The best way to cook a T-Bone Steak is to grill it! Learn how to grill T-Bone Steak using my fail-proof method that results in a perfectly cooked steak with a rich and savory garlic butter sauce.
You can treat your family to a steakhouse meal at home, in less time than it would take you to drive to the restaurant.
Get ready to learn how to grill a T-Bone steak that is mouth-wateringly delicious! Simple seasonings and an easy grilling method are all it takes to make the best grilled T-Bone for dinner.
On the side, try my Baked Potato Wedges or copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls with cinnamon honey butter for the full restaurant experience!
What is a T-Bone Steak?
A T-Bone steak is a popular cut of beef, with a T-shaped bone that has meat on both sides of it. On one side you have a strip steak, and on the other, a small portion of the tenderloin.
Is a T-Bone Steak the Same as a Porterhouse?
These two cuts of meat are very similar, but not the same.
While a T-bone is cut from the front of the short loin, a Porterhouse steak is cut from the back. This means that a porterhouse steak is generally larger and wider, and with a bigger tenderloin portion attached to it.
Often at restaurants, the terms porterhouse and T-bone are used interchangeably, and in general, both steaks have similar flavor and texture.
The steaks I’m grilling here are true T-bone steaks, but this recipe will work for Porterhouse steaks too!
The formula for a perfect grilled steak is 1 part choosing a good cut of meat, and 1 part following the right recipe. Since you’re reading this, you’re already halfway there!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Grilling Steaks is Simple– There’s no marinating, no splattering oil on the stovetop, and only a few easy ingredients to this T-bone steak recipe. It’s also quite fast! The total cooking time for T-bone steaks on the grill is less than 10 minutes.
- Juicy, Flavorful Meat – Grilling T-Bone Steaks quickly gives them a tasty charred outer crust, and keeps them tender and juicy inside. The rosemary-infused garlic butter sauce that we’ll pour over the steaks when they’re finished takes this simple cut of meat to the next level!
- Easy to Adapt – I’m showing you how to grill T-Bone steaks for 2, but you can easily grill 3, 4, or more steaks using this grilling method. You can also use the steak butter sauce on any kind of grilled meat, it’s delicious on everything!
Ingredients For Grilled T-Bone Steak
Here’s what you need to make the perfect grilled steak:
- Steaks: Choose two (or more) T Bone steaks that have lots of marbling and are 1½ to 2 inches thick. Believe it or not, it’s easier to cook thick steaks than it is to cook thinner ones since there’s less chance of overcooking thicker cuts.
- Butter: Unsalted butter creates a decadent finishing sauce for your grilled meat.
- Rosemary and Garlic: To flavor the butter, we’ll steep fresh rosemary and minced garlic in it. This sauce is so savory and delicious!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Grill T-Bone Steak
- Season the Steaks: Pat the steaks dry with paper towels (really well, you want as little moisture as possible on the surface), then generously season with salt and pepper on both sides and the edges.
- Make the Garlic Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with chopped rosemary, garlic, and black pepper. When the butter starts bubbling, cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Allow the herb and garlic to steep in the butter while you grill the steaks.
- Add the Steaks to the Grill: Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Clean the grates and oil them. Once the grill is hot, add the steaks and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip: Flip the steaks over, and cook for 4-5 minutes on the other side. Check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer. For medium rare steak, look for a temperature of 130°F/55°C.
- Serve: Remove the steaks from the grill onto a plate and pour the garlic butter all over them. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Remember that the temperature of the meat will raise 5-10 degrees while it’s resting!
Tip!
Take the chill off the meat before grilling it! Your meat will cook more evenly if it starts from room temperature, so let the steaks sit on the counter for about half an hour before you put them on the fire.
Recipe Tips
- Start with a clean grill. Every time you use your grill, flavors and burnt bits of food are left behind. Be sure to clean the grates well before grilling the steaks. You can even oil the grates to make it extra easy to flip your food over.
- Give the grill proper time to preheat. You want the grates to be nice and hot when you add the steaks so that they sear perfectly on the outside.
- Choose thick steaks. While you can use this method to cook thinner steaks, ones that are at least 1.5 inches thick will cook best. You can ask the butcher to cut 2-inch steaks if you really want that steakhouse experience at home.
- Feel free to add more flavor. Rosemary and garlic is a classic steak seasoning, but you can add other herbs to the finishing butter too. You can also use a marinade for the steaks, or season them with more than just salt and pepper before grilling.
- Resting is important! If you cut into your steaks as soon as they come off the grill, all of the juices will pour out, and leave the meat dry. A 5-minute rest will allow the juices to redistribute and settle.
- Try grilling the whole meal! Stay out of the kitchen as much as possible, and cook your side dishes on the grill too. Veggies like asparagus, portobello mushrooms, grilled corn on the cob, bell peppers, or potatoes grill up easily. You could even grill some shrimp skewers to create a grilled surf and turf meal!
Storing Tips
Leftover cooked T-bone steak can be kept in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
You can reheat grilled steak, but you should be careful not to overcook it. So I wrote a whole blog post about the best way to reheat steak, it’s easy! I also like to enjoy leftover steak cold, in a wrap, or on a cobb salad.
Leftover steak is also delicious in a lunchbox, so try this recipe for meal prep!
What Temperature Should T-Bone Steak Be Cooked To?
The temperature of your steak depends on your preference for doneness. Here’s a handy chart to help you decide:
- Rare: 120 to 130 °F or 49 to 54 °C
- Medium Rare: 130 to 135 °F or 54 to 57 °C
- Medium: 135 to 145 °F or 57 to 63 °C
- Medium Well: 145 to 155 °F or 63 to 68 °C
- Well Done: 155+ °F or 68+ °C
The USDA recommends cooking steaks to at least 145°F/63°C for safety.
Recipe FAQs
This will depend on the thickness of your steaks and the type of grill you’re using. For thick steaks, closing the grill is helpful because it will help to keep the grill temperature even, so that the center of the steak gets warm. Thinner steaks may overcook in a closed grill.
Slice up leftover steak and add it to pasta, and sandwiches, or make a delicious steak salad.
The butter infused with garlic and herbs adds flavor to the meat, and also adds a wonderful rich texture. This is the special touch that restaurants use to make their steaks extra delicious.
More Grilling Recipes
All Grilling →
Knowing how to grill the perfect T-Bone steak will mean many delicious dinners cooked outside this summer! Save this recipe for the next time you see some beautiful steaks at the store! The best way to save this recipe is to Pin it and share it for more people to enjoy too.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Grilled T-Bone Steak
Ingredients
- 2 t-bone steaks 1lb (450 grams) each, 1½ to 2 inches thick
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the garlic butter sauce:
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Turn on your grill and let it warm up to medium-high heat. You can use a gas or charcoal grill. Clean the grill grates, and oil them.
- Pat the steaks dry with paper towels (really well), then generously season with salt and pepper from all sides including the edges.
- Make the garlic butter, in a small saucepan, melt the butter with rosemary, garlic, and pepper. When the butter starts bubbling, cook for 1 minute then remove from heat (you don’t want to burn the garlic). Allow the herb and garlic to steep in the butter as you grill the steaks.
- Add the steaks to the grill and reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Check the temperature. For a medium rare steak, grill the steaks for about 4 minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 130°F/55°C.
- When the steaks are done, remove from the grill onto a plate and pour the butter all over the steaks and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes:
- Feel free to use this method to cook more than two t-bone steaks, or to cook other cuts of steak.
- Choose thick steaks. While you can use this method to cook thinner steaks, ones that are at least 1.5 inches thick will cook best. You can ask the butcher to cut 2-inch steaks if you really want that steakhouse experience at home.
- Take the chill off the meat before grilling it! Your meat will cook more evenly if it starts from room temperature, so let the steaks sit on the counter for about half an hour before you put them on the fire.
- Start with a clean grill. Every time you use your grill, flavors and burnt bits of food are left behind. Be sure to clean the grates well before grilling the steaks. You can even oil the grates to make it extra easy to flip your food over.
- Give the grill proper time to preheat. You want the grates to be nice and hot when you add the steaks so that they sear perfectly on the outside.
- Feel free to add more flavor. Rosemary and garlic is a classic steak seasoning, but you can add other herbs to the finishing butter too. You can also use a marinade for the steaks, or season them with more than just salt and pepper before grilling.
- Resting is important! If you cut into your steaks as soon as they come off the grill, all of the juices will pour out, and leave the meat dry. A 5-minute rest will allow the juices to redistribute and settle.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Jenn says
We made these steaks on the grill a couple of weekends ago and they turned out amazing!! We will definitely be making these steaks all summer long!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you for the wonderful review, Jenn! Sounds like you and your family have a new favorite!
April says
Yummmmm! Love a good grilled steak, nothing beats it!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you, April! I’m so happy to hear that you loved this recipe!
Jamie says
Loved this steak recipe! So tender and juicy! My husband has requested I make it again this Sunday!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
That’s so amazing to hear, Jamie! I’m glad you and your husband loved this recipe!