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Cooked Tomahawk Steak

How to Cook Tomahawk Steak

The Tomahawk steak is a meaty masterpiece, sure to impress any backyard barbecue crowd. You may have even heard of the “Golden Tomahawk steak”, which is a gold-leaf-covered steak that has gone viral online! The Tomahawk steak is truly categorized as a “Tomahawk Ribeye steak”, as it is a big, thick-cut Ribeye with a long bone still attached. This gives the steak its signature flavor and unique look, which resembles a Native American Tomahawk Axe. Unlike the Cowboy steak which has a short-frenched bone, the Tomahawk has a long-frenched bone. This produces not only a classical and impressive presentation, but a delicious and tender steak that has flavor and texture. The best way to cook this long-bone Ribeye steak is on the grill, but pan-seared, oven-broiled, or even smoked Tomahawk steak are also great choices. No matter which method you choose, our instructions and video for cooking a Tomahawk steak will deliver the tender and juicy cut of meat you crave. Use a meat thermometer and you can be sure your steaks are cooked to perfection!


How to Grill a Tomahawk Steak

One of the best ways to cook a Tomahawk steak to perfection is on the grill. There are two main approaches to choose from:

  • Charcoal Grilling
  • Gas Grilling

Regardless of which method you choose, be sure your steaks are completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. Grilling Tomahawk steak with your meat seasoned to taste with Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning will enhance the flavor.

How to Cook Tomahawk Steak on a Charcoal Grill

Preheat your grill on high. Place steaks over the hottest part of the grill, and sear both sides for 1–2 minutes. Then move to medium, ash-covered coals and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.

How to Cook Tomahawk Steak on a Gas Grill

Preheat your grill on high. Sear both sides for 1–2 minutes, then reduce to medium heat and continue to grill for the times listed in the Cooking Times Chart below. Turn about 1 minute prior to the halfway point.

  • Grill for 20–22 minutes for a 2-inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
  • Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
  • Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
  • Prior to serving, add a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter for an additional flavor boost.

How to Cook Tomahawk Steak in the Oven

If you want to cook a Tomahawk steak and capture excellent flavor and tenderness, then selecting an oven method is a perfect choice. Just as in the grilling method, be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator approximately 30–40 minutes before cooking to allow the steak to come to room temperature. Lastly, season your steak as desired. We recommend using our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.

Set your oven to “broil” and preheat for 10 minutes.

Once you have seasoned your steaks to taste, follow the directions for Tomahawk steak cooking times and steps to prepare it to perfection:

  • Place steaks on the rack of a broiler pan and position the broiler pan in the oven so that the surface of the steak is 4–6 inches from the heat. Broil to desired doneness, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Chart listed below.
  • Tomahawk steak oven cook times vary based on the desired degree of doneness. We recommend medium-rare. When cooking Tomahawk steak in the oven to this degree, broil for 19–21 minutes for a 2-inch steak, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
  • After removing from the oven, rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
  • Resting the steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • To check the degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.

Stovetop Skillet Tomahawk Steak with Oven Finish

If you've ever wondered how to cook Tomahawk steak in a pan on your stovetop, this method will give you excellent results, with a sear that will give your steaks a rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor.

Be sure your steak is completely thawed before cooking. We recommend thawing in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, remove your steak from the refrigerator for 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Season your steak as desired; we recommend a generous serving of our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.

Follow these steps to learn how long you should cook Tomahawk steak in a pan with an oven finish:

  • Preheat a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot, for about 5 minutes. A very hot pan delivers the best sear for your Tomahawk steak in a skillet.
  • Once seasoned, place steaks in the hot skillet (do not overcrowd). Do not add oil or water and do not cover.
  • For the perfect medium-rare Tomahawk steak on the stove, sear in a non-stick skillet for 3 minutes on each side.
  • Preheat your oven to 425°F and place on the rack, baking to desired doneness, according to the times listed below.
  • For the perfect medium-rare Tomahawk steak finished in the oven, cook for 12–14 minutes, turning about 1 minute before the halfway point. A meat thermometer should read 130°F.
  • Rest your steaks for 5 minutes before serving, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). The final temperature will read 135°F.
  • Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your Tomahawk steak to ensure it is cooked to the perfect level of doneness, from rare to medium-well.

Tomahawk steak in a cast iron skillet is a great way to prepare your thick-cut steak with a deep brown crust and the outstanding finish we all crave. Follow the same set of directions as you would if cooking a Tomahawk steak on the stove in a non-stick skillet.


Specialty Tomahawk Steak Cooking

If you are interested in looking for alternative ways to prepare your Tomahawk Steak, have a little fun at dinner time with a specialty method like reverse-searing, smoking, or cooking sous vide. With each method, your steak should be completely thawed in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30–40 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Season your steaks to your liking; we recommend using our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning.

Smoking a Tomahawk steak is highly sought after by those who want a flavor-filled boost. The best way to smoke a Tomahawk steak is to finish it in a skillet to provide a hot, crisp finish. How to smoke a Tomahawk steak and selecting the correct smoking time varies greatly depending on the cut of meat, thickness of the cut, quality of smoker, smoke and smoke retention, wind, etc. It is best to use a meat thermometer and base doneness off internal temperature.

Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.

To begin, fire up your smoker and preheat it to 225°F.

  • Place your well-seasoned steak onto the grates of your smoker, close the lid, and smoke the meat until the steaks reach about 10°F below the desired internal doneness temperature (see our Measuring Doneness Chart below).
  • You can check for smoking doneness by internal temperature. Temperatures are as follows:
    • Rare: 115°F
    • Medium-Rare: 125°F
    • Medium: 135°F
    • Medium-Well: 145°F
  • Next, preheat a skillet over high heat (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). Once hot, lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil.
  • Place the steaks in the skillet and sear them for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook until the steaks reach approximately 5°F less than your final desired internal temperature.
  • Remove steaks from the skillet and allow them to rest for 5–10 minutes, covering lightly with foil. The temperature of the meat will continue to rise about 5°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking").
  • Resting steak is important because the heat of cooking pulls the juices in the meat toward the surface; if you slice into it immediately after cooking, those flavorful juices will end up on your plate, not in your steak. Allowing your steak to rest will give the juices time to sink back in and throughout the meat, keeping it moist and flavorful.
  • To check the final degree of doneness, use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of your steak.
  • Prior to serving, expand upon the delicious taste by topping with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butters for full flavor
  • After thawing, bringing to room temperature, seasoning, and preheating the sous vide; you're ready to start cooking.

Experience superb flavor and remove the guesswork from the cooking process by using the sous vide method for your Tomahawk steak. When you follow the directions for how long to sous vide a Tomahawk steak, you will be able to cook your steak cut perfectly to your desired doneness every time. Sous vide uses a low-heat, long-time cooking process which allows for evenly cooked steaks from end to end and guarantees every bite is as tender and juicy as the first.

Note: Steaks cooked under 130°F should not be cooked longer than 2½ hours at a time due to food safety concerns.

Here are the steps to follow when using the sous vide method:

Prepare It

  • Preheat your water bath: Fill your sous vide container up with warm water and set the sous vide device to the appropriate temperature for the desired doneness. The sous vide device should be set as follows:
    • Rare: 125°F
    • Medium-Rare: 129°F
    • Medium: 135°F
    • Medium-Well: 145°F
  • All our products arrive vacuum-sealed in sous-vide-ready, heat-stable packaging, allowing you to simply add them to the water bath and cook to your desired degree of doneness. However, if you have the means to repackage your steaks into sous vide heat-stable bags at home, we recommend seasoning your steaks with Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning for an enhanced flavor, prior to cooking in the sous vide. Another option is to add fresh herbs and a Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter, along with your raw steak, into the heat-stable vacuum seal bag before sealing.
  • After thawing, bringing to room temperature, seasoning, and preheating the sous vide; you're ready to start cooking.

Cook It

  • Make sure the water bath has fully reached the desired temperature for cooking before adding in the steak.
  • Place the packaged steak in the water bath and allow it to cook for the recommended amount of time, based on your desired degree of doneness.
    • Rare: 2½ hours
    • Medium-Rare: 2½ hours
    • Medium: 2½ hours
    • Medium-Well: 2½ hours
  • Once your steaks are finished cooking, remove them from the sous vide and take them out of the packaging.
  • Preheat a skillet over high heat for about 5 minutes (this can be done on a grill or in your kitchen). A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
  • Lightly coat the bottom of your skillet with high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Place your steaks on the skillet and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Sear until the steaks reach the final desired internal temperature, according to the Measuring Doneness Chart below.
  • The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
  • Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat used in sous vide does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.
  • We recommend adding an additional savory flavor by topping your ribeye steak with with Kansas City Steak Finishing Butter (even if you added butter during the sous vide).

Take the cooking process a step further with reverse seared Tomahawk steak that is prepared professionally with the Chef’s technique.

  • Preheat oven to 275°F. Place steaks on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
  • Place baking sheet on the center rack of the hot oven. Cook until internal temperature reaches 10°F lower than the desired final temperature. This usually takes about 45 minutes to an hour. View our Measuring Doneness Chart and Cooking Times Chart below.
  • Remove steaks from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes, covering lightly with foil.
  • Preheat a heavy skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. A hot skillet delivers the best sear.
  • Add some butter or a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil and sear steaks for 1–2 minutes on each side. The final internal temperature of your steak should be 135°F for medium-rare and 145°F for medium.
  • The sear will give your steaks the rich golden-brown color and enhanced flavor that is typically associated with grilled steaks.
  • Serve immediately. Unlike other methods of cooking steak, the low heat of the oven used in reverse searing does not draw the juices of the meat to the surface so additional resting time is not needed.

Cooking Times for Tomahawk Steak

A tasty Tomahawk steak can be prepared with any of the methods above, providing the perfect meal to enjoy. To achieve perfect doneness to your desired taste, we recommend you use a meat thermometer and the Measuring Doneness Chart, below.

 

Tomahawk Steak On the Grill
Gas Grill
Charcoal Grill
Rare
2+ inches
18–20 mins
18–20 mins
Medium-Rare
2+ inches
20–22 mins
20–22 mins
Medium
2+ inches
22–24 mins
22–24 mins
Medium-Well
2+ inches
24–26 mins
24–26 mins
Tomahawk Steak in Oven
Broil
Rare
2+ inches
17–19 mins
Medium-Rare
2+ inches
19–21 mins
Medium
2+ inches
21–23 mins
Medium-Well
2+ inches
23–25 mins
Tomahawk Steak Stove with Oven Finish
Temperature
Oven
Rare
2+ inches
425°F
10–12 mins
Medium-Rare
2+ inches
425°F
12–14 mins
Medium
2+ inches
425°F
14–16 mins
Medium-Well
2+ inches
425°F
16–18 mins

Sear for 3 minutes on each side. Finish in oven at 425°F for the times listed.