Reverse-seared tomahawk steak cooked on the BBQ. Served with a rich and flavourful cowboy butter sauce.

What is a tomahawk steak?

A tomahawk steak is a thick, bone-in ribeye cut with an extra-long rib bone left attached, resembling a tomahawk axe. It's known for its impressive size, rich marbling, and intense flavour, making it a popular choice for grilling or searing.

Where to buy a tomahawk steak?

You can buy a tomahawk steak at speciality butchers, high-end supermarkets, or online meat retailers. Some local farm shops or gourmet food markets may also carry it, especially if they focus on premium cuts.

How to cook a tomahawk steak?

We recommend using the reverse sear method. The reverse sear method involves slowly cooking the steak at a low temperature first, then finishing it with a high-heat sear. This method is great for steak because it ensures even cooking throughout, locks in juices, and creates a perfectly caramelised crust without overcooking the interior. 

How to cook steak medium rare? 

To cook steak medium rare, you’ll need to monitor the temperature. For tomahawk, we recommend using the RFX MEAT probe as it cooks, and the Thermapen ONE for spot checking after. 

You want to aim for your meat to reach the recommended steak temperatures after it’s finished resting, which means removing it from the heat around 4-6 °C before it reaches your desired temperature. 

How long to rest a tomahawk steak?

Rest your tomahawk steak for around 15 minutes after cooking. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring it's tender and juicy when sliced.

What to serve with a tomahawk steak?

Serve a tomahawk steak with sides like roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, garlic butter mushrooms, or grilled asparagus. You can also pair it with a fresh salad, creamy mac 'n' cheese, or a chimichurri sauce for added flavour. We’ve gone for a rich and flavourful cowboy butter sauce. 

Steak internal temperatures: 

Rare: 52 °C
Medium rare: 56 °C
Medium: 60 °C
Medium well: 65 °C
Well done: 71 °C

What equipment do you need to make BBQ tomahawk steak? 

Wireless meat thermometer 

RFX is the perfect wireless system for monitoring the temperature of your cook. The RFX MEAT probe features unrivalled radio frequency technology, which blasts the readings through your BBQ lid for accurate wireless monitoring. It also withstands ambient temperatures up to 538 °C, which makes it perfect for searing.

Pit temperature control fan

For this reverse-sear recipe, you want your pit to stay at a consistently low temperature for the first half of the cook, then bring it up to a high temperature for the sear. The Billows BBQ Control Fan connects to your RFX system to automatically bring your BBQ up to your set temperature and maintain it, so you don’t have to worry about making adjustments yourself. You can monitor and control the temperature of your pit whilst keeping an eye on your RFX MEAT temperature in the ETI app. 

Instant-read meat thermometer

A wireless probe like RFX MEAT is important for guiding you through your cook, but spot-checking with an instant-read thermometer like Thermapen is essential too. Steak can go from medium-rare to medium really quickly, so the Thermapen ONE’s one-second readings are vital for quickly checking your steak is perfect all over. 

High-quality knife

A sharp knife is important for slicing a tomahawk steak cleanly, ensuring you don’t tear the meat and lose its juices. A chef’s knife or carving knife works best for this, as their sharp, long blades provide smooth, precise cuts. This keeps the presentation neat and the texture of the steak intact. Remember to cut the steak against the grain to make it more tender and easier to chew.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

• Tomahawk steak 
• Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• 250g block of unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 ½ tsp fresh chives
• 1 ½ tsp fresh parsley
• 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme
• 1 red chilli
• 1 lemon
• Hot sauce (optional)

Method

• It’s really important to allow the meat to come up to temp because it is a big cut. Give it at least an hour out of the fridge before you begin cooking.
  
  
• Meanwhile, get the grill on and ready at 150 °C. Use the Billows to bring your grill up to temperature and maintain it throughout the cook. 
  
  
• Season heavily — this is a large cut, so use ample amounts of salt and pepper. 
  
  
• Once the grill is ready, insert the RFX MEAT probe into the thickest part of the steak.
  
  
• Place the meat in the centre of the grill and wait until it reaches an internal temp of 45 °C. 
  
  
• Once it has reached temperature, remove it from the grill and set aside. 
  
  
• Use the Billows to bring up the grill to 350 °C. Once the grill is flaming hot, use a towel or glove to hold the bone and sear each side whilst turning frequently. 
  
  
• Once the internal temp hits 52 °C, wrap the cut in foil and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. 
  
  

• While the meat is resting, use the time to make your cowboy butter.
  
  
• Finely chop the garlic, chives, parsley, thyme and chilli. 
  
  
• Melt the butter in a pan, then add the garlic, herbs and chilli. Add salt, lemon juice and hot sauce to taste. 
  
  
• Once the steak is ready, cut it off the bone and slice against the grain. Serve with your cowboy butter and enjoy.