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How to Sous Vide Porterhouse Steak

If you often find yourself torn between a wondrously marbled strip steak or an eye-wateringly succulent tenderloin, porterhouse (or T-bone) steak represents the best of both worlds. Cut from the short loin region of a cow, the porterhouse features both a strip steak and a tenderloin separated by a large T-shaped bone. While the terms “porterhouse” and “T-bone” are often used interchangeably there are technical differences between the two. T-bone steaks are taken from the front portion of the short loin and as a result have less tenderloin than the porterhouse. Porterhouse steaks contain two high-end cuts of beef so predictably, they tend to be quite expensive so it’s crucial when cooking at home to get it right. Cooking using sous vide and Suvie is the ideal way to get the best results. The precise control of sous vide let’s you cook the steak to the ideal level of doneness while maintaining its moist and tender texture.

Follow this simple guide to prepare perfectly cooked porterhouse steak every time. 

Temperature and cooking times for porterhouse steak

TemperatureTimeResult
125°F*1-3 hoursRare
130°F1-3 hoursMedium rare
135°F1-3 hoursMedium
145°F1-3 hoursMedium Well
150°F1-3 hoursWell done
*Please note that some of these temperatures are lower than what the FDA recommends. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness.

Porterhouse’s combination of beef tenderloin and strip steak can make cooking it sous vide challenging. Cooking the steak at a high enough temperature to break down the fatty tissue in the strip can result in an overly dry beef tenderloin. Unfortunalty, there’s no magic number that works best for both cuts so we recommend choosing which portion you prefer and aim to cook it to your prefered level of doneness.

Porterhouse steaks are pretty hefty so you might struggle to find one that will easily fit in your Suvie protein pan. Your local butcher should be able to find a smaller cut for you.

In terms of timing, our recommended cook times are based on a 1 1/2 inch thick steak. If your steak is thicker than 1 1/2 inches consider adding about 30 minutes to the cook time.

Follow this link to find out more information about Suvie cooking times and temperatures

Ingredients and Tools

  • Porterhouse or T-Bone steak (at least 1 1/2 inches thick)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Vegetable oil
  • Herbs or additions

Equipment

  • Suvie or immersion circulator
  • A large pot (if using an immersion circulator)
  • Vacuum sealer and bags or freezer safe recloseable bags
  • A heavy, preferably cast iron, pan

Directions

If you’re using a sous vide immersion circulator, pre-heat your water bath to the desired temperature.

Season the steak generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

Place the steak into the plastic bag along with any herbs or additions and vacuum seal. If you’re using a recloseable bag, follow our guide on the water displacement method

Lower the bag into the water bath and leave until cooked.

If you are using Suvie place the bag into a Suvie pan and cover completely with water. Place in Suvie and use the following settings:

Suvie Cook Settings

Bottom Zone: Sous Vide at 125-150°F for 1-3 hours (based on desired doneness)

Top Zone: Sous Vide at 125-150°F for 1-3 hours (based on desired doneness)

Once the cook is done remove the bag from your Suvie or water bath. 

Finishing

Remove the steak from the bag and pat dry with paper towels. 

Pan Sear

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast-iron pan over high heat. Avoid using olive oil as it has a low smoke point.

Once the oil begins to smoke and shimmer, add the steak. and cook without moving for 15 seconds.

Flip steaks and repeat on the opposite side for 15 seconds. Continue flipping steaks in 15-second intervals until both sides are well browned. Finally, using a pair of tongs, sear the edges and fat cap of steak.

Remove from heat and serve.

Recipes to try

Winter Steak Salad

Thai Steak Salad

Steak with Fresh Tomato Salad

Seared Steak with Farro and Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

Garlic Butter Steak with Crispy Potatoes

Chimichurri Steak

Steak au Poivre with Smashed Potatoes

FAQs

Are the cooking temperatures safe?

Our recommended cooking temperatures for Sous vide and Suvie are lower than what the USDA recommends, however, cooking times and temperatures are long enough and high enough for “pasteurization” to make your food safe. The USDA recommendations indicate the temperature needed to instantly kill food pathogens. By cooking for a longer time at a lower temperature we are able to achieve the same effect. However, high-risk populations should use extra caution when preparing foods below the USDA recommended temperatures.

Where can I get vacuum sealed proteins?

If you don’t want to fuss with vacuum sealers and recloseable bags you can skip the store and order the Suvie Protein Box. Just put together your ideal combination of preseasoned, portioned, and vacuum-packed high-quality meat, poultry, or fish. We deliver it to you frozen in a carefully-packed box.

Can I use any type of plastic bag?

You can, however, make sure that they are made from polyethylene. Brand name recloseable bags are made using polyethylene which is a BPA and dioxin free plastic that can safely handle sous vide cooking temperatures up to 190°F. Some generic branded plastic bags are made using cheaper polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which cannot handle high temps and contains chemicals that can leach into food.

Should I leave my steak to rest before serving? 

Nope! One of the great things about cooking with Suvie and sous vide is the evenness of temperature. While the outer edges will be hotter from the sear, the interior of the steak will be cooked to the same temperature throughout. This means no resting time is necessary. 

I forgot to defrost my steak, what now?

No problem! You can sous vide steak directly from frozen. Just add 1 hour to the cooking time. 

Can I cool my steak after the sous vide process and sear it later?

For food safety and general food quality reasons, we don’t recommend it. Steak should be seared and eaten soon after the sous vide step.

Can I leave my steak in the water bath indefinitely? 

You can, but you shouldn’t. While leaving steak in sous vide for long periods of time won’t result in overcooking, it will have a negative effect on the overall texture of the meat.

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Gina
Gina
2 years ago

I am sorry for the possibly silly question I’m going to ask, I ordered my Suvie so I have not been able to try it out… im wondering about the 1 to 3 hour window for the proteins chart here and chicken. Thats a large time frame or do i use an actual time to set so that im not throwing away meats for my improper cooking lol. The protein will be in a vacuum bag so it can not be checked for internal temp. Again I’m new to suvie so if I am missing something I apologize.

Caroline Pierce
Admin
Caroline Pierce
2 years ago
Reply to  Gina

Hi Gina, the chicken will be fully cooked after an hour. Whether you decide to cook it up to three hours largely depends on your schedule and the type of meat you’re cooking. Some tougher cuts (dark meat) will benefit from a little longer in Suvie. White meat can go three hours without any ill effects, but will be ready after an hour. The beauty of cooking Sous Vide is that the meat is cooked to your preferred internal temperature without any risk of over cooking. As long as you go at least an hour on chicken, steak, pork, etc… Read more »

DKos
DKos
2 months ago
Reply to  Gina

Sous Vide chicken breast is my preferred way to eat this, never dry, always tender chicken breast, whether you finish it or not.