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The mighty Tomahawk steak! This is THE steak to bring out when you want to impress. But you can’t cook it like regular steak – it’s too big! The best way to cook a tomahawk steak is using the reverse-sear method. Safe, simple and highly effective that yields juicier meat and a better crust, it’s a total game changer!
The best way to cook a tomahawk steak
Tomahawks are a premium cut – you do not want to stuff it up! They are huge and thick – too big for a skillet, and tricky to cook solely on the BBQ without flare-ups or ending up with a thick band of overcooked edges. Don’t risk it!
The best way to cook a tomahawk at home is using the reverse sear method – oven first, then BBQ. A fairly low oven cooks the steak gently and evenly, avoiding overcooked edges, then the BBQ finishes it off with a perfect crust.
Popularised by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt during his Cooks Illustrated days, it’s a smart method for cooking thick cut steaks that yields juicier meat and a better steak crust than the default sear-then-oven finish (hence the name “reverse-sear”). Try it once, be converted for life!
The mighty tomahawk steak!
With its massive bone and impressive size, the mighty Tomahawk Steak demands attention! The reality is, it’s just a rib-eye (scotch fillet) with an extra-long bone – some say you’re paying for weight you can’t eat.
But no one can deny the wow factor! People ooh and aah while it cooks (unlike chicken breast 😅), then swoon at first bite. Tomahawk isn’t all show! Rib-eye is steak royalty – juicy, with just the right about of fat marbling, packed with beefy flavour.
It’s a premium cut so you pay serious $ for it at steakhouses – think, $200+. So get one yourself and cook it at home instead!
JB and I researched and tried numerous methods, and the best was an easy standout: the reverse sear method starting in the oven and finished on the BBQ, a technique made famous by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt when he first wrote about it in 2007 for Cook’s Illustrated. See the FAQ at the bottom of the post for more chatter and background on testing.
Now – let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
Here’s an up-close-and-personal of the tomahawk steak fresh from the butcher. The one pictured is 1.3kg / 2.6 lb and the thickest part of the meat is 5 cm / 2″ thick. All you need to cook it is oil, salt and pepper.
Tomahawk steaks are one of the few meats that look as impressive raw as they do cooked! I’ve got a lot to say about them – what they are, why they’re so special, where to get them and what size they are. So I’ve popped this information in the expandable section below, else you’ll still be scrolling tomorrow! 😅
All about tomahawk steaks!
The better way to cook tomahawk steaks
As mentioned above, we’re using the reverse sear method, going from oven to the BBQ. No BBQ? No problems! Use the oven grill / broiler – directions in recipe card.
Please use a meat thermometer to nail the doneness – this is not the time to guess.
Preparation
De-chill – If time permits, take the steak out of the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking. It’s not the end of the world if you skip this step because we’re slow roasting which spreads the heat more evenly through the meat than using a high temperature.
Remove the tomahawk from any packaging and pat the surface dry.
⚠️ Don’t be tempted to salt ahead. It will draw moisture to the surface and make it wet so you won’t get as good a crust when you sear.
Season – Just before cooking, sprinkle the steak meat with salt and pepper, then use your hands to rub it in so it sticks better. Use most on the meat surface, some of the sides, none on the bone if it’s cleaned, or just a bit if you’ve got some meat on it (see FAQ in the Ingredients section about cleaning the bone or not).
SLOW-ROAST
In this step, we are semi-slow roasting in the oven to cook the meat evenly inside. If the oven is too hot, you end up with a thick overcooked outer band.
Slow(ish) roast – Put the steak on a rack and set it on a baking tray, then roast for 40 to 45 minutes at a low-ish 140°C/285°F (120°C fan-forced), or until the internal temperature is 50°C/122°F. This is for medium rare which is the default optimum doneness for steaks. See box below for other doneness.
💡Why a rack? It prevents the underside of the steak from getting sweaty which will make it harder to get a great crust when we sear it.
Rest 10 minutes – Take the tray out of the oven and leave the steak on the counter for 10 minutes. The internal temperature should rise by 3 degrees to 53°C/127°F. The steak at this stage will not have great colour on it. We deal with that next!
⚠️ Never skip resting! It is key for juicy steak as this is when the juices are re-absorbed into the meat fibres so they end up in your mouth rather than leaking out onto the plate when you cut into the steak.
Finish on BBQ
Now it’s time to finish it on the BBQ for the all essential steak crust and charred smoky flavour. We can’t use the stove because it won’t fit in a pan!
No BBQ? See below for how to cook a tomahawk using the oven grill / broiler.
BBQ sear sides – Lightly oil both sides of the steak. Preheat the BBQ until it’s screaming hot. If using the grill side, then turn it down to low (if your BBQ is very strong) or medium low (if your BBQ is weaker) – this is to manage flare ups from the tomahawk fat. If using the flat plate side, reduce to medium.
Then start by searing the edges of the steak and the meat on the bone (skip this if your bone is naked). Use tongs to stand it upright and rotate.
Sear 6 to 8 minutes – Sear the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side until it becomes a deep dark brown, or until the internal temperature reaches 55°C/131°F. Adjust the heat as needed – if your tomahawk has been resting out for a while and cooled, it may take longer to reach temperature.
⚠️ Flare-ups – If searing over open grates, don’t walk away – flare-ups are inevitable. Shift the steak around or off the heat to avoid scorching. We’re after a good char, not a burnt crust! If flare-ups are too hard to control, switch to the flat plate side.
BBQ grill or flat plate?
BBQ grill or flat plate? The grill is my preference as you get a better smoky, charred flavour and grill lines (if you want). But I only recommend using the grill side if you’re a BBQ master as you will need to manage flare ups caused by the fat on the tomahawks (that’s why they’re so juicy!). If you’re less confident, use the flat plate. You won’t get lines but your crust will still be 98% as good!
REST & SERVE
Rest the steak on a rack for 3 minutes – I just use the same rack it was roasted on. The internal temperature will rise to 57°C/135°F which is perfect medium rare.
🎉 Do not fret if you’re slightly higher. Tomahawks are an exceptionally juicy cut and even at 60°C which is medium, it still eats like medium rare.
Serve – Cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ thick slices. Serve with steak sauce of choice! (Pictured throughout: Cowboy Butter, and more sauces listed below).
Different doneness for Tomahawk Steak
Medium rare is the recommended level of doneness for steak for the most juicy results, and the default doneness for restaurants and chefs. Target an internal temperature of 53°C / 127.4°F when taking it out of the oven which will rise to 56-58°C / 133-136.4°F after resting for perfect medium rare.
However, you should cook your beef to the doneness you like! Use the table below.
The Target Temp is the final internal temperature for each level of doneness. The Pull Temp is the temperature at which the beef should be pulled out of the oven, then off the BBQ. It will rise to the Target Temp after resting for 10 minutes.
No BBQ – all oven method
As mentioned above, I wanted to see how well a tomahawk could be cooked without a BBQ to do the searing step, using the oven grill / broiler instead. Because not everybody has a BBQ, and not everybody who has a BBQ wants to cook outside when it’s pouring or snowing!
It took a couple of goes – but wowser! It worked so well, look at it – nice colour on the surface, and perfectly cooked meat (photo below):
How to finish tomahawks under the broiler / oven grill:
The recipe follows the same steps, with two small-but-important changes:
Pull out of the oven at a lower temperature – 45C/113F (about 30 to 35 minutes), because the meat cooks more under the broiler/grill than it does on the BBQ during the searing phase;
Scrunched foil for levelling – Use scrunched foil under the meat part of the tomahawk to elevate and level it, for even browning under the broiler / oven grill. This is key, else what you’ll find is that the fatty part on the handle will burn before you get colour on the face of the steak.
How to serve Tomahawk Steaks
Serve with your favourite steak sides and sauces! Think: fries, potato gratin, creamy mash, cauliflower cheese, wilted spinach, garlicky green beans, or even a leafy salad with a French dressing.
As for sauces? I just dropped my latest obsession – Cowboy Butter, pictured throughout this post, get the recipe here. It’s essentially garlic butter dressed up with extra flavours – smoky paprika, mustard, and a solid kick of chilli flakes. Texan vibes, very Tomahawk worthy, extremely quick and easy.
More steak sauce options
Else, try one of these steak sauces:
Béarnaise – steakhouse favourites, elegant
Café de Paris – French classic
Blue Cheese Sauce (page 330 of Dinner)
Red wine sauce (page 327 of of Dinner, requires homemade beef stock)
A good Dijon or seeded mustard
If you’re feeling really rebellious – a squirt of ketchup. (I won’t judge, I promise)
Enjoy!
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