How To Grill A Perfect Tomahawk Steak
Cooking a tomahawk steak can be intimidating. Let our step-by-step instructions guide you through how to grill a perfect tomahawk steak.
Servings 2
Calories 1300kcal
Useful Equipment:
- Probe Thermometer optional
- Cherry Wood Chunks optional
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound Tomahawk steak
- 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 tablespoon Black Pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons salted butter optional
Instructions
Prepare the Steak For the Grill:
- Generously season both sides of the steak evenly with equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Usually, we start with 1 tablespoon each of “SPG” and then mix up more if needed.Allow the steak to come up to room temperature while preparing the grill. We recommend removing the steak from the refrigerator at least one hour before you are ready to cook.
Preheat the Grill:
- Prepare the grill for indirect heat and preheat the grill to about 225-250 degrees F.
- For this recipe, David used his Weber Performer charcoal grill, a kettle-style grill. To slowly cook the steak, he uses an indirect heat technique in which he places the hot charcoal on one side of the grill.
- Light a charcoal chimney full of coals and wait until they are mostly covered with gray ash with a small flame waving at the top of the chimney. Pour the coals into a pile on one side of the grill, about two to three coals deep.
- Place the grilling grate on the grill and brush with an oil-soaked paper towel to clean it.
Reverse Sear the Tomahawk:
- Place the tomahawk onto the grill over indirect heat (the side away from the hot coals). Put the lid on the grill and Grill the tomahawk over indirect heat until it’s golden brown, a light “bark” (outside crust) forms, and the internal temp of the meat is about 115-120 degrees F (we shoot for medium-rare temps), about 30-40 minutes.
- Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness throughout the roast. Remember, the internal temperature of the meat will increase slightly after it has been removed from the grill, so keep that in mind.
Sear the Steak Over Direct Heat:
- When the steak reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it and stoke up the grill to reverse sear it.
- Prepare the grill for direct high heat grilling. Spread out the already hot charcoals and light up fresh hot charcoal.
- When the charcoal is ready, and the grill is hot, place the steak back onto the hot grate. Grill the beef directly for about 3 minutes on each side. Check the meat temperature with an instant-read thermometer often.
- When the steak’s internal temperature reaches between 125-130 degrees F (medium-rare), remove it from the grill. The carry-over heat will bring the meat to the perfect doneness of 135 degrees F (for medium rare). A perfectly cooked tomahawk steak will have a dark red center and be light pink on the outside. Use the chart below to gauge your pull temps.
- Use the chart above to gauge your pull temps.
Rest the Steak:
- Place the steak on a cutting board. Drop a couple of tablespoons of the salted butter (optional) on top of the steak and tent it with foil. Allow the steak to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
- Put foil around the bone for a neater presentation.
- Add a chunk of your favorite smoking wood to the coals to add smoke flavor to the steak. We highly recommend cherry for smoking beef.
- Use a probe thermometer such as Thermoworks Smoke™ to help monitor the temperatures, as well as an instant-read thermometer such as the Thermapen® ONE to ensure the steak is done perfectly.
Beef Temperature Cooking Chart
| Preferred Doneness | Pull Temp | Target Temp |
| Rare | 115-125°F | 120-130°F |
| Medium rare (recommended) | 125-130°F | 130-135°F |
| Medium | 130-135°F | 135-140°F |
| Medium well | 140-150°F | 145-155°F |
| Well done | NA | NEVER! |
Nutrition
Calories: 1300kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 115g | Fat: 92g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 376mg | Sodium: 3876mg | Potassium: 1611mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 10mg
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