How To Smoke A Tomahawk Steak

This smoked tomahawk steak is the ultimate show-stopping cut, infused with rich, smoky flavor and finished with a high-heat sear for a perfect crust. Juicy, tender, and bursting with bold flavor, it’s the ideal centerpiece for any barbecue gathering.

Why This Recipe Works

Show-stopping Steak: When done right, a smoked tomahawk steak is truly an incredibly delicious and visually impressive steak cook to take on. Chances are you’re here because you love steak. Not only do you love steak, but you also want to take on an epic showstopping tomahawk ribeye steak. Good choice!

Easily Learn the Reverse Sear Method: If you’ve purchased a tomahawk from your local butcher or an online retailer (I used this wagyu tomahawk from Snake River Farms) then you know it is worth it to learn how to properly cook it, using the reverse sear technique. This involves smoking the steak first using indirect heat to cook it through evenly, and then finishing off with a beautiful sear at the end over direct heat. Check out my full guide to reverse seared steak here.

Is A Tomahawk Steak The Same As A Cowboy Steak?

No, they are classified differently based on the way the bone is left in the ribeye steak (but both are still ribeye). A tomahawk steak at a butcher is cut between the 5th-12th rib bone and the bone attached to the steak is several inches long (around 6 inches).

A cowboy steak is also a ribeye steak however the bone is usually frenched at the end; and only a few inches remain. Ultimately though, they’re both larger, thick steaks that require reverse searing for the best results.

Supplies Needed

• Small Baking Sheet
• Cooling Rack
• Meat Thermometer
• Heat Proof Gloves / Oven Mitts
• Cast Iron Skillet (optional)
• Aluminum Foil

Ingredients

• Three-pound Tomahawk Steak: This massive, bone-in ribeye is known for its impressive presentation and rich marbling, which ensures a tender, juicy bite!
• Kosher Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Salt is essential for seasoning and drawing out the steak’s natural flavors and black pepper adds the perfect crust.
• Olive Oil: Helps the seasoning stick and adds a bit of moisture.
• Steak Rubs: This is optional if you’d like some extra flavor! You can use a store-bought dry rub, or try making a homemade rub like my all-purpose BBQ rub.
• Melted Butter or Beef Tallow: To top it off and add extra creamy flavors.

Dry Brine Preparation

1. Prep the Steak: Set aside a minimum of 2 hours (but best if done at least a day ahead of time) for this process. Remove the tomahawk steak from the packaging and pat it dry with paper towels.
2. Add Salt: Salt the entire steak, top, bottom, and sides.
3. Set Uncovered in the Fridge: Place it over a wire rack sitting over a smaller baking sheet (so the air moves around the steak). Leave it uncovered and place the tomahawk steak in the fridge. Allow the salt to penetrate and absorb into the meat.

Pro Tip: Dry brining is best with large cuts of beef like with this smoked beef tenderloin or even this reverse-seared picanha.

Set up the Smoker

You can smoke a tomahawk steak on a pellet smoker or any other traditional-style smoker. I’ve made this style steak cut on my Big Green Egg ceramic charcoal smoker and my Yoder 640s pellet smoker. Both these grills can be used for smoking and searing making it easy to utilize the reverse searing process.

A pellet grill or electric smoker doesn’t always yield as much smoke flavor, so opt for a smoker tube if desired. But, either grill type will work for this recipe (just note you may have to use another style grill to sear if your smoker doesn’t have this ability).

If using a traditional charcoal grill setup, light charcoal fully. Once you have hot coals, add your wood chunks and set the smoker for indirect heat.

Dial in the smoker to a lower temperature to hit between 225 F.-250 F.

How To Smoke A Tomahawk Steak

1. Remove Steak from Fridge: Remove the steak about 30-45 minutes prior to smoking from the fridge. Lightly oil it and add any additional seasonings (black pepper or another steak rub of choice).
2. Place on Grates: Place the tomahawk steak onto the preheated smoker grates and insert a smoke probe thermometer into the center of the meat.
3. Smoke: Let the tomahawk smoke until it hits an internal temperature of 110-115 F. Remove the steak and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

How to Reverse Sear

1. Turn up the Temperature: While the steak rests, either increase the temperature and set the smoker up for searing or light a gas grill as needed. The grill should reach a minimum temperature of 600 F.
2. Place on Direct Heat: Place the tomahawk steak down onto the grill grates over direct heat and sear about 60-90 seconds. Be cautious of flare up’s from the fat cap on the steak.
3. Flip: Flip to sear the reverse side of the tomahawk and repeat as needed to create the grill marks or until the steak hits a desired level of doneness. For medium rare, remove the tomahawk steak from the grill when it hits 125 F.
4. Rest: Let the steak rest, tented under foil for about 10 minutes.

Slicing And Serving

To break down the tomahawk steak, begin by using a sharp carving knife and slicing the meat away from the bone.

For tender steak, always slice pieces against the grain. This steak is so large it’s best to slice it completely so it can be shared and placed on a platter with the bone on the side.

Add some additional butter in a sma

How to Serve Smoked Tomahawk Steak

See this article on 7 easy ways to add additional flavor to your steak for more serving ideas as well.

You can pair this steak with so many different side dishes! Try my kitchen aid mashed potatoes recipe, grilled Brussels sprouts, grilled broccoli salad, smoked potatoes, or this killer smoked mac and cheese recipe.

This steak is the best of both worlds; a delicious smoky flavor runs throughout with that perfect grilled crust on the outside!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

• Chuck Roast Burnt Ends
• Smoked Bottom Round Roast
• Smoked Beef Ribs
• Angus Beef Steak
• Smoked Beef Shank