Bobby Flay grew up eating at the legendary Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn, where gruff waiters wield sizzling platters of sliced, with-the-bone porterhouses, enveloped in a mahogany crust. Years later, he spent time in the Luger kitchen while filming a TV show about how its steaks are prepared. “I was like, ‘What the hell is this guy doing?’ It was so far from proper technique.” Since then, Flay hasn’t made a steak any other way. Here’s how to achieve the mythic Peter Luger–style porterhouse at home. And, yes, butter is half the answer.

The thicker the steak, the better, says Flay. He recommends 1½ to 2 inches.The Porterhouse Rules

Start with a room-temperature, dry-aged porterhouse. Salt it aggressively on both sides. With a steak this thick, a little salt sprinkled on the outside won’t do it—make it rain. Get a skillet really hot over medium-high heat (see Rule No. 1). Add a dash of a neutral oil to get things going. Place steak in pan. Don't touch it. After about 4 minutes, when it’s got a beautiful brown crust, move it to a cutting board, crust side up. Cut the steak off the bone in two pieces—the strip on one side, the filet on the other. Cut straight down into thick slices perpendicular to the bone. Here’s the cool part: Place the bone back in the hot pan, and reassemble the sliced meat alongside it, crust side up. Top the steak with a few fat pats of butter. Heat broiler and place the pan underneath. Broil till sizzling and gorgeous and a perfect medium-rare, 4–6 minutes. (Since the steak is already sliced, you can peek to check doneness.) Serve the porter-house directly from the pan, and spoon the buttery pan sauces over each portion.

Watch how to do it here: