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Reverse Sear a Tomahawk Ribeye | Ribeye Steak

The tomahawk ribeye (or cowboy cut ribeye) is a specialty cut ribeye steak. This ribeye steak is an extra thick (think 1 1/2-2") prime ribeye with a portion of the rib bone still attached.

To cook this tomahawk ribeye we will use a reverse sear. First ribeye steak is started out at a low temperature until its almost done, then the temp is raised to "seal-in" the juices in the ribeye steak from the outside.

Here's how I used it for cooking the perfect Tomahawk Ribeye Steak:

Good steaks start with a simple seasoning. Basic seasonings like Salt, Garlic, and a little Black Pepper are all that you need. To bind the seasoning and help the meat brown, I brush on a light coat of Canola oil before the seasoning. The ribeye steaks need to rest about 30 minutes to come up to room temperature which is the perfect time for firing up the smoker.

First the Yoder pellet grill is brought up to 250 degrees for the slow part of the reverse sear. You can use a regular grill set up for indirect cooking as well, just be sure that the temperature is in the 250 range. Cooking the ribeye steak low and slow at first allows the meat to cook evenly, and it will keep moisture (which is flavor) inside the meat longer.

You do need a good thermometer when it comes to doing a reverse sear. I use a wired probe thermometer, so I can see what's going on while the steaks are on the pit. I don't like guessing when it comes to expensive meat.

The target temperature for the first part of this cook is 115. It's about 10 degrees shy of my final range and leaves enough time to put the final Hot & Fast sear on the outside. For these ribeye steaks it takes about 1 hour at 250 to get them to the mark, but that's where your thermometer comes in handy. Don't go by time alone, trust the thermometer and pull it off when it hits 115 internal regardless of time.

While the tomahawk ribeye steaks are slowly coming up to temp on the smoker, I fired up the Second grill to finish off the process. My trusty 22" Weber kettle is just the grill for the job.
When the ribeye steaks hit the 115 mark take them inside and brush the outside with melted butter. You thought it couldn't get any better right? Also lightly sprinkle both sides with a coarse mixture of salt and pepper; I use Mccormick's Montreal Blend which has a nice mix of peppers and a little extra kick. Now the ribeye steaks are ready for the final sear.

Get the ribeyes on the grill grates and set a timer for 2 minutes. I want these steaks to finish at 125-130 degrees, but I also want good looking grate marks on each side. This is where the grill grates work magic. After the first 2 minutes, rotate the steaks a quarter turn. Set the timer for 2 minutes again and step back. As soon as the timer goes off flip the steaks and repeat the same process. It's going to take approximately 8 minutes total for the steaks to hit the medium rare range. Use a thermometer and get them off the grill when you see 125-130 degrees.

For me the last part of the cooking process is the hardest, the final rest. You've heard me say it before but it's important to rest any piece of meat when it comes off the grill and that really applies to thick steaks like these. When it is finally time to sample this meat, you'll understand why I do the reverse sear. Yes, it's a longer process for cooking a steak but it's definitely worth the effort.

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For Killer Hogs BBQ Sauce, Rub and Competition BBQ equipment, visit: http://howtobbqright.com/bbqshop/