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.

Course BBQ, Grilling

Cuisine American

Keyword How to smoke a tomahawk steak, pellet smoker tomahawk steak, reverse seared tomhawk steak

Prep Time 2 5

Cook Time 1 30

Resting Time 15

Servings

Calories 24kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Equipment

1 Thermoworks Smoker Probe

Ingredients

3 lb. Tomahawk Ribeye Steak
1 tbsp. Kosher Salt
1 tbsp Black Pepper
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Additional Rubs as desired

Instructions

Dry Brining

Read through the dry brining section in the article above. 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.
Salt the entire steak, top, bottom, and sides.
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 into the fridge.
Allow the salt to penetrate and absorb into the meat.

Smoking

Remove the steak about 30-45 minutes prior to smoking from the fridge.
Lightly oil it and add any additional seasonings (black pepper or other steak rub of choice).
Preheat the smoker (can be pellet, charcoal, or even gas) to 225 F.
Place the tomahawk steak onto the smoker grates and insert a smoke probe thermometer into the center of the meat.
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.

Searing

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.
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.
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.
Let the steak rest, tented under foil about 10 minutes.

Serving:

Use a boning knife and remove the steak from the bone. Set the bone aside.
Slice the steak into thin pieces, against the grain for tender steak.
Place the steak meat and the bone back onto a platter and fan the meat out.
Serve with your favorite sides and some compound butter.

Notes

Want some additional ways to add flavor to your steak? Check out these 7 popular ways to add more flavor to your steak dinner.

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