How Much Does a Porterhouse Steak Cost?

The porterhouse steak is the king of all steaks. This claim has been made because there are two kinds of meat on one side – filet and strip loin.

Because it’s a larger tenderloin, this cut of steak has a higher value.

The porterhouse steak from the front end of the short loin is best for grilling and broiling. This cut has a lower collagen content than other cuts, which makes it tender and easier to chew.

How much does a porterhouse steak cost?

In general, you can expect to pay between $15 (≈1 hour of uninterrupted labor at $15/hour) when on sale to $28 (≈1.9 hours of continuous work at a $15/hour job) per pound for one of these steaks during regular days at most grocery stores or restaurants that sell them. When purchasing a porterhouse steak, the price will depend on where it’s purchased and its quality.

A USDA report says either T-bone shape or porterhouse steaks cost on average around $14 (≈56 minutes working at a $15/hour wage) per pound.

USDA Prime Porterhouse steaks from Farmingdale Meat Market, from New York, are priced at $33.99 (≈2.3 hours of labor required at $15/hour) per pound.

The company Omaha Steaks offers a deal for customers that includes two 24 oz steaks at the price of $80 (≈5.3 hours of your workday at a $15/hour wage), while 8 24-ounce steaks are sold for only $270 (≈2.3 days working every waking hour at $15/hour).

At the supermarket or butcher, fresh porterhouse steak usually sells for around $14 (≈56 minutes working at a $15/hour wage) per pound. A fine cut, however, could sell as much as $28 (≈1.9 hours of continuous work at a $15/hour job) per pound.

The steaks available in different restaurants can vary drastically depending on their features and locations. For example, a porterhouse steak at Outback Steakhouse only costs $27 (≈1.8 hours at the office earning $15/hour) while the same meal could cost more than $100 (≈6.7 hours of continuous work at a $15/hour job) at Ruth’s Chris.

Porterhouse steak shipping price per pound

Shipping Porterhouses from online specialty meat purveyors generally costs an additional $15-$30 (≈2 hours of labor required at $15/hour) for overnight delivery of a 10-15 lb box depending on the destination.

Local butcher shops that deliver Porterhouses may charge $10-$20 (≈1.3 hours of your life traded for $15/hour) shipping for 5-10 lb packages, bringing the per pound shipping cost down to $1-$4 extra.

Adding overnight shipping generally tacks on $1-$4 per pound if buying 5+ lbs. Buying single steaks can mean $10+ (≈40 minutes working at a $15/hour wage) in shipping per lb.

At the Beaver Brook Ranch, the shipping cost for Grassfed Beef Dry Aged Porterhouse steak is $30 (≈2 hours of labor required at $15/hour) per pound for a 10-pound shipment and $30 (≈2 hours of labor required at $15/hour) per pound for a 5-pound shipment. Grassfed Beef Dry Aged Porterhouse steak is available for $29 (≈1.9 hours of your life traded for $15/hour) per pound for a 10-pound pick-up.

Important things to remember

Usually, when you purchase a porterhouse, it will be 100 percent Angus beef and graded as choice or prime. It is cut from the short loin which includes both the top loin and tenderloins.

Porterhouse steaks are typically large, with thickness ranging from 1 to 2 inches, and weighing anywhere from 24 to 48 ounces or more. They are often considered a "steak for two" due to their generous size.

When shopping for a steak, look at the color and cut. The perfect one will have thick edges with lots of fat on its perimeter.

It is also important to look for a piece at least 3/4 inches thick, with a thickness of 1 inch being ideal. Occasionally, butchers will sell thin steaks, and these are largely useless.

This piece of meat is very delicate and, at the same time, pretty huge. A portion of the porterhouse under 1.1 pounds is almost never found.

If you buy frozen porterhouse, it is not recommended to quickly defrost the steak, for example using a microwave oven. Just leave it in the fridge for a day.

Porterhouse steaks are celebrated for their rich, beefy flavor. They have excellent marbling, which contributes to their juicy texture and delicious taste.

Porterhouse steaks are versatile and can be prepared using various methods, including grilling, broiling, pan-searing, or even sous-vide cooking. Due to their thickness, they may require longer cooking times than thinner cuts.

When cooking a porterhouse steak, you should be able to feel the heat coming from inside. The bone-in heats up and cooks the meat evenly without drying out or getting deflated during this process.

The meat will not dry out or shrink because of the heat conductivity from the bone, so a long cooking time will not be required.

Porterhouse steaks are an excellent choice for creating a mouthwatering and sumptuous dining experience. These juicy steaks pair perfectly with a variety of side dishes, from traditional steakhouse options like mashed potatoes and creamed spinach to grilled vegetables and a flavorful sauce.

FoodBeast.com’s guide for grilling steak suggests first applying a dry rub to the meat, followed by fire-grilling it until an appropriate internal temperature is reached, and then sauce pairing with almost anything you like from balsamic vinegar to whiskey.

T-bone vs porterhouse

There is a T-shaped bone at the center of both porterhouse and T-bone steaks, making them quite similar. The main difference between these two kinds of steak? Porterhouses are bigger than T-bones — sometimes twice as big.

You might also like our articles about the cost of prime ribs, ribeye steaks, or beef short ribs.

The T-bone and porterhouse steaks are actually the same, but they differ in size. One is just a larger version of the other because it comes from a different part of tenderloin—making it the king of all steak cuts.

A porterhouse steak is thicker than a T-bone and it must be at least 1.25 inches thick while the other needs to only be 0.25 inches thick in order to earn its name, as per USDA regulations. If any smaller, then it would be called club steak instead and it would cost a lot less, even though it would basically be the same type of meat, for the most part.

How can I save money?

Grocery stores often offer deals for meat throughout the week, such as buy one get one free.

A great way to get cheap meat is by buying it in bulk at places like Sam’s Club or Costco. These large warehouse clubs offer deals on individual cuts of meat, as well as packs that are customized for the consumer’s needs. You can also find comparable deals online through reputable butchers and warehouses selling directly to consumers via their websites or apps.