhouse steak
- Set the Sous Vide Immersion Circulators to 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare (if you’d like to try other doneness, see the guide here).
- Season the steak on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place it in a zip-lock bag. Seal the bag using the water displacement technique.
- Sous vide cook the steak by placing the bag in the warm water bath.
- When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water and transfer it to an ice bath or the refrigerator.
- Let it chill for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the steak from the bag and then grill or sear for about 1 minute per side, just to caramelize the outside. You can add olive oil, garlic and more seasoning if needed.
- Serve and cut the meat away from the bone and slice across the grain into strips.
Porterhouse steak seasoning
There is no marinade needed for this recipe as the porterhouse is a tender cut with a lot of marbling. Just rub it with olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper.
It’s important to season generously before sous vide cooking for the best result! You can also add your favorite ingredients such as Montreal seasoning.
Sous vide porterhouse steak temperature
Set the sous vide temperature to your designed doneness. I like to cook my porterhouse to 135°F/57°C, which produces a tender, juicy porterhouse steak. If you’d like to try other doneness, follow the chart below:
| Steak Doneness | Temperature |
| Rare | 120°F (49°C) to 128°F (53°C) |
| Medium Rare | 129°F (54°C) to 135°F (57°C) |
| Medium | 136°F (58°C) to 144°F (62°C) |
| Medium-well | 145°F (63°C) to 155°F (68°C) |
| Well Done | 156°F (69°C) and above |
How long do you sous vide porterhouse?
Porterhouse steak is a relatively tender cut that doesn’t require long cook time. It takes about 1 hour to sous vide a 1 1/2-inch porterhouse, 1.5 to 2 hours for 2 inches.
It’s ok leave it in the warm bath for an extra 30-60 minutes.
Tips for the most tender and juicy porterhouse steak
- Season generously with salt and pepper before sous vide cooking. The seasoning will bring out the best natural flavor of the steak. Season more before searing if necessary.
- You can use ziptop bags to seal the steak. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, a regular ziptop bag works well with this recipe. Just place the seasoned porterhouse in a ziptop bag, and seal all but one corner of the bag. Slowly place it into a bowl with cold water, and make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag.
- Let it cool down before searing. After sous vide cooking, it’s best to let the steak cool down in the refrigerator or ice bath before searing. Then wipe off any extra moisture as it inhibits proper searing.
More frequently asked questions:
Can you overcook porterhouse steak in the sous vide machine?
Although you cannot “overcook” a steak with sous vide method, the texture could become mushy if the steak is left in the machine for too long (an extra few hours).
What’s the difference between porterhouse and T-bone steaks?
Both porterhouse and T-bones have a T-shaped bone with a piece of tenderloin on one side and a strip of top loin steak on the other.
Porterhouse steaks are usually larger than T-bone steaks, with a larger section of tenderloin. According to USDA regulations, the tenderloin section of a porterhouse must be wider than 1.25 inches (3cm) across its widest point.
Can I sous vide frozen porterhouse steak?
Yes, you can sous vide porterhouse straight from frozen. Follow the same instruction and add 30 more minutes to the cooking time.
More Sous Vide Steak Recipes
Sides to pair with sous vide porterhouse
Recipe Tools:
Perfect Sous Vide Porterhouse Steak
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound porterhouse steak about 1 ½ inch thick
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the sous vide machine: Add water to the sous vide container or a large pot, set the Sous Vide Precision Cooker to (135°F/57°C) for medium-rare doneness. If you’d like to cook it less, see the guide in the post.
- Season the steak: Rub the steak with 1/2 tablespoon oil on all sides.
- Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Sous vide the steak: Add the seasoned porterhouse steak to a zip-lock bag together with optional herbs.
- Seal all but one corner of the bag, and slowly place it into a container with cold water. Make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag.
- Place the bag into the water bath in the sous vide container. Make sure it is fully submerged.
- When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath and transfer it to the fridge or an ice bath. Let it chill for about 10 minutes.
- Sear the steak: Remove the steak from the bag and wipe off the moisture with paper towels (Make sure the surface of the steak is completely dry before searing).
- Season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Place the cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil. When very hot, add the minced garlic and steak and sear about 1 minute per side.
- Cut the meat away from the bone and slice across the grain into strips. Then serve with potatoes and veggies.
SJ says
Thank you for this easy to follow recipe! It was my first time experimenting with a sous vide cooking, and while I had to modify the method (slightly) because I have a slowcooker combo sous vide maker – the steak came out perfectly medium rare and tender. *chef’s kiss*
izzycooking says
Glad to hear that your steak came out perfectly. Thanks for letting me know!