Togarashi Porterhouse
Johnny Autry
You might think of a porterhouse as the luxurious cousin to the T-bone. Both steaks have the iconic T-shaped bone that imparts flavor and divides the sirloin and tenderloin—the most premium cuts of beef available. But a porterhouse is cut from the rear end of the short loin, so it has a bigger section of luscious tenderloin. The meat is so extraordinary that you don’t want to do too much to it. Here I give it a subtle heat with shichimi togarashi, a peppery Japanese condiment, and a quick turn in a garlic-soy marinade that enhances the beef’s umami.
Keep in mind that the meat along the bone will cook more slowly than the rest of the steak, so a porterhouse can actually hold two different temperatures (say, from rare to medium-rare) when it’s ready to serve. Allowing the meat to rest briefly before slicing helps even out the doneness. —from Thank You For Smoking: Fun and Fearless Recipes Cooked With a Whiff of Wood Fire on Your Grill or Smoker by Paula Disbrowe
How to Make It
1
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, togarashi, and garlic. Pour three-quarters of the marinade into a baking dish and reserve the rest. Lay the steaks in the marinade and flip them a few times to generously coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
2
Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire, or heat a gas grill to high.
3
When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, add your smoke source (chips, chunks, or log). Carefully wipe the preheated grill grates with a lightly oiled paper towel. Using a grill brush, scrape the grill grates clean, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel again.
4
When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, place the steaks over direct heat, close the grill, vent the grill for smoking, and smoke for 2 minutes. Move the steak to indirect heat, close the grill, and smoke for 4 to 5 minutes. When juices appear on the top of the meat, flip the steak and repeat the whole process, starting on direct heat for 2 minutes, then moving to indirect heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat is nicely charred and glossy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak reads 125°F (52°C), 15 to 20 minutes total; carryover heat will take it to 130°F (55°C) for medium-rare as it rests. Transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.
5
Using a sharp knife, cut the meat off the bone, then cut the sections into thin slices. Serve with the remaining marinade on the side.
Ingredients
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp shichimi togarashi
2 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane
2 1 1⁄2-inch (4 cm)-thick porterhouse steaks, about 3 1⁄2 pounds (1.6 kg) total
Directions
1
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, oil, togarashi, and garlic. Pour three-quarters of the marinade into a baking dish and reserve the rest. Lay the steaks in the marinade and flip them a few times to generously coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
2
Prepare a charcoal grill for two-zone cooking and build a medium-high fire, or heat a gas grill to high.
3
When the coals are glowing red and covered with a fine gray ash, add your smoke source (chips, chunks, or log). Carefully wipe the preheated grill grates with a lightly oiled paper towel. Using a grill brush, scrape the grill grates clean, then carefully wipe with a lightly oiled towel again.
4
When the fire begins to produce a steady stream of smoke, place the steaks over direct heat, close the grill, vent the grill for smoking, and smoke for 2 minutes. Move the steak to indirect heat, close the grill, and smoke for 4 to 5 minutes. When juices appear on the top of the meat, flip the steak and repeat the whole process, starting on direct heat for 2 minutes, then moving to indirect heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat is nicely charred and glossy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak reads 125°F (52°C), 15 to 20 minutes total; carryover heat will take it to 130°F (55°C) for medium-rare as it rests. Transfer the meat to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.
5
Using a sharp knife, cut the meat off the bone, then cut the sections into thin slices. Serve with the remaining marinade on the side.
Search All of Sunset's Recipes
The Latest
The Viral Grocery Shopping Method That Can Save You Time and Money
