This no-fail guide for cooking T-bone steaks makes cooking this perfectly juicy hunk of meat a breeze. We keep things simple so you don’t need fancy tools or tricks. Just a handful of quality ingredients and a foolproof method!

We also have a deep-dive guide to cooking any steak as well as all the details for grilling steaks to perfection on your backyard grill.

Why Our Recipe

  • I’ve developed these methods and tips over several years while serving as an official Steak Cookoff Association judge. So, yeah, trust me when I say I KNOW steaks!
  • Turn this huge beefy cut of meat into a restaurant-worthy meal with minimal effort.
A close up view of a t-bone steak that has been sliced for serving with the bone still in the middle showing the T shape, sitting in a skillet full of melted resting butter.

So, what’s a T-bone steak anyway?

The cut commonly known as the T-bone comes from the loin. It has a strip steak on one side of the bone and part of the filet on the other side. These are similar to porterhouse steaks, but those come from further down and have bigger portions of the filet part making them a bit larger in size.

Ingredient Notes

An overhead view of the ingredients needed to cook a t-bone steak including the meat, resting butter, salt, pepper, and oil.
  • T-Bone Steaks: at least 1-inch thick.
  • Olive Oil: or other oil for searing at high heat, like quality canola or vegetable oil.
  • Resting Butter: you can use plain butter, but flavored butters are extra delicious. A compound butter will take any cut of beef to the next level of tastiness!

An oven-safe skillet that can go straight from searing to roasting is a must-have for the best T-bone steaks. I love my cast iron skillet, but really any heavy-bottom and oven-safe skillet works well.

Use an internal or instant-read thermometer to get the steak doneness exactly how you like it. I’m a big fan of ThermoWorks products!

Grilling T-bones

It’s first important to note that T-bones do have more fat than most steaks, so if you are grilling it, be aware that the fat can render down and cause flare ups while grilling. Be careful!

Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat (about 500 degrees). Sear steaks for 3-4 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking with the lid closed until the steaks reach the desired level of doneness (130 degrees F for medium-rare).

When the steaks are removed from the grill, immediately top with 1 tablespoon butter each, tent with aluminum foil, and allow the steaks to rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into them.

An overhead view of a t-bone steak in a cast iron skillet with resting butter melting on top.

Steak Judge Tips

T-bones tends to be fatty, which explains all of the tasty goodness. Feel free to leave alone or trim off any excess fat you don’t plan to eat.

If you have the time I suggest oiling and seasoning the steaks for up to 12 hours in advance in the fridge. It helps the juices in the meat come to the surface and makes the steaks optimally flavorful.

You want to create a crust with deep layers of brown, be sure not to fiddle with your steaks too much or continually flip them. Your goal is to sear that crust in one go, but keep a close eye on the meat to make sure it does not burn. Too much char has a strong unpleasant taste and smell.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Reheat portions in a skillet over medium heat or wrap in aluminum foil to retain moisture and reheat in a 300-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until warmed through.

Serve your t-bone with…