Short loin.
The front of the loin. Strip steak, T-bone, porterhouse and the tenderloin's thick end. Tender, leaner than rib.
Beef short loin cooks to the doneness you like, at or above the USDA minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. It is not a low-and-slow cut.
Where it comes from
Part of the FSIS loin primal, which cooks by dry heat. FSIS itself notes the naming chaos here: the boneless top loin steak is sold as strip steak, Kansas City steak, N.Y. strip, hotel cut, ambassador steak and club sirloin steak. The tenderloin runs under the short loin and sirloin and is the most tender cut on the animal.
USDA FSIS primal: loin. Nine regions, matching the Beef Board retail chart convention where the loin is shown as short loin and sirloin.
- Best methods:
- grill, sear, roast (whole tenderloin)
- Slice:
- Across the grain.
- Rest:
- 5 to 10 minutes.
Scores are Pit Log editorial, anchored to FSIS tenderness notes.
What you will see at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strip steak (New York strip) | grill, sear | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Also Kansas City, hotel cut, club sirloin (FSIS). |
| T-bone and porterhouse | grill | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Strip on one side of the bone, tenderloin on the other; the tenderloin side cooks faster. |
| Tenderloin (filet mignon) | grill, sear, roast | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Most tender, least fat. FSIS planning: whole tenderloin 45 to 60 minutes at 425 F. |
Safe. Then done.
145 F (62.8 C), then rest at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
Steaks, chops and roasts (whole muscle). Food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, read before removing from the heat source. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
Steaks 3/4 inch: FSIS planning 4 to 5 minutes per side on a grill. Approximate; the thermometer decides.
beef industry
Steaks and roasts, final temperature after rest. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Medium rare | 145 F, rest at least 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium | 160 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 170 F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: Roasts rise 5 to 15 F after leaving the heat; allow 15 to 20 minutes standing time.
beef convention
Steaks, steakhouse and pitmaster convention, pull temperatures. Culinary preference, barbecue convention.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120 to 125 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium rare | 130 to 135 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium | 140 to 145 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium well | 150 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: Craft convention: 5 to 10 F rise on a steak during a 5 to 10 minute rest.
Rare, medium-rare and medium figures are culinary preference ranges that fall below the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. USDA does not consider them safe. Where the two differ, the USDA minimum governs.
More on the beef temperature page and the full chart.
Smoke
What ruins it
- 01Treating short loin as a low-and-slow cut.
- 02Overcooking tenderloin, which has no fat to forgive it.
Cook it
No Pit Log recipe for this region yet.
- Instant-read thermometerThe single tool FSIS says is the only reliable way to know food is safe. Appears on every cut page.
- Cast iron skillet / griddleReverse sear finish for ribeye, tri-tip, chops, rack.
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Then write down what happened
Pit temp, wood, wrap, final temp, rest, result. The chart says what usually works. Your log says what worked for you.