How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak

Learn how to cook a tomahawk steak and you’ll have the perfect steak to share for a special occasion! This bone-in ribeye steak has a rich flavor and it’s the best way to enjoy an amazing cut of beef!

Cooking a tomahawk steak can be intimidating! There are all kinds of cooking method ideas from a charcoal grill to a gas grill to reverse searing.

In this post, you’ll learn an easy way to achieve your desired doneness and grill this thick steak to perfection!

You’ll learn how this show-stopping tomahawk steak recipe is perfect for special occasions and celebrating the people you love really well.

If you love a thick-cut steak and haven’t learned how to cook a tomahawk steak, this post is for you!

How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak

First, let’s chat about this juicy steak.

A tomahawk steak is a bone-in ribeye, with a long bone on one side. It’s Fred Flinestone’s favorite cut of meat.

The tomahawk ribeye is one of the best steaks out there. It’s got marbled fat so your large steak is always juicy.

The Fresh Market often has this steak cut, or try your local butcher.

They are pricey! So this is a special occasion meal, or whenever you want the ultimate steak night at home, this is the cut you want.

It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, or Christmas Eve dinner ideas. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make for a Simple Dinner Party Menu, too!

Seasoning this Delicious Steak

Seasoning on this cowboy steak is simple.

Salt and black pepper.

For the best flavor, you want to keep it super clean by allowing this great steak to shine on its own.

But! If you’re feeling frisky, sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, and maybe Montreal Steak Seasoning.

You can use a drizzle of olive oil to let the salt and black pepper really adhere to the meat.

This is a hefty cut of meat, so you want to let it come to room temperature before you sear it.

Salt and pepper both sides, then let it hang out on your counter for an hour or two.

If you have time, you can dry brine the entire steak by salting and peppering both sides of the steak, then leaving it in the fridge overnight, uncovered.

Similar to dry brining your turkey or chicken, this allows the salt to permeate all the way through, drawing out any excess moisture.

If you’re worried about it drying out the beef rib, it’s got enough fat to keep it moist and juicy when cooking!

Cooking the Perfect Tomahawk Steak

Now, let’s get cooking!

Lots of people prefer to use the reverse sear method on this cut of meat.

I prefer to sear it over a high temperature on the grill, so it creates a delicious crust on the meat.

Then, I’ll put it into a 350 degrees f oven and let it cook to my desired doneness.

One way I don’t miss the mark on the level of doneness is using a Meater! It’s an incredible meat thermometer that works with Bluetooth technology.

You insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, set the cut of beef and the desired degree of doneness, then keep an eye on it.

Once the internal temperature reaches your desired temperature the digital thermometer alerts you to remove the medium rare steak.

This cooking process is almost foolproof.

One thing to be aware of, the Meater doesn’t like super high grill temperatures. To get the best results for a quick sear, you need your grill to be screaming hot.

This will make the Meater “yell” at you! But, the high heat sear doesn’t last long, and once you remove the tomahawk steak to a baking sheet, the digital meat thermometer calms down.

Achieving the Perfect Doneness

After you’ve seared the on the hottest side of the grill, you’ll remove it to a baking sheet and place it in a 350˚ oven.

For a medium-rare finish, the steak cooks an additional 20-25 minutes in the oven.

Remove from the oven, lightly tent with aluminum foil, then the steak rests for 10 minutes before slicing off the bone.

Read this post on The Best Temperature to Grill Steak for a reference on steak temperatures.

This Tomahawk Steak makes the most Simple Steak Salad! While using a big tomahawk cut of meat isn’t necessary for a salad, it’s quite the amazing show-stopper! And, this large cut of meat feeds a crowd, so one steak on one giant salad will be plenty!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should a tomahawk steak be cooked?

You can cook a tomahawk steak on a grill, in the oven, seared in a cast iron skillet, or even sous vide.

How long does it take to cook a tomahawk steak?

It depends on the thickness of your steak. The cook time will range from 35 minutes for rare, 45 minutes for medium rare, and 55 minutes for medium. Using a digital meat thermometer is super helpful in gauging the internal temperature of the meat.

Is it hard to cook a tomahawk steak?

Cooking the tomahawk steak on your stove top can be hard because of the long bone that resembles the handle of an ax. The preferred method is seared over a hot grill, then finished in the oven for the perfect medium rare steak.

Serving a Tomahawk Steak

Slice this gorgeous steak on a cutting board, and serve directly from there. Leave the bone next to the sliced meat by for that show-stopping dinner table moment!

For some bright flavors, I made a simple herby chimichurri to spoon over top. The recipe is in the printable recipe card below!

This steak will serve 3-4 people, depending on how hungry everyone is and how much they love a really good steak.

For the ultimate steak night at home experience here are some side dishes you could serve:

Wedge Salad with Thousand Island Dressing – every good steakhouse starts its experience with a good salad. The wedge salad is iconic for steak night!

Baked Potatoes – While I actually prefer something like Cream-Roasted Cauliflower, the baked potato is synonymous with steak night!

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles – these are great because you can make them ahead of time, but they are also just really beautiful to plate next to your sliced steak!

Cabernet Sauvignon – enhance the flavor of the meat with a really good bottle!

Save this post to your favorite Steak Board on Pinterest!

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