Tomahawk Ribeye (also known as the tomahawk chop or long bone-in ribeye) is a giant, marbled steak with an extended frenched bone. This strapping monster steak is expensive. But it feeds about 2-3 people and will be the most impressive cut of meat you’ll ever put on your table. In this Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak recipe I smoke and reverse sear a 28-day dry-aged tomahawk to produce meat that is rich, buttery, and melts in your mouth!
What is a Tomahawk Steak?
If there ever was a food that looks like it can be devoured by a caveman, it’s the tomahawk steak. This monster-sized meat gets its name from the long, frenched bone which extends from the steak. It is this long bone that makes the steak look like a “tomahawk”, which is where it gets its name. Other than the length of the bone, the steak itself is identical to a thick-cut cowboy ribeye like the Whiskey Dry-Aged Ribeye.
The steak is usually 2 inches thick and weighs about 2-3 pounds. So you can easily feed 2-3 people with a single tomahawk.
Is the Tomahawk Steak Worth the Price?
The tomahawk steak is definitely one of the most expensive meats you’ll find on the market. But if you’re looking for a flavorful, tender piece of meat, that delivers on presentation, you might want to shell out a few extra dollars and go all in!
How to Cook the Perfect Tomahawk Steak?
The tomahawk steak is known for its marbling. Marbling is the fine lines of fat you see throughout the meat. Remember what we always say? FAT is taste. And the tomahawk is rich in intramuscular fat (i.e. marbling), which means the meat is tender, with a rich, buttery flavor.
Because the tomahawk has plenty of intramuscular fat, you can trim away any excess fat on the outside. Trim most of the edge fat right up to the meat line. Try not to change the shape of the steak. You want the edges nice and round, to allow the smoke to move freely around the steak.
The recipe also incorporates the reverse sear method. Learning how to reverse sear a tomahawk steak is straightforward. First, apply a binder – I use Wagyu Tallow (Make it at Home / Buy it Online) – and your salt and pepper. Then, smoke the steak over indirect heat to get the right level of doneness. Finally, sear it over high heat to boost flavor and appearance. I use 2-zone cooking on my smoker (one side for direct heat and the other for indirect) using the Kick Ash Basket (Read my Review / Buy it Online) and Kick Ash Divider (Read my Review / Buy it Online). You can save 10% on all Kick Ash products with coupon code EMV10 too!
Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak
Equipment
- A Smoker, or a Grill set up for smoking
Ingredients
- 40 oz Tomahawk Steak
- ¼ cup Beef Tallow
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Use the Kick Ash Basket and Divider to set the grill up for two-zone cooking. The charcoal will go in the small partition, and the larger area will be used for low and slow cooking. Light the grill with your GrillBlazer Grill Gun or charcoal chimney and allow it to come up to a temperature of 225°F.
- While the grill comes up to temperature, prepare your steak. Place the tomahawk steak on a wooden board and cover with beef tallow. This will act as a binder for your seasoning to stick. Season generously with salt and pepper, and set aside at cool room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- Once the grill is at 225°F and you've got clean smoke, you can set up your steak on the grate. Place the temperature probe in the thickest part of the steak, close the lid, and smoke at 225°F until the steak reaches an internal temperature of 120°F – this should take about 90 minutes.
- When the steak has reached an internal temperature of 120°F, it’s time to sear. Sear the tomahawk steak on your GrillGrates directly over the coals (direct heat) for a few minutes on each side until the internal temperature reaches 130° (medium rare).
- Slice and enjoy!
