My Smoked Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye is a big, herb encrusted, perfectly cooked, bone-in ribeye steak. Smoked low and slow, then seared over high heat to tender mouthwatering perfection.
This ribeye is big enough to feed four hungry people. A steak meant for a king! And his court, too. And all of their vassals… It pairs perfectly with Grilled Brussels Sprouts and Garlic Parmesan New Potatoes.
Smoked Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye Recipe
Smoked Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye
Equipment
- Charcoal smoker – for smoking the ribeye
- quality oak lump charcoal
- large cast-iron skillet – for searing the ribeye
- foil
- baking sheet
- cutting board
- carving knife
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp black pepper – coarsely ground
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp garlic – minced
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 40 ounce tomahawk cut ribeye steak – plus or minus a few ounces
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Pat the tomahawk steak dry with paper towels.40 ounce tomahawk cut ribeye steak
- In a small bowl, mix together the black pepper, salt, garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. Coat the tomahawk steak in the salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary mixture.1 tbsp black pepper, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp garlic, 1 tbsp dried rosemary, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no longer than 12. Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 2 hours before smoking to bring the meat to room temperature.
- Cover the rib bone with foil, so it doesn’t scorch while smoking.
- Preheat a smoker or grill to 250℉ using quality oak lump charcoal. Place the steak directly onto the grates of your preheated smoker. Smoke the tomahawk steak until the internal temperature reaches 115 degrees Fahrenheit for a medium-rare steak, about 25 minutes. Remove the steak from the smoker.
- In a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, melt the butter. When the pan starts to smoke faintly, add the tomahawk steak to the melted butter and sear until the outside of the steak is brown and the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, about 2 minutes per side for a medium-rare steak.2 tbsp butter
- Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
PRIVATE NOTES
Nutrition
More Information
What is a Tomahawk Steak?
A tomahawk steak is a large ribeye steak, cut with a long section of bone left intact. The meat is trimmed such that about 5 inches of the bone is exposed. This gives the tomahawk steak its distinctive look.
Tomahawk Steak Flavor
A good tomahawk cut has lots of marbling, or ribbons of fat between the muscle fibers. This fat renders while roasting, giving the meat a sweet buttery flavor. The rib bone also adds flavor to the steak.
Smoked Reversed Seared Tomahawk Ribeye further enhances the flavor with smoke. The result is amazing, complex flavor, and beautiful presentation.
Rest the Steak
Resting the hot steak after cooking is critical for the best flavor. Rest it under foil for at least 5 minutes to allow for the juices to redistribute throughout the steak. This is important, because you will be carving the steak into slices when serving. If you do not rest the meat the juices will run out, detracting from the moisture and flavor of the meat.
Presentation
A Tomahawk ribeye steak is as much about presentation as it is about flavor. Make sure your guests can see it in all of its beautiful glory, before carving it. Carve it table-side for an extra special presentation. Slice the steak thin enough so that each guest gets two or three slices of meat.
Protect the bone from discoloration by covering it with foil while you smoke it. The bone will stay white, which also lends to its tomahawk resemblance, and beautiful presentation.
Its Expensive
40 ounces of beef can be expensive these days. That’s 2 ½ pounds of beef! With beef prices at about $19/pound, you are looking at about a $50 steak. When compared to steak-house prices, that’s not too bad. But it’s still pretty costly. Make sure you are serving 4 guests to justify the cost. Serve it with Herbed Butter French Bread, some yummy sides, or a nice salad to satisfy hungry guests without breaking the bank.
Related Recipes
Garlic Parmesan New Potatoes
Char-grilled Ribeye Steak
Care to comment? I'd love to read it. Please be cool, respectful, relevant, positive or constructive, and leave an actual comment. Thanks!