🥩 What is a Porterhouse[i] Steak in Australia?

In Australia, the term porterhouse steak refers to what many other countries call a sirloin steak. It’s cut from the short loin section of the cow, sitting just behind the ribs. The meat is leaner than ribeye (scotch fillet), with a firm texture and a beefy flavour.

It gets confusing. I may be wrong about this, but this is my understanding:

• 🇦🇺 Australia: Porterhouse = Sirloin.
• 🇺🇸 United States: Porterhouse = A large T-bone steak, cut from the rear end of the short loin, which includes both the tenderloin (eye fillet) and the strip steak (sirloin).
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Porterhouse is sometimes used interchangeably with T-bone, but definitions vary.

If you ask for a porterhouse in an Australian restaurant or butcher’s shop, don’t expect a massive T-bone with eye fillet attached. You’ll get a steak which is lean, flavoursome, and perfect for sous vide.

💰 Why is Porterhouse Cheaper than Scotch Fillet?

Meat is getting more expensive. Compared with this time last year, it feels like what I now pay for porterhouse is what I was paying for scotch fillet last year.

Scotch fillet[ii] (ribeye) comes from the rib section and is appreciated for its marbling, tenderness, and flavour. Porterhouse, being leaner and less marbled, is generally cheaper. It’s still delicious, but it doesn’t have the same mouthfeel as scotch fillet. For everyday cooking, porterhouse offers more value without compromising on taste. Chuck steak would be cheaper, but chuck is tougher.

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🍽️ Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 × porterhouse steak (375 g)
• Flaky salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Brussels sprouts, halved
• Frozen potato gems
• Blue vein cheese
• Pure pouring cream
• Cream cheese
• Butter
• Bowen mango

Method

1. Sous Vide Steak
   • Season the porterhouse with salt and pepper.
   • Seal in a vacuum bag and cook in a water bath at 55 °C for 2 hours.
   • Remove, pat dry, and sear quickly on a barbecue grill.
2. Brussels Sprouts
   • Blanch in salted boiling water for 3 minutes.
   • Toss on a barbecue grill until caramelised.
3. Potato Gems
   • Fry in beef fat until crisp and golden.
4. Blue Vein Cheese Sauce
   • Melt butter in a small saucepan.
   • Add cream cheese and cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
   • Crumble in blue vein cheese and stir until smooth.
5. Plate Up
   • Slice the porterhouse and arrange with mango slices, Brussels sprouts and potato gems.
   • Drizzle generously with blue vein cheese sauce.

This dish balances the beefiness of porterhouse steak with the creamy, salty blue vein cheese. The potato gems add crunch, while Brussels sprouts bring a nutty sweetness. The Bowen mango adds a fresh sweet flavour.

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🥐 Raspberry and Pistachio Cinnamon Scroll

I visited Cannelle Fine Foods[iii] on Hayward Avenue, Torrensville, and picked up a raspberry and pistachio cinnamon scroll.

As seen on their Instagram feed, this scroll is as advertised:

• A nice pastry scroll.
• Cinnamon icing.
• Dried raspberry and crunchy pistachios sprinkled on top for texture and a nutty finish.

It’s a good companion to a strong coffee, balancing richness with sharpness.

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🥭 Mango

I don’t eat a lot of fruit these days. I still enjoy a mango. My favourite variety is the Bowen, which is also known as a Kensington Pride.

Bowen Mango: The original name, because the first trees were planted in Bowen, Queensland, in the late 1800s.

Kensington Pride Mango: Later, the variety spread to Kensington Station near Bowen, and growers began calling it “Kensington Pride.” Over time, this name became more widely used across Australia.

In Queensland[iv], many locals still call it the Bowen mango. We had a Bowen mango tree in the backyard of the house I grew up in.

Across most of Australia, it’s marketed and sold as Kensington Pride.

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Final Thoughts

Porterhouse steak may not have the gravitas of scotch fillet, but when cooked sous vide and paired with flavours like blue vein cheese, it shines. And finishing with a mango makes for an indulgent evening.

Questions

1. What do you mean by porterhouse where you live?
2. Have you noticed a change in meat prices?
3. Do you like mangoes? What’s your favourite variety for plain eating?

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[i] The word porterhouse originally referred to a type of tavern or chophouse in the mid‑18th century where porter (a dark beer) was served. By the early 19th century, the name became associated with a particular cut of beef steak, supposedly popularised in New York or Boston establishments.

[ii] Scotch fillet is the Australian and New Zealand term for the boneless ribeye steak. The word fillet comes from Old French filet (“thread, strip”), later applied to cuts of meat. The Scotch part likely reflects a marketing or culinary association with Scotland, where rib cuts were prized, though the exact origin is unclear.

[iii] https://cannelle.com.au/

[iv] The greatest state in the federation.