Garlic Herb Butter Tomahawk Steak

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Introduction

The first tomahawk steak I ever cooked cost me forty-two dollars, and I almost ruined it in four minutes. I threw it straight into a hot pan the way I’d cook a thin sirloin. The outside went black and the middle stayed cold and purple. My husband ate it anyway, bless him. I swore I’d learn to cook this cut properly.

Ten years and many steaks later, this Garlic Herb Butter Tomahawk Steak is the method I trust. It uses the reverse sear: you cook the steak low and slow in the oven, then give it a hard sear in a cast iron skillet and baste it with butter, garlic, rosemary and thyme. You get a pink center from edge to edge, a deep brown crust, and a butter sauce you’ll want to drink.

If you love a good butter baste, try my creamy garlic herb butter spread on bread while the steak rests. Honestly, it’s dangerous.

Essential Ingredients

• 1 tomahawk ribeye steak (2 to 2.5 lbs, about 2 inches thick)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another high smoke point oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (Kerrygold is my favorite)
• 6 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Flaky sea salt for finishing (Maldon)

Alternative Ingredients

A tomahawk is just a bone-in ribeye with the long rib bone left on. If your budget says no (and some weeks mine does too), buy a thick bone-in ribeye or a cowboy steak from your butcher. Ask for USDA Choice. Prime is beautiful, but Choice with good marbling cooks almost the same with this method.

You can use canola or grapeseed oil instead of avocado oil. Fresh herbs make a big difference, but in winter, when my garden is asleep, I’ve used 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning stirred into the butter. Salted butter works too. Just cut back the finishing salt.

Tools That Make This Easier

Here’s the thing. One tool decides whether this steak is perfect or a forty-dollar mistake, and it’s a good instant-read meat thermometer. I use a Thermapen, but the ThermoPro models cost a lot less and work very well. A leave-in probe thermometer with an alarm is even better for the oven stage, because you don’t have to keep opening the door.

You’ll also want a heavy cast iron skillet. My 12-inch Lodge has seared hundreds of steaks and cost less than the steak itself. A stainless steel tri-ply pan like All-Clad works too. A wire rack set on a rimmed sheet pan lets air move around the meat in the oven.

Got a pellet grill like a Traeger, or a Weber kettle? You can do the low and slow part outside at the same temperature and get a light smoky flavor.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Dry brine the steak. Mix the kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder, and press it onto every side of the steak. Put it on the wire rack and leave it uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can. The surface dries out, and a dry surface makes a better crust.

2. Bring it toward room temperature. Take the steak out 45 minutes before cooking. Heat your oven to 250°F (120°C).

3. Cook it low and slow. Wrap the bone in foil so it doesn’t darken too much. Put the steak on the rack and push the thermometer probe into the thickest part, away from the bone. Cook until it reads 120°F (49°C) for medium-rare. This usually takes 45 to 70 minutes, depending on thickness and your oven. Cook to the temperature, not the clock.

4. Rest it briefly. Move the steak to a board for 10 minutes while you heat the skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke.

5. Sear hard. Add the avocado oil, then the steak. Sear 60 to 90 seconds per side without moving it. Use tongs to hold it on its fat edge for 30 seconds too. That rendered fat cap is the best bite on the plate.

6. Baste with garlic herb butter. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the butter, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the steak again and again for about 1 minute. Your kitchen will smell incredible.

7. Rest and slice. Rest the steak 5 to 10 minutes. It should end at about 130 to 135°F (54 to 57°C). Cut the meat away from the bone, slice it against the grain, pour the pan butter over it, and finish with flaky salt.

Pro Tips

The mistake I made for years was skipping the dry brine because I was impatient. A wet steak steams before it browns. Now I salt the night before, and the crust is better every time.

Turn on your range hood and open a window before you sear. My smoke alarm has given its opinion on this recipe more than once.

Don’t add the butter at the start of the sear. Butter burns at high heat, which is why it goes in after the heat comes down.

Your mileage may vary with oven times. Ovens run hot or cold, and a cheap oven thermometer (about eight dollars) will tell you which kind you have.

FAQs

What temperature should a tomahawk steak be cooked to?
Pull it from the oven at 120°F for medium-rare and finish around 130 to 135°F after searing and resting. For medium, pull it at 130°F.

Can I cook a tomahawk steak on the grill?
Yes. Set up two-zone heat, cook it on the cooler side until it reaches 120°F, then sear it over direct heat. Baste with the herb butter in a small cast iron pan on the grates.

Where can I buy a tomahawk steak?
Costco and Sam’s Club often carry them. A local butcher can cut one to order. Online, premium meat delivery services like Snake River Farms and Omaha Steaks ship them frozen.

How do I store leftovers?
Keep sliced steak in an airtight glass meal prep container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently in a 250°F oven so it doesn’t turn gray.

Recipe Info

Detail	Info
Prep Time	15 minutes (plus 4 to 24 hours dry brine)
Cook Time	60 to 80 minutes
Total Time	About 1 hour 35 minutes (not counting brine)
Servings	2 to 3
Yield	1 tomahawk steak, about 1.5 lbs of sliced meat

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It takes the stress out of an expensive cut. The thermometer does the worrying, so you don’t have to. It looks like a steakhouse dinner but uses only ten ingredients, and the butter baste turns the pan into a ready-made sauce. Last Christmas I made two of these for my in-laws, and my father-in-law asked which restaurant I’d ordered from. I’m still smiling about it.

What Makes This Recipe Unique

Most tomahawk recipes either sear first or skip the butter. This one combines the reverse sear for even doneness with a classic French-style butter baste at the end. It also includes a dry brine step that many quick recipes leave out. Put together, these three steps give a pink middle, a hard crust and a lot of flavor.

Key Features

• Even pink doneness from edge to edge
• Deep, crisp crust from a cast iron sear
• Rich garlic, rosemary and thyme butter
• Works in the oven, on a gas grill or on a pellet smoker
• Restaurant-quality special occasion dinner at home

Nutrition Facts (per serving, approximate, based on 3 servings)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	860 kcal
Protein	62 g
Total Fat	66 g
Saturated Fat	29 g
Carbohydrates	2 g
Cholesterol	230 mg
Sodium	1,450 mg

You’ll Also Love

If you want a spicy version of this cut, my spicy garlic tomahawk beef steak brings real heat. Serve either one with a big bowl of creamy buttery mashed potatoes to soak up the extra butter.

For more ideas, take a look at the tomahawk steak guide from RecipeTin Eats, the Food Network tomahawk steak with sautéed spinach, and Tasty’s reverse sear steak, which is a great way to practice the method on a smaller, cheaper cut.

Conclusion

A tomahawk steak looks scary, and the price tag makes it scarier. But once you trust the slow oven, the thermometer and the hot skillet, it’s one of the easiest special dinners you’ll make. Salt it early, cook it gently, sear it hard and baste it well. That’s the whole secret.

If you make this Garlic Herb Butter Tomahawk Steak, leave me a comment and tell me how it went. Did your smoke alarm go off too? I’d love to hear about it.

Happy cooking,
Linda