Reverse Sear Tomahawk Steak

A tomahawk is a bone in ribeye with the long rib bone left on and cleaned. It looks like hard work, but the reverse sear makes it one of the easiest big steaks to get right. Cook it gently first, sear it hard at the end, then take it off the bone and slice it to share.

The knife for this job

Two blades. The Hellfang 5" Hand Forged Butcher Knife is a small meat trimming knife, and a short blade is what you want for trimming the fat cap and running along a curved rib bone. It steers into places a big chef knife cannot. Then the Mamba 11" Hand Forged Brisket Slicing Knife slices the cooked eye across the grain in single long strokes, so the crust stays on each slice. A steak at this price deserves better than a serrated steak knife sawing at it like a tree stump.

Buy the right steak

Look for a tomahawk about 2 inches (5 cm) thick. With the bone, that usually weighs 2 to 3 lb (0.9 to 1.4 kg). Thickness matters more than anything else here. A thin tomahawk overcooks before the crust forms and ends up as an expensive ribeye with a handle. One steak feeds 2 to 3 people once it is sliced.

Trim and dry brine

1. Trim the fat

With the Hellfang, trim any thick, hard fat on the outer edge down to about 1/4 inch (6 mm). Leave the fat running through the eye alone, that is where the flavour lives. If the bone still has scraps of meat or membrane on it, scrape it clean with the spine of the blade. Wrap the bone in foil later so it does not scorch.

2. Salt it early

Salt all over with kosher salt, about 1 teaspoon per pound (roughly 5 g per 450 g). Set it on a rack over a tray and leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours. The surface dries out, and a dry surface browns fast. Pepper can go on now or right before searing.

The reverse sear, low and slow first

3. Set up low heat

In the oven, heat to 250°F (120°C) and put the steak on a rack over a tray. On a grill, set up two zones with the coals or burners on one side only. The steak goes on the cool side with the lid closed and the grill holding about 250°F (120°C). A chunk of oak or hickory on the coals adds a little smoke if you want it.

4. Cook it to just under your target

Put a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the eye, away from the bone. For medium rare, pull it at about 115 to 120°F (46 to 49°C). For a 2 inch steak that usually takes 45 to 75 minutes, but cook to temperature, not the clock. The bone slows down the meat right next to it, so check a second spot before you pull it.

Let it sit on the rack for about 10 minutes while the pan or the grill gets properly hot. The surface dries a little more, which only helps the sear.

The hard sear

5. Sear it

Get a heavy cast iron pan smoking hot with a little high smoke point oil, or open up the hot side of the grill fully. Sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until it is deep brown. Hold it upright with tongs by the bone and sear the fat edge too. For the last minute you can add butter, crushed garlic and thyme to the pan and spoon it over. Turn the fan on. Your smoke alarm will have opinions.

6. Check the finish

Medium rare lands at 130 to 135°F (54 to 57°C) after the rest. Rare is 120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C). The USDA minimum for beef steaks is 145°F (63°C) with a 3 minute rest, so cook it to that if you want it by the book. Rest the seared steak for 5 to 10 minutes. The low cook already did most of the work, so it does not need a long rest.

How to carve a tomahawk steak

7. Take the meat off the bone

Lay the steak flat on the board with the bone toward you. Run the Hellfang tight along the curve of the rib bone, keeping the edge pressed against the bone, and lift the whole eye away in one piece. Short, controlled strokes. Meat left on the bone is not wasted, someone at the table will happily gnaw on it.

8. Slice across the grain

Turn the eye so you are cutting across the grain, not along it. With the Mamba, slice about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) thick in single long draws from heel to tip. Fan the slices back against the bone on the board, finish with flaky salt and serve. That bone sitting there with the slices beside it is half the reason people buy a tomahawk.

Oven or grill

The oven is easier to control and works in any weather. The grill gives a bit of smoke and lets you sear on the same fire. The temperatures are the same either way, so use what you have. Just do not skip the thermometer. Guessing the doneness of a steak this thick by poking it is an expensive hobby.

More on cutting meat

If you are building a meat kit, The Butcher's Trio covers the heavy cleaver work, and our guide to the best knives for cutting meat explains which blade does which job. Short trimming blades like the Hellfang sit in butcher knives.