How to Make Perfect T-Bone Steaks on the Grill

The T-bone is ideally suited to grilling, because it cooks well under high heat, and fast conditions. Because the meat itself doesn't contain a lot of collagen, you don't need to cook it for long to make it tender.

The T-bone itself is basically two steaks in one. You're getting the filet mignon (the smaller part of the "T"), and the NY Strip (the larger side of the "T"). The are both incredibly delicious and desirable cuts, thus leading to the higher price tag you see on T-bone steaks.

Finally, the bone. The bone being right in the middle of the steak gives us something really awesome: juiciness and flavor. However, that also makes them slightly more complicated to cook, as the meat closer to the bone cooks more slowly than the meat far away from it. Highly, highly recommend a meat thermometer here people. Unless you are some sort of steak Jedi, you can't get away without it.

You can find T-bone steaks almost anywhere these days, so feel free to pick on up from your local grocery store. However, if you spring for your butcher's, they will be able to help you pick the best steak, and even cut them to the thickness you want. I would recommend going about 1 ½" thick, just because that's likely going to be the easiest to cook. Anything bigger than that you're looking at much longer cook times (although, go for it if you're feeling adventurous.

These are essentially the same thing, but the filet mignon portion on a porterhouse will be bigger than it would be on a T-bone. Each cow will produce 6-7 T-bones, but only 2-3 porterhouses. They are bigger, and the are definitely more expensive, but they are also delicious. So if you're thinking fancy, gourmet meal, spring for the porterhouse.

One of the most important rules for grilling any type of steak is to make sure the steak is at room temperature before you cook it. This means taking it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you're ready for it to hit the grill.

Once it's out of the fridge, take it out of the packaging and let it rest on a plate. Pat away the moisture with a paper towel and season liberally. Again, let it come to room temperature.

Once that's done, go turn on your grill to high heat. Make sure you brush off any debris from last time (we want those clean grill marks!)

Ok, admittedly, I'm a bit of a steak purist, so I contend that the only seasoning you need for grilling a good T-bone or Porterhouse is salt, pepper, and a bit of oil. If you have a favourite steak seasoning though, by all means go ahead and use it.

Grilling the steak itself is actually pretty easy. Now that our grill is screaming hot, we're going to cook our steaks.

Place the steaks on the grill (for those diamond marks - more on those below).Have your instant meat thermometer ready and with you at all times.

Let the steaks cook for 2-3 minutes, then rotate them a full 90 degrees for the diamond pattern. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then flip over, cook for another 2-3 minutes, rotate 90 degrees again, and leave for another 2-3 minutes with the lid closed. Check the temperature though, to make sure you're not overcooking them!

Pro tip: do not fiddle around with the steak. Once you set it on the grill, you can't move it if you want those grill marks to be perfect!

How to Get those Diamond Grill Marks

Ok, this was definitely a hard concept to explain using my words, so I've also got a step-by-step picture gallery for you so we can make sure that we do this right.

Making compound butter is so easy, and such a great way to add flavour to your steak. This one is pretty simple - we're going with cilantro, parsley, and garlic.

Start with softened butter (definitely NOT melted, you just need to be able to mix everything together!) Add 2 tablespoon of fresh, chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoon fresh, chopped parsley, and 2 diced cloves of garlic. Mix well in a small bowl.

Prepare a piece of plastic wrap on a smooth, clean surface. Place your butter on the wrap, and using the wrap, form it into a log shape. Roll until smooth, twisting the ends. Refrigerate for one hour. When ready to serve the steak, cut butter into discs about 1" thick, and place on top of the steak, allowing it to melt.

This steak goes great with all the traditional side dishes that normally compliment a steak. However, let's go for the full dinner party here. This is what my menu looks like:

Raw Oysters with Fresh and Spicy Tomatillo Habanero Mignonette

Roasted Broccoli with Pecorino and Honey

Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Awesome Dipping Sauces for Sweet Potato Fries (and Fry Recipe)

Definitely go with a dry red, like a Cab Sauv or a Syrah. The Syrah would by my choice in this instance, because it's heavier than a Pinot Noir (which is often recommended with a filet mignon), but has the same tannins, with dark fruity flavors of a Cab Sauv. It's perfect with a T-bone or a porterhouse.

Rare: 125°F

You should let the steak rest for at least 5-7 minutes before serving. This allows the juices in the meat to redistribute, so they don't come pouring out onto the plate the moment you cut into it.