In Australia, a porterhouse steak is a boneless striploin, the same steak butchers also call sirloin, with a firm texture, a bold beefy flavour and a strip of fat along one edge.
The name means something different overseas, which is why so many people ask whether sirloin and porterhouse are the same steak.
This guide explains the cut, the naming, how it compares with other steaks, what it costs per kilo and how to cook it.
What Is a Porterhouse Steak?
A porterhouse steak is cut from the striploin, a long muscle that runs along the back of the animal behind the ribs and in front of the rump. Because it supports rather than moves, the meat is tender while keeping a satisfying bite.
You can recognise a porterhouse by its even shape and the fat cap running along one edge. That fat renders as the steak cooks, adding flavour and moisture to the lean meat beside it, and rendering it well is the secret to a great porterhouse.
In Australia it is almost always sold boneless, in neat steaks of 250g to 400g that are easy to portion and quick to cook. It sits between the richness of scotch fillet and the leanness of eye fillet, which is why it is the everyday premium steak in so many Australian kitchens.
The striploin's place between the rib and the rump is easiest to see on a chart of Australian beef cuts, which also shows the tenderloin sitting underneath it.
Is Sirloin the Same as Porterhouse?
In Australia, yes: sirloin and porterhouse are two names for the same boneless striploin steak, and butchers, supermarkets and restaurants use them interchangeably. There is no difference in the meat, the grade, the price bracket or the way you cook it.
The confusion comes from overseas, where the same words describe different steaks. A British sirloin steak matches an Australian porterhouse, but an American sirloin comes from further back near the hip, closer to what Australians call rump. In the United States, the Australian porterhouse is sold as New York strip.
| Australian name | Also called in Australia | United States | United Kingdom | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porterhouse | Sirloin, striploin | New York strip, strip loin | Sirloin steak | The boneless striploin |
| T-bone | Bone-in sirloin | T-bone, or porterhouse when the fillet section is large | T-bone | Striploin and tenderloin either side of the bone |
| Rump | Rump steak | Top sirloin | Rump | A separate cut from the hip |
| Scotch fillet | Rib fillet, cube roll when whole | Ribeye | Ribeye | From the rib, not the loin |
| Eye fillet | Tenderloin | Tenderloin, filet mignon | Fillet | The tenderloin muscle |
So whether the label says sirloin, porterhouse or striploin, you are buying the same steak. Judge it on thickness, fat cap and grade rather than the name.
Australian Porterhouse vs American Porterhouse
An Australian porterhouse is a boneless striploin, while an American porterhouse is a large bone-in steak with a section of tenderloin on the other side of the bone, which Australians call a T-bone.
An American porterhouse can weigh 700g or more and holds two muscles that cook at different rates, so American recipes call for longer times and often a finish in the oven. An Australian porterhouse is a single muscle, usually 2cm to 3cm thick, that needs a hot pan and a few minutes. Follow an American recipe on an Australian steak and you will overshoot by a long way.
If a recipe from overseas asks for a porterhouse, the closest Australian equivalent is a bone-in T-bone steak. Under US rules, the tenderloin section of a porterhouse must be at least 3.2cm wide, and with a smaller fillet the same steak is sold as a T-bone.
Porterhouse Flavour and Texture
Porterhouse has a bold, beefy flavour and a firm, clean bite, with less marbling than scotch fillet but more character than eye fillet. It is the steak for people who want real chew rather than a soft, buttery texture.
Most of its fat sits in the cap along the edge rather than through the muscle, so the meat itself is relatively lean. Grass-fed porterhouse tends to be leaner again, with a clean finish, while steaks with a higher marble score carry more fat through the meat and eat richer.
Wagyu porterhouse takes that richness further while keeping the striploin's firm structure, which makes it a good first step into Wagyu for anyone who likes a steak with bite.
Porterhouse vs Scotch Fillet, Rump and Eye Fillet
Porterhouse is leaner and firmer than scotch fillet, more tender than rump and more flavoursome than eye fillet, which makes it the best all-rounder of the four.
| Cut | Tenderness | Marbling | From, full box | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porterhouse (sirloin) | Very good | Moderate, plus a fat cap | $32/kg | Grilling and pan searing |
| Rump | Good | Light | $26/kg | Everyday steaks, value |
| Scotch fillet | Excellent | Heavy, through the muscle | $39/kg | Rich flavour, pan searing |
| Eye fillet | Highest | Very light | $45/kg | Whole roasts, occasions |
Choose scotch fillet when you want the richest, juiciest steak, eye fillet when tenderness matters most, and rump when value comes first. For most dinners, porterhouse strikes the best balance of flavour, bite and price.
Porterhouse Price per kg
At Cost Cut Meats, a whole porterhouse striploin costs from $27/kg in a 40kg double box, with grass-fed Angus at $32/kg and grass-fed Wagyu at $34/kg in a 20kg box.
| Striploin | Single piece | Half box (10kg) | Full box (20kg) | Double box (40kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMG, grass-fed Angus | $42/kg (4kg) | $37/kg | $32/kg | $27/kg |
| Roam Wagyu MB2-3+, grass-fed | $44/kg (3.5kg) | $39/kg | $34/kg | $29/kg |
| Southern Ranges SR+, grass-fed and finished | $50/kg (5kg) | $45/kg | $40/kg | $37/kg |
Prices checked 18 October 2026. A whole striploin lets you cut your own porterhouse steaks to the thickness you want, and a 3cm steak is far easier to cook to a pink centre than a thin supermarket cut.
The AMG grass-fed porterhouse striploin is the value pick, at about 4kg a piece and MSA graded.
How to Cook Porterhouse Steak
Render the fat edge first, sear hard on both sides and rest the steak, because porterhouse is lean enough to punish overcooking.
Stand a 2.5cm to 3cm steak on its fat cap in a very hot pan for 60 to 90 seconds, then sear it for 2 to 3 minutes a side for medium rare and rest it for 5 minutes. Pull it at about 57C for medium rare, since it climbs 3 to 5C as it rests, and avoid taking it past medium.
Thicker steaks, the barbecue and the reverse sear all change the timing, and knowing how to cook porterhouse steak by thickness takes the guesswork out.
A whole striploin also makes a generous roast, and roast sirloin with horseradish cream is an easy centrepiece for a family lunch.
Once you have the basics, porterhouse steak recipes such as steak frites, air fryer steak and a roast vegetable salad make the most of every steak.
Conclusion
In Australia, porterhouse and sirloin are the same boneless striploin steak: lean, firm and full of beefy flavour, with a fat edge that rewards a hard sear.
Buy it on thickness, fat cap and grade rather than the name, and start with the current porterhouse range, delivered chilled to every state and territory except the NT.
