Sometimes I dream of having a tomahawk steak all to myself.
Of course, I think better of it for health reasons. For special occasions though, it’s a great choice: cheaper than a prime rib, more impressive than a roast. And the best part, you can make a perfect tomahawk at home better than most restaurants you’re likely to find it at only half the cost. Home-cooked steaks are always the best steaks. Here is everything you need to know to buy, cook, or serve a perfect tomahawk steak.
What is a tomahawk steak?
Tomahawk steaks are bone-in ribeyes, cut from ribs 6-12, with a huge length of bone left intact and the meat frenched up to get everything clean looking. Is it the same as a regular bone-in ribeye? Yes, but you eat with your eyes, and what can beat the sight of a 24″ centerpiece steak?
How to cook tomahawk steak
You cook a tomahawk steak just like a normal one, the most important factor is to make sure it’s well tempered (rested to room temperature) so you’re getting the inside up to temp fast enough before the outside burns. It’s much better to get the inside right up to medium rare so you can sear without worrying. There are a bunch of ways of doing that, here are my favorites.
One thing to remember is that a tomahawk is actually a 2″ thick (or even more) ribeye. Ribeyes tend to have a large vein of fat right in the middle, so if you cook it too rare, you could end up with a more or less solid and chewy chunk of fat in the middle of your perfect steak. Because of this, I usually cook a tomahawk to medium rare (135ºF). At this temp, the fat tends to render into a translucent, delicious pop of flavor.
In the oven
Set your oven as low as it can go, about 250ºF for most people, and leave your steak in there for about 45 to 90 mins. In my oven from the fridge (48ºF) to medium rare takes almost exactly 80 mins. If you have a meat thermometer or oven probe (more on that below) leave it in until it is 10 degrees lower than your desired final temperature. A chart is below as well for easy reference.
Sous vide
This one is easy: add your steak and any rubs, marinades you would like to a water bath and set it for 10 degrees lower than you want to end up at (see the doneness table below).The steak can stay in the bath for up to 8 hours, although 1-2 is usually more than enough, depending on how cold your steak was when it entered the bath.
On the grill
This one definitely needs a meat thermometer but also produces the best flavor in my opinion, espcially if doing charcoal. Move your coals to one side, or if using gas, only light up one side of the grill. Leave your steak as far away as possible from the coals or the burner on the other side of the grill and close it. Flip once in awhile to make sure you’re getting even heat.
Searing your tomahawk steak
Once you have your internal temperature up to where you want it, you’ll need to sear it. I like to always rest a steak before searing (more on that later). When searing, use as high of a heat as you can produce.
If you’re already grilling it, all you need to do is warm up the grill to max while you’re resting it, then move it over to the direct heat zone and grill it to the right color (for me, that’s 30 seconds on a side). If your steak was done sous vide or in oven, you’ll need to sear it on a stove (more on that below) or some other way – I use our 800 degree pizza oven.
How to sear a tomahawk steak on a stove
Cooking a tomahawk on the stove is difficult because of the bone. Even if your cast iron pan is huge, aka 14”+ wide, you’ll probably find it hard to contact the entire steak to the pan. You can buy a low side pan such as a plancha or this cast iron crepe pan. You can also try to squeeze it down as best you can, then baste whatever can’t touch with some butter.
Recently, I realized that the sides of a wok are both large enough and hot enough to sear a tomahawk without the fire and flames that you might get if you use a crepe pan. I’ve used the wok several times now with pretty good results.
Fire
Because a tomahawk is so large and requires a low sided pan, there is a very real possibility of 3 foot high flames. Ask me how I know. Unfortunately, I was too busy putting out the flames to snap a photo. To avoid such a fire, don’t get the oil smoking hot and turn the gas off before adding the steak, or use a wok, BBQ, or pizza oven as shown above.
If a fire starts, don’t panic, just cover the steak with something ideally non-flammable. In my case, I just dropped the same baking sheet that the steak was resting in. It went out instantly, no sweat.
The importance of a meat thermometer
When cooking steak, especially one that costs north of $100, a meat thermometer is essential. A buddy of mine overcooked his tomahawk while reverse-searing it, which for most people just means guess and pray. With a meat thermometer, you can just forget about it until the alarm goes off. Plus, if your oven is not perfectly precise or runs hot, a meat thermometer can save your steak from unknowingly becoming chewy leather.
I recommend an oven probe that beeps when the target temp is hit. They can be really cheap, wireless app driven, or something in between. Personally I always go with the cheap option. If all you have is an instant read, be sure to check often to make sure the steak doesn’t get overcooked.
Steak cooking temps
For a quick and easy reference, when we have dinner parties in our house our steaks are roughly done at:
- Rare: 125ºF
- Medium-rare: 135ºF
- Medium: 145ºF
- Medium-well: 155ºF
- Well done: Don’t do this
How long to let tomahawk steak rest for
When you apply heat to muscle fibers they contract and squeeze out moisture. Resting time allows the fibers to relax again, reabsorb some of the moisture, and generally produces a more tender and much juicier steak. You don’t necessarily need to wrap the steak in foil but allowing it to rest for 5-15 minutes after the main cooking process is absolutely vital. Longer is better. I prefer to rest my steak, then sear so it’s as hot as possible when serving.
Where do you buy a tomahawk steak?
Costco is often your best bet to get a tomahawk if you want one right away. Our local Albertsons even has them. Lately our local Costco has been carrying “tomahawk style” cuts which look like they’ve cut away half the bone for easier packaging and, more importantly, to save you money. These mini-tomahawks range between 2-4lbs and I think they’re great.
That said, the best place to buy any meat is your local butcher. All of the best steaks I’ve ever had came from local shops no matter where in the world I was. They may need a few days to get it ready or order it in, but it’s the best option. You can also try one of the many premium online butcher shops they have days days, we’ve tried a bunch and they’re always pretty good, you can even get wagyu steaks this way.
Best sauces for steak
Some people believe in nothing but good ol’ salt and pepper. I prefer to change the taste of the meal as it goes on, so I start with a pure bite of salt and pepper, then move onto a nice steak sauce or other preparation. When we had our expensive steak dinner in Kobe, they served it 16 different ways. You can just make your steak with salt and pepper and serve it alongside a nice selection of steak sauces. Check here for our guide to all the best steak sauces.
Are thick-cut bone-in steaks better?
Without a doubt, thick bone in steaks are better. Often the meatiest, beefiest, most flavorful parts of the meat are right next to the bone. The thickness of the steak allows you to get a good medium rare/whatever finish you want on the inside while still getting the deeply browned thick crust of your dreams on the outside. The thickness of the steak makes it more forgiving: it’s basically impossible to overcook a 2″ steak without great effort and forgetfulness.
How big are tomahawk steaks?
Depending on which bone you get, tomahawks can range in size between 30 oz to 60 oz. In my experience, every tomahawk I’ve ever bought has been between 48 oz and 60 oz, except the Costco mini ones which are way closer to 30oz.
What is American Wagyu?
American wagyu are Japanese cows, hopefully Japanese black cows (called Kuroge Wagyu in Japan) that are raised and pastured in America. They can be full-blooded or cross bred with other breeds. It can range in quality from ordinary to amazing.
USDA Prime and Certified Angus are both easily as good, if not better, so there’s no need to hunt any specific cow down. With any steak, even and consistent (and copious) marbling is often a great sign of how good that steak will be. Grass fed is better than Grain or Corn fed/finished, as well, in my opinion. It makes for a more complex, satisfying taste.
Are they a scam?
Someday, someone will inevitably tell you that tomahawk steaks are a scam, overpriced, and that you’re just paying for a bone. And, they wouldn’t be totally wrong: a tomahawk steak absolutely goes for a premium over a regular bone-in ribeye steak at a restaurant. And, yes, it does taste more or less the same as a bone in ribeye.
But any large cut of steak also goes for a premium over a smaller steak of the exact same kind. Fewer people buy them, and that raises the price. I love tomahawk steaks because their popularity means they’re so much easier to come by than a good 2.5” thick cut bone-in ribeye.
If you’re making them at home, the price premium is much smaller and makes sense for a special home celebration or weekend meal. The moment you pull out out that giant tomahawk steak for the grill, everyone instantly smiles.
How to reheat steak
To reheat a steak, just let it come to room temp on the countertop for about an hour, then sear and serve. If you cut it into slices, a 10-15 sec burst in the microwave will warm up the steak nicely without overcooking it.
Side dishes
Is it even steak without sides??
We’ve also done ours with fish sauce and lettuce wraps.
Steak sauces and rubs
Steak long and prosper
Mike
How to cook Tomahawk Steak
How to cook tomahawk steak perfectly every time
Serves 8
- 1 tomahawk steak 48-60oz
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp butter if desired
Steak cooking temp
Rare: 125ºF | Medium rare: 135ºF | Medium: 145ºF | Medium well: 155ºF | Well done: 🙅♂️
Nutrition Facts
How to cook Tomahawk Steak
Amount Per Serving (100 g)
Calories 291
Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 80mg27%
Sodium 54mg2%
Potassium 260mg7%
Carbohydrates 0.01g0%
Fiber 0.01g0%
Sugar 0.01g0%
Protein 24g48%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.