What is T-bone Steak? Location, Muscles and More

The t-bone steak comes from the front of the short loin.

This side is used because the tenderloin muscle is smaller.

Depending on the size of the cow and how the Butcher decides to cut:

There are roughly 10-20 t-bone steaks per cow (assuming 0.75 – 1.25 inch thick steaks).

Why is it Called a “T-bone”?

The shape of the bone is a “T.”

The T itself:

• The center bone is a transverse process of the vertebra.
• The top of the T is half the vertebral foramen.

That may be hard to understand, so here are those parts visually:

If we zoom back even more (assume you’re staring at the cow from the back):

What Muscles Make Up the T-bone Steak?

There are 2 muscles:

• the strip loin
• the tenderloin

The strip loin is the larger muscle.

This is pictured in dotted yellow line below:

The tenderloin is the smaller muscle on the other side of the bone.

This is pictured in dotted yellow line below:

The above steak was sold to me as a T-bone steak BUT, since the tenderloin was wider than 1.25″, it’s technically a porterhouse.

Anything smaller than 1.25″ is a t-bone.

For example:

Quite literally a single bite.

Often these steaks are de-boned and the muscles themselves are made into retail cuts like:

• NY strip steaks
• Tenderloin medallion steaks
• Whole tenderloin
• Whole strip loin