Short loin comes from the upper middle back of the cow, behind the rib and in front of the sirloin. It yields tender cuts like T-bone, porterhouse, strip steak, and tenderloin; steaks from this area cook safely to 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
What Part Of The Cow Is Short Loin From: it is from section 8 of the beef carcass, the short loin, located on the upper middle back just behind the rib and in front of the sirloin.
This area runs along the spine and contains tender muscles that do little work. It is the source of T-bone, porterhouse, strip steak, and the strip side of a tenderloin steak. The short loin sits above the flank and below the backbone.
The Short Answer, With Numbers
The short loin is from the upper middle-back of the cow, between the rib section in front and the sirloin behind. It sits along the spine and supplies some of the most tender beef cuts.
On a side of beef, the short loin is one primal section. It is not from the shoulder, round, flank, brisket, or chuck. It is a back muscle area with relatively low workload, which is why it cuts tender.
Exact Location On The Cow
Picture the cow standing side-on. The short loin is high on the back, just behind the last rib and before the hip/sirloin area. It runs along both sides of the backbone.
Numerically, the beef short loin is commonly associated with the area behind the 13th rib. The rib primal is forward of it; the sirloin primal starts behind it.
The short loin contains two major muscle groups: the strip loin on the outside and part of the tenderloin on the inside. When both remain attached to bone, you get T-bone and porterhouse steaks.
A T-bone has strip steak on one side of the T-shaped bone and tenderloin on the other. A porterhouse is the same basic bone structure, but with a larger tenderloin portion.
If the short loin is boned out, the strip side becomes New York strip steaks or strip loin roast. The tenderloin portion can become filet mignon, tenderloin steaks, or tenderloin roast.
| Relevant short-loin food | Safe minimum internal temperature | Rest time |
|---|---|---|
| Beef steaks, chops, roasts | 145°F (63°C) | 3 minutes |
| Ground beef | 160°F (71°C) | None |
Worked Examples
If you buy a 1-inch New York strip steak, it is a short-loin cut. Cook it as a beef steak: 145°F (63°C), then rest it 3 minutes.
If you buy a T-bone steak, it is also from the short loin. Measure the thickest edible part, avoiding bone. The relevant figure is still 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest.
If you buy a porterhouse, the strip side and tenderloin side cook at different speeds. The tenderloin is smaller and often finishes first, but the steak safety target remains 145°F (63°C) plus 3 minutes.
If a butcher grinds short-loin trim into burger, it is no longer treated as a steak. Once ground, the relevant row is ground beef: 160°F (71°C), with no rest time listed.
If the label says “strip loin roast,” that is the roast version of the New York strip muscle. It comes from the short loin and uses the beef roast figure: 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest.
If the label says “sirloin steak,” that is not short loin. Sirloin sits directly behind the short loin. It may be tender, but anatomically it is a different primal section.
If the label says “ribeye,” that is not short loin either. Ribeye comes from the rib section, which is immediately in front of the short loin.
Fast rule: short loin equals high back, behind rib, before sirloin. Common cuts: New York strip, T-bone, porterhouse, strip loin roast, and some tenderloin/filet portions.
Where Short Loin Comes From
Short loin comes from the upper middle-back of the cow, behind the rib section and in front of the sirloin. It sits along the spine and is one of the most tender beef primals because those muscles do little work.
On a beef carcass, the short loin is cut from the hindquarter. It starts after the 12th rib and runs back to the sirloin, usually ending around the hip bone area where the sirloin begins.
Exact Location on the Cow
Picture the cow from the side: chuck is near the shoulder, rib is behind that, short loin is directly behind the rib, and sirloin is behind the short loin. It is high on the animal, not on the belly or leg.
The short loin includes part of the backbone, the top loin muscle, and part of the tenderloin muscle. These muscles lie on opposite sides of the T-shaped lumbar vertebrae in bone-in steaks.
That bone is why a T-bone steak has two sides: the larger side is strip loin, and the smaller side is tenderloin. Both come from the short loin when the steak is cut bone-in.
What Cuts Come From the Short Loin
- Strip steak: boneless or bone-in steak cut from the top loin side.
- New York strip: a boneless strip steak from the short loin.
- Kansas City strip: commonly a bone-in strip steak.
- T-bone steak: bone-in steak with strip on one side and tenderloin on the other.
- Porterhouse steak: a T-bone-style steak with a larger tenderloin portion.
- Tenderloin section: part of the whole tenderloin passes through the short loin.
A practical example: if a butcher cuts the short loin into 1-inch steaks, the front steaks near the rib end usually have less tenderloin. Steaks farther back usually show more tenderloin.
That is why not every T-bone is a porterhouse. Both come from the short loin, but the porterhouse is cut farther toward the sirloin end, where the tenderloin muscle is larger.
Short Loin Versus Nearby Sections
| Section | Position on cow | Typical cuts |
|---|---|---|
| Rib | In front of short loin | Ribeye, rib roast |
| Short loin | Behind rib, ahead of sirloin | Strip steak, T-bone, porterhouse |
| Sirloin | Behind short loin | Top sirloin, sirloin steak |
An edge case is boneless fabrication. If the butcher removes the bones first, the same short loin may become boneless strip steaks plus a tenderloin portion instead of T-bones and porterhouses.
Another edge case is the whole tenderloin. It extends through more than one primal area, so not every tenderloin steak is automatically “from the short loin.” Only the portion under the short loin is.
For cooking, short-loin steaks are beef steaks. USDA’s safe minimum internal temperature for beef steaks is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
Short Loin Location On Cow
The short loin is from the upper middle back of the cow, directly behind the rib section and directly in front of the sirloin. It sits along the spine, above the flank, on both sides of the backbone.
On a beef carcass, the short loin starts after the 12th rib and runs back to the hip area where the sirloin begins. It is not from the shoulder, round, brisket, plate, or belly.
Exact Position On The Carcass
Think of the cow’s back as a line from head to tail. The rib primal is forward, the short loin is in the middle, and the sirloin is behind it. The short loin is the compact section between rib and sirloin.
| Carcass area | Position | Common cuts |
|---|---|---|
| Rib | In front of short loin | Ribeye, rib roast |
| Short loin | Middle upper back | T-bone, porterhouse, strip steak |
| Sirloin | Behind short loin | Top sirloin, sirloin steak |
The short loin contains part of the longissimus dorsi muscle, which becomes the strip side of a T-bone or porterhouse. It also contains part of the tenderloin, depending on where the cut is taken.
A whole beef side has 1 short loin on the left side and 1 short loin on the right side. That means 1 animal provides 2 short loins total.
Why T-Bone And Porterhouse Come From Short Loin
A T-bone steak is cut across the short loin. The T-shaped bone is a cross-section of the backbone. One side is strip steak; the smaller side is tenderloin.
A porterhouse is also from the short loin, but from the rear end of it, closer to the sirloin. That rear area has a larger tenderloin portion, which is why porterhouse looks bigger on one side of the bone.
Example: if a butcher cuts steaks from the front of the short loin, near the rib, the tenderloin piece is small or may be absent. Those cuts are usually strip steaks or smaller T-bones.
Example: if the butcher cuts from the back of the short loin, near the sirloin, the tenderloin is larger. Those cuts are the classic porterhouse-style steaks.
Short Loin Versus Sirloin
The short loin is not the same as sirloin. Short loin is farther forward and closer to the rib. Sirloin is farther back, nearer the hip and round.
If the steak has a T-shaped bone with strip on one side and tenderloin on the other, it is from the short loin area. If it is labeled top sirloin, it is from behind the short loin.
If the tenderloin has been removed before cutting, the short loin is often cut into boneless strip steaks. These may be sold as New York strip, Kansas City strip, or strip loin steaks.
For cooking safety, short-loin steaks such as strip, T-bone, and porterhouse fall under beef steaks. USDA’s safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
Bottom line: short loin comes from the cow’s upper back, between the rib and sirloin, along the spine. It is the source of strip steaks, T-bones, porterhouses, and part of the tenderloin.
How To Identify Short Loin
Short loin is the upper back section of the cow, between the rib and the sirloin. On a beef side, it starts behind the 13th rib and ends where the sirloin begins at the hip area.
Use These 6 Checks
- 1. Find the location on the carcass: Short loin sits high on the back, not the belly or shoulder. It is directly behind the rib primal and directly in front of the sirloin primal.
- 2. Count from the rib end: The short loin begins after rib 13. If a cut still contains rib bones, it is from the rib section, not the short loin.
- 3. Look for the T-shaped bone: Bone-in short loin steaks usually show a T-shaped lumbar vertebra. This bone separates the strip loin on one side from tenderloin on the other.
- 4. Measure the tenderloin side: In a T-bone steak, the tenderloin portion is smaller. In a porterhouse, it is larger, often at least 1.25 inches wide at its broadest point.
- 5. Identify the strip side: The larger meat section beside the T-bone is the strip loin. Boneless, this becomes strip steak, New York strip, Kansas City strip, or shell steak.
- 6. Check for low connective tissue: Short loin cuts are fine-grained and tender because this back muscle group does limited work compared with chuck, round, or shank.
What Short Loin Looks Like At The Meat Counter
A whole short loin is a compact primal, commonly yielding bone-in T-bone and porterhouse steaks when cut crosswise. If it is boned out, it separates into strip loin and tenderloin portions.
Example: if a steak has a T-shaped bone, a large strip section, and a small tenderloin oval, it is a T-bone from the short loin. If that tenderloin oval is much wider, it is a porterhouse.
Example: if the label says “New York strip steak” and there is no bone, it is still from the short loin area. The butcher removed the bone and tenderloin, leaving the strip loin muscle.
Edge case: a ribeye can be mistaken for short loin because it is also tender and from the back. The giveaway is bone shape and muscle pattern. Ribeye comes from the rib primal, not behind the 13th rib.
Edge case: top sirloin is next to the short loin, but it is not short loin. It sits farther back toward the hip and lacks the classic T-bone structure with strip loin and tenderloin divided by bone.
Common Short Loin Cuts
| Cut name | How to recognize it |
|---|---|
| T-bone steak | T-shaped bone, large strip side, smaller tenderloin side |
| Porterhouse steak | T-shaped bone with a larger tenderloin section |
| New York strip | Boneless strip loin; no tenderloin attached |
| Strip loin roast | Larger uncut strip section, usually boneless or partially trimmed |
If you want the simplest ID rule: short loin cuts come from the top back behind the ribs, and the clearest bone-in sign is the T-shaped bone dividing strip loin from tenderloin.
Cuts From The Short Loin
The short loin is the rear part of the beef loin, behind the rib and in front of the sirloin. On a side of beef, it sits high on the back and supplies the most familiar steakhouse cuts.
Its key muscles are the strip loin on the outside and the tenderloin on the inside. When both stay on the bone, the result is a T-bone or porterhouse. When separated, they become strip steaks and tenderloin steaks.
Bone-In Steaks
A T-bone steak is cut across the short loin and includes a T-shaped vertebra, a strip section, and a smaller tenderloin section. The strip side is larger, firmer, and beefier.
A porterhouse is the same basic crosscut, but from the rear short loin where the tenderloin is larger. In practical buying, a porterhouse is the bigger tenderloin version of a T-bone.
Example: if two steaks are both 1.25 inches thick, the one with a wide tenderloin portion is sold as porterhouse, while the one with a narrow tenderloin portion is sold as T-bone.
Club steak also comes from the short loin. It is a bone-in strip steak with no tenderloin attached, usually cut from the front end of the short loin before the tenderloin appears.
Boneless Cuts
New York strip steak is the boneless strip loin cut from the short loin. It may also be labeled strip steak, top loin steak, Kansas City strip when bone-in, or shell steak in some markets.
Filet mignon comes from the tenderloin, and part of that tenderloin lies inside the short loin. The center and butt sections may extend into adjacent areas, so not every filet is solely short-loin meat.
Chateaubriand is a thick tenderloin roast, often cut for 2 people. If taken from the center tenderloin within the short loin area, it is related to the same muscle used for filet mignon.
How Butchering Changes The Cuts
A butcher must choose between bone-in steaks and separate boneless cuts. One short loin cannot yield full T-bones, porterhouses, boneless strips, and full tenderloin steaks at the same time.
Worked example: leaving the tenderloin attached gives T-bones and porterhouses. Removing it first gives one strip loin for strip steaks plus tenderloin portions for filet-style steaks.
Thickness changes count. A 16-inch strip loin cut into 1-inch steaks gives about 16 steaks. Cut the same piece 1.5 inches thick and the yield drops to about 10 steaks, with thicker portions.
Cooking Targets For Short-Loin Beef
For beef steaks and roasts from the short loin, the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. This applies to strip steaks, T-bones, porterhouses, and tenderloin roasts.
Ground beef made from short-loin trim is different. Once beef is ground, the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 160°F, with no rest time required.
Short Loin Versus Sirloin
The short loin and sirloin are neighboring primal cuts, but they are not the same part of the cow. The short loin sits forward of the sirloin, along the upper back, behind the rib and ahead of the hip.
On a beef side, the short loin is cut from the top middle back. The sirloin starts immediately behind it and runs toward the round. That location difference explains most of the difference in tenderness and steak names.
Exact Location On The Cow
The short loin contains the rear section of the longissimus dorsi muscle, which is the same main “eye” muscle seen in ribeye farther forward. It also includes part of the tenderloin on the underside.
The sirloin is farther back, closer to the hip and rear leg. Those muscles do more work, so sirloin is usually leaner, firmer, and less tender than short loin steaks cut from the same animal.
| Cut area | Position | Common steaks | Typical eating style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short loin | Behind rib, before sirloin | T-bone, porterhouse, strip steak | Very tender, quick-cooking |
| Sirloin | Behind short loin, before round | Top sirloin, sirloin steak, tri-tip | Meatier, leaner, stronger chew |
A T-bone and porterhouse both come from the short loin. Each has a strip steak on one side of the bone and tenderloin on the other. The difference is the tenderloin size, not a change from short loin to sirloin.
A porterhouse is cut from the rear end of the short loin, where the tenderloin section is larger. A T-bone is cut farther forward, where the tenderloin section is smaller.
Worked Example: Ordering Steak
If a menu lists a 16-ounce porterhouse, it is a short loin steak. You are paying for 2 muscles: strip loin plus tenderloin, separated by the T-shaped bone.
If a menu lists a 10-ounce top sirloin, it is from the sirloin primal, not the short loin. It should taste beefy and lean, but it will not have the same soft texture as a strip or tenderloin.
If a butcher labels a boneless “New York strip,” that is short loin when cut from the strip loin section. If labeled “sirloin strip,” ask for clarification, because that wording can confuse 2 different primals.
| If you want | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Most tender steak | Porterhouse or strip from short loin | Less-worked back muscle |
| Lower price per pound | Top sirloin | Farther back, more working muscle |
| Bone-in steak with 2 textures | T-bone or porterhouse | Strip plus tenderloin |
Edge Cases That Cause Confusion
The tenderloin crosses the boundary area near the short loin and sirloin. Filet mignon may be associated with the short loin or sirloin end, depending on where the tenderloin was separated.
Tri-tip is not short loin. It is a sirloin cut, usually from the bottom sirloin. It has a triangular shape and is often roasted or grilled whole, unlike a strip steak cut across the short loin.
Cooking safety does not change because a steak is short loin or sirloin. For beef steaks, chops, and roasts, the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
Bottom line: short loin is the premium upper-back section between rib and sirloin. Sirloin is the next primal behind it, nearer the hip. Short loin gives strip, T-bone, and porterhouse; sirloin gives top sirloin and tri-tip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What part of the cow is the short loin from?
The short loin comes from the upper middle back of the cow, behind the rib section and in front of the sirloin. It sits along the spine and contains tender muscles that do little work, which is why many premium steaks are cut from this area.
Is short loin the same as sirloin?
No. The short loin is directly in front of the sirloin, closer to the ribs. Sirloin comes from farther back toward the hip. Short loin cuts are usually more tender, while sirloin cuts are often larger, leaner, and less expensive.
What steaks come from the short loin?
Common short loin steaks include T-bone, porterhouse, strip steak, Kansas City strip, New York strip, and tenderloin portions. A T-bone and porterhouse both include 2 muscles: the strip loin on one side and tenderloin on the other.
Why is the short loin so tender?
The short loin is tender because it is located along the cow’s back, where the muscles do not perform heavy movement. Less-used muscles have less connective tissue. That makes short loin steaks easier to chew than cuts from the shoulder, round, or brisket.
How should short loin steak be cooked safely?
Short loin steaks are beef steaks, so the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer, avoiding bone or fat, especially on T-bone and porterhouse steaks.
