Tomahawk.
The showpiece bone-in ribeye. Two inches thick, sixteen inches long, three pounds of pure statement. Reverse sear or nothing. Feeds two hungry, three modest.
- Origin
- Rib · Bone-In
- Marbling
- Excellent
- Difficulty
- Medium · Committed
- Sweet Spot
- Med-Rare
The Event Steak.
A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye with the entire rib bone left long and frenched — the butcher scrapes the meat and fat off the last several inches of the bone to expose a clean "handle." The eating experience is a ribeye. The visual is a caveman-sized steak with a stick attached. Both are the point.
Typical dimensions: 2 inches thick, 12–16 inches long including the bone, 2–3 pounds total weight. The frenched section of bone accounts for maybe 6–8 ounces of unusable weight, which factors into pricing decisions — you're paying for handle you can't eat. The meat itself is the same longissimus dorsi muscle as any ribeye, from the 6th through 12th rib, with the same generous marbling.
The tomahawk cut became famous in the 2010s when high-end American steakhouses started serving it as the ultimate steak-experience upsell — a $200 plate that photographs unlike anything else in the dining room. That reputation is entirely justified for the presentation, and mostly justified for the eating. It's a ribeye, extreme edition.
The two skills a tomahawk demands: patience and thermometer discipline. This is not a steak you can cook casually. The thickness means direct heat alone will incinerate the outside before the center hits temperature — reverse sear is the only correct approach. And the mass means carryover is significant; pull too late and you overshoot medium.
The Facts
- PrimalRib (bone-in ribeye)
- Also CalledBone-In Ribeye w/ Long Bone
- MuscleLongissimus dorsi (same as ribeye)
- Typical Weight2–3 lb whole
- Ideal Thickness2" minimum
- Bone Length12–16" (frenched)
Flavor Profile
- Beef FlavorRich · Buttery · Full Ribeye
- TendernessVery High
- MarblingExcellent
- JuicinessExtreme at med-rare
- TextureFine grain, distinct fat pocket (spinalis)
- The Money BiteSpinalis (the "cap" of ribeye)
Salt. Pepper. Nothing Else.
For $80–$200 worth of ribeye, there is no argument for aggressive rubs, marinades, or complex seasonings. Kosher salt and coarse cracked black pepper. The whole point of a tomahawk is to taste peak-quality beef with peak marbling in its purest form. Any flavor added is a flavor subtracted from the meat itself. The one small allowable indulgence: a compound butter to finish. Rosemary-garlic-shallot butter melted over the sliced tomahawk at plating adds a whisper of richness without overwhelming the beef. Skip the pan sauces, skip the rubs, skip the marinades. Trust the cut.
Salt & Pepper.
Extended dry brine is essential for a slab this size — 24 to 48 hours ideal. The salt needs time to travel deep into a 2-inch-thick piece of meat. Uncovered on a rack in the fridge — the surface drying is the secret to real crust.
- 01Kosher salt, heavy — 1 tsp per pound
- 02Coarse cracked black pepper
- 03Dry brine 24–48 hours uncovered on rack
- 04No marinade, no sauce
Rosemary Garlic Butter.
The one legitimate flavor addition. Make ahead, log it into parchment, chill hard. Slice a coin over each portion at the table — melts into the warm slices for a whisper of aromatic richness.
- 014 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 022 cloves garlic, minced fine
- 031 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 041 shallot, minced fine
- 051 tsp flaky salt
- 06Log in parchment, chill 2+ hours
- 07Sliced coin per portion at plating
Reverse Sear. The Only Method.
At 2 inches thick, direct heat alone will torch the crust long before the interior hits medium-rare. The only correct approach is reverse sear: low indirect heat to bring the interior slowly up to just under target temp, then a screaming direct sear to build the crust in the last 2 minutes per side. This is not the cut to freestyle on.
Reverse Sear (Grill)
Two-zone grill or 275°F oven for the roast. Once internal hits 115°F (about 60–90 minutes for a 2" tomahawk), pull, rest briefly, then move to screaming direct heat and sear all sides — including the fat cap.
- Roast Temp
- 275°F indirect
- Sear Temp
- 600°F+ direct
- Roast Time
- 60–90 min to 115°F
- Best Fuel
- Lump charcoal + oak
Reverse Sear (Oven + Cast Iron)
Indoor option. Oven at 275°F on a rack over a sheet pan until internal hits 115°F. Pull, rest briefly. Sear all sides in screaming cast iron (or on a stovetop grill pan) with a lot of butter for the last 2 minutes per side.
- Oven Temp
- 275°F
- Pan Temp
- 500°F+
- Roast Time
- 60–90 min to 115°F
- Watch For
- Serious smoke — vent hard
Fire Setup. By Rig.
Every rig needs both a cool zone (275°F for the indirect roast) and a scorching hot zone (600°F+ for the final sear). This is not a one-temperature cook.
Kettle Two-Zone
Coals banked to one side. Roast on cool side lid closed. When 115°F internal, rake coals flat for direct sear.
Ideal Rig
Pellet grills excel here. Roast at 275°F, crank to max sear when 115°F internal. Wood smoke bonus.
3+ Burner Gas
One burner low for 275°F ambient, rest off. When ready to sear, crank all burners high.
Indoor Only
Oven at 275°F for the roast, screaming cast iron for the sear. Works but the smoke situation is real — ventilate.
Med-Rare. Watch Carryover.
Tomahawk carries over more than any steak on this site because of sheer mass — a 3 lb bone-in slab holds a lot of residual heat. Pull earlier than you think for a whole steak this size. The difference between medium-rare and medium is often just how long you waited to pull off the sear.
Steakman Picks · Medium-Rare
Rare
Cool red. Marbling underrenders. Not ideal — you paid for the fat, cook it in.
Med-Rare
Warm pink center edge-to-edge. Tomahawk's sweet spot. Reverse sear reliably gets you here.
Medium
Pink center, moist thanks to marbling. Serviceable if someone insists — never optimal.
Med-Well
You spent $150 on this. Please don't.
Well Done
Cook a chuck roast instead. Tomahawk has no upside past medium.
Carryover cook: Tomahawk carries over 8–10°F because of mass. Pull at 122°F for med-rare — it'll cruise to 130–132°F during a 15-minute rest. This is the single most-common tomahawk failure: pulling at 130°F thinking you're at med-rare, and ending up at 140°F after carryover. Trust the early pull.
Six Steps. Every Time.
Tomahawk isn't hard, it's committed. The techniques are ribeye techniques scaled up. What matters is discipline: dry brine long, roast low, sear hot, pull early, rest long.
- 01
Dry Brine 24–48 Hours
Kosher salt heavy on all sides. Uncovered on a rack in the fridge for a full day, ideally two. The salt needs time to travel deep into a 2-inch-thick slab, and the surface drying is where real crust comes from.
- 02
Room Temp 60 Minutes Ahead
Pull from the fridge 60–90 minutes before the cook. A cold interior will exit the roast phase with a big done-ness gradient — pull-temp exterior, still-cold interior. Room temp fixes it.
- 03
Indirect Roast to 115°F
275°F indirect. Insert a leave-in probe into the center of the meat (not touching the bone). Roast until the probe reads 115°F — typically 60–90 minutes depending on rig and starting temp. Bone side down or up doesn't matter much.
- 04
Rest 10, Build the Sear Fire
Pull the tomahawk, tent loosely on a warm plate. While it rests 10 minutes, crank your grill to max, or preheat cast iron on the stove until it smokes.
- 05
Sear All Sides Screaming Hot
2 minutes per flat side over 600°F+ direct heat. Then stand the tomahawk on the fat cap edge for 60 seconds to render and crust that too. The whole sear should take 5–6 minutes total. Watch the probe.
- 06
Pull at 128°F, Rest 15 Minutes
Instant-read into the thickest part, avoiding the bone. Rest 15 minutes loosely tented — this is not the cut to shortcut. Then slice against the grain in 1/2-inch strips, or slice off the bone in one motion and slab-cut. Serve with the bone displayed. Compound butter coin at plating if using.
Gear We'd Actually Use.
Tomahawk is where good gear pays off. Cheap thermometers cost you $150 steaks. Cheap grills can't hit the sear temps you need. This is the cut to invest in one or two tools around.
ThermoWorks Signals
Leave-in probe for the roast phase, instant-read for the sear. Bluetooth to your phone means you don't have to stand at the grill.
Pellet + Kettle Combo
Pellet for the smoky low roast, kettle for the screaming sear. Best-of-both approach if you have both.
Big Board w/ Juice Groove
Tomahawk releases serious juice during slicing. Groove essential — cleanup nightmare without.
10" Slicing Knife
Long blade for one-pull slices from a big steak. Nothing worse than sawing through a tomahawk with a short blade.
Real Butcher Shop
Buy tomahawks from a butcher who knows the cut. Cheap tomahawks are often thin and poorly frenched. Pay for quality here.
The Tomahawk FAQ.
What is a tomahawk steak?
A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye with the entire rib bone left long and frenched — the meat and fat scraped off the bone for 4–5 inches to expose a clean "handle." The eating experience is a ribeye. The visual is a caveman-sized steak with a stick attached. Typical tomahawk is 2 inches thick, 12–16 inches long, and weighs 2–3 pounds — enough steak for 2 or 3 people from a single portion.
Does the bone in a tomahawk add flavor?
Barely, and mostly not. The idea that bones transfer significant flavor into cooked meat is a persistent myth — meat cooks fast and the bone doesn't have time to contribute much. What the bone does contribute: heat regulation (the area near the bone stays slightly cooler, giving you a bit more done-ness gradient) and, honestly, the presentation. The "bone flavor" selling point is marketing more than reality.
Tomahawk vs cowboy steak — what's the difference?
Both are bone-in ribeyes. Cowboy steak has a shorter frenched bone (typically 3–4 inches). Tomahawk has the full rib bone left long (12–16 inches). Same meat, same cook, different visual drama. Tomahawk is the Instagram version; cowboy is the practical version.
Is a tomahawk worth the price?
Depends on the moment. As a steak-per-dollar value, no — you're paying $40–80/lb for a cut that includes 6–8 ounces of exposed bone you can't eat. As an event, yes — the presentation is genuinely spectacular and the eating experience is a ribeye at its most extreme. Reserve tomahawks for actual occasions, not weeknight cravings.
Can I cook a tomahawk on a gas grill?
Yes, but you need a grill with at least three burners so you can create a real two-zone setup. Turn one burner on low for the 275°F indirect roast phase, keeping the other burners off. When ready to sear, crank everything to high and move the steak over direct heat. Cast iron + oven works better if your gas grill can't hit real sear temps.
The Rib Family.
Tomahawk's neighbors on the cow — the other bone-in and boneless expressions of the rib primal.
Ribeye
The boneless version. Same muscle, same marbling, half the price, no ceremony.
Cowboy Steak
The tomahawk's practical cousin. Bone-in ribeye with a shorter frenched bone. Same eating, less theater.
Chuck Eye
The poor man's ribeye. Same muscle, one rib further back. Weeknight cousin.
Delmonico
Historically a specific ribeye cut. Different traditions call different cuts Delmonico — often a thick boneless ribeye.