Cooking Class with Chef Ivan Flowers Lesson 34: Porterhouse Steak

The last class I taught you how to make Ceviche, so I thought since I had covered some surf, I should now get to some turf. That’s right, this class is about steak. Not just any steak, one of my favorite cuts, the Porterhouse. What is a Porterhouse steak? It is a bone in cut that has a New York steak on one side of the bone and a Filet on the other side. A T-bone steak has the same components, but it has a much smaller filet. I like the Porterhouse because in one cut you get all the flavor from the New York and all the tenderness from the Filet. Also, I love a bone-in cut of meat. The bone is important, it adds flavor and keeps the meat juicier.

When choosing your steak, look for a cut that is well-marbled. That means that you can see a good amount of fat running through the meat. Also, look for a choice or prime cut of meat. This is a steak that you will probably want to get custom cut from your butcher. Now let’s get cooking!

I’m doing this recipe in a cast iron skillet because I think there is nothing better that a pan-seared steak. It develops this wonderful crust that not only gives flavor, but also seals in all those juices. If you want, you can follow this class and grill the steak instead of pan sear it, but I suggest you try this method. Additionally, this is a recipe where the pan matters; you must do this in a cast iron skillet. Why? Because it gives the best crust to the meat due to how the pan holds and radiates heat. Invest in a good cast iron skillet, you won’t be sorry, it is a versatile pan that lasts a lifetime. This recipe will feed two people and you will need:

38 ounce Porterhouse steak
cast iron pan
pastry bush
meat thermometer
cooling rack
large bowl
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
a dash of smoked salt

You will actually start this steak the day before you are going to eat it. You do this so the rub penetrates the meat adding flavor and creates a crust without burning the spices.

In a large bowl combine all the spices. Rub into the steak and put in the fridge covered for 24 hours. The next day, take out the steak and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking it. Remember, we do this so the meat cooks more evenly. Next, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Now, place your cast iron skillet on stove over low-medium heat for about four minutes. You do this to preheat the pan and this in turns help to develop that delicious crust on the steak. Cast iron takes in heat slow, but once it is hot, it retains that heat and provides exceptionally even heat.

Next, using the pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of the steak with canola oil. Then salt both sides of the steak. I know, there was salt in the rub, but that salt penetrated and flavored the meat. This extra salt helps build the crust and gives the steak a great flavor. After heating the pan four minutes, reduce heat to low and brush the inside of the pan with canola oil. At this point, you want to see a little smoke. If you see a little, you are good to go, if you see a lot, wait a couple minutes, oil the pan again and then you can start cooking the steak.

Place the steak in the pan and cook four minutes. Flip the steak and then go directly into your preheated oven. You will want to cook the steak in the oven for about eight minutes for medium-rare (120 degrees internal temperature). Check the steak at six minutes with a meat thermometer; you want to remove it from the oven at 110 degrees because the carry over cooking will take the meat to 120. If you like your steak a little more well done, simply cook a couple of minutes longer.

Once steak hits 110 degrees remove it from oven and place directly on a cooling rack. You use a rack because you don’t want the steak sitting in its own juices, which would destroy that fabulous crust you worked so hard to build. Rest the steak on the rack at least eight minutes. Then, dig in!

This steak goes great with chimichurri sauce, compound butters or roasted mushrooms. But even without anything else, you will devour this steak because the flavor in the crust is out of this world. As with any technique or recipe, the most important component is the cook’s heart. The heart is what helps you create delicious meals you'll never forget.

Check out last week's cooking lesson right here.

Chef Ivan Flowers brings 25 years of fine cuisine experience to Top of The Market, San Diego. Prior to becoming Executive Chef at Top of The Market, Chef Flowers owned Fournos restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, named a top 25 restaurant in Arizona. He was also Executive Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona, the AAA Four-Diamond, Four Star award winning restaurant. Flowers has created extraordinary cuisine for some of the finest restaurants in Arizona, including T. Cooks at Scottsdale's Royal Palms Resort and the Phoenician's Mary Elaine's and Different Pointe of View.