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Tired of spending time and effort to make the perfect porterhouse steak, only to have it ruined by overcooking? This sous vide porterhouse steak recipe ensures you never have to feel that pain again!
Cooking steak sous vide is one of the best ways to ensure you get a steak that is ALWAYS cooked to perfection, even if you got caught up in that last season of RHBO.
The porterhouse has the best of both worlds - the flavor of a NY strip and the tenderness of a filet mignon all wrapped up in one cut.
The boyfriend and I split one of these so we can have a little of both 🙂
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Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the steak sous vide ensures it is cooked at the right temperature, eliminating the risk of over or under cooked meat.
- Cooking the steak for 3 hours allows it time to get ultra soft and tender, without compromising on flavor.
- Basting with fresh garlic and butter at the end gives the steak a nice buttery flavor without risk of the butter burning.
- The steak is seared quickly at very high heat to allow it to form a nice crust of flavor on the outside.
- You can easily make the steak in advance, then sear it when you're ready to serve.
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
A porterhouse steak is a steak cut from where the tenderloin and top loin meet. So it's basically a combination of a new york strip steak (try this sous vide new york strip) and the filet mignon (try this sous vide filet mignon).
I always use avocado oil for searing as it has a high smoke point and helps to get a nice crust on the steak before serving it.
The butter and is added at the very end of searing to baste the steak in a garlic butter right before serving - always use an unsalted butter so you can control salt content.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 130°F (54.5°C). I included a chart below as well for some other temperature options depending on your preference.
| Temperature | Time | Doneness |
| 125°F Degrees | 1-2 ½ hours | Rare (cool red center) |
| 132°F Degrees | 1-3 hours | Medium rare (pink throughout, very juicy) |
| 137°F Degrees | 1-3 hours | Medium (slightly pink in the center, still juicy) |
| 145°F Degrees | 1-3 hours | Medium well (very little pink, less juicy) |
| 150°F Degrees+ | 1-3 hours | Well done (not recommended) |
Season the steak with the salt and pepper and place in a vacuum seal bag.
Place in the water bath and cook for 3 hours. You can cook it as little as 1 hour, but I find 3 hours provides the best results for this type of cut.
Remove the steak from the bag and pat very dry with paper towels.
Heat a skillet on high heat and add the avocado oil.
Brown the steak for 60 seconds on one side and flip over.
Add the butter and garlic to the pan and brown the other side for 60 seconds, using a spoon to baste the top side with excess butter while the other side browns.
Remove from heat and serve with remaining melted butter and garlic in the pan.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the skillet is searing hot before adding the steak to ensure it gets a browned crust quickly.
- Don't add the butter and garlic until the end to ensure they don't burn while basting.
- Adjust the temperature to your preference based on the chart provided in the instructions in the post above.
- Make sure you pat the steak as dry as you can before adding it to the skillet to help the crust form faster.
- You can cook the steak straight from frozen - just add 30 minutes to the cook time.
- If not serving it right away, place the steaks in an ice bath for 15-20 minutes when you remove the bags from the sous vide water bath (do not open the bag - keep the steaks sealed in the bag). Follow storage instructions below.
Serving Options - Make it a Meal
- Steak is always amazing served with potatoes like:
- Try vegetables like:
- A bread option like:
- More fun carbs:
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend cooking a porterhouse steak at least 1 ½ hours, but prefer it cooked for 3 hours for the best texture and tenderness.
The best temperature for a medium rare sous vide porterhouse steak is 130°F. For rare, cook it to 125°F, medium is 135°F and medium well is 140°F.
Yes, steak can be cooked sous vide for 2 hours and typically come out with great results, as long as you are not cooking at 130°F or lower for longer than 2 ½ hours. For a more tender steak, you can cook it for longer (3-4 hours).
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Steak can be cooked sous vide in advance and stored in the fridge for 5-7 days until ready to serve. Sear per the recipe instructions, then serve.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time to ensure it doesn't overcook.
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Sous Vide Porterhouse
Ingredients
- 1 porterhouse steak
- 1-2 teaspoons salt depending on size
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil for searing
- 2 tablespoons butter for basting
- 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 130°F.
- Season the steak with the salt and pepper and place in a vacuum seal bag.
- Place in the water bath and cook for 3 hours.
- Remove the steak from the bag and pat very dry with paper towels.
- Heat a skillet on high heat and add the avocado oil.
- Brown the steak for 60 seconds on one side and flip over.
- Add the butter and garlic to the pan and brown the other side for 60 seconds, using a spoon to baste the top side with excess butter while the other side browns.
- Remove from heat and serve with remaining melted butter and garlic in the pan.
Expert Tips:
- Make sure the skillet is searing hot before adding the steak to ensure it gets a browned crust quickly.
- Don't add the butter and garlic until the end to ensure they don't burn while basting.
- Adjust the temperature to your preference based on the chart provided in the instructions in the post above.
- Make sure you pat the steak as dry as you can before adding it to the skillet to help the crust form faster.
- You can cook the steak straight from frozen - just add 30 minutes to the cook time.
- If not serving it right away, place the steaks in an ice bath for 15-20 minutes when you remove the bags from the sous vide water bath (do not open the bag - keep the steaks sealed in the bag). Follow storage instructions above.
Nutrition
Harriet
This came out perfect!! My husband and I split it as I like the tender portion and he prefers the other side. So yum!
Danielle
Happy to hear that!