Learn how to grill the juiciest tomahawk steak at home, that will rival any steakhouse offering! Don’t forget to top with our garlicky herb butter for added flavour.

If you don’t have access to a grill, take a look at our recipe for Ribeye steak, which is cooked in a pan.

top down view of grilled and sliced steak on a platter, topped with herb butter

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Summer grilling is one of the most exciting events for me. I wait for it all year. And with our temperatures soaring far above the usual this year, outdoor cooking has become our primary way of putting food on the table.

Grilling has got to be one of the tastiest and healthiest way of cooking but like all skills it needs to be honed. It’s alright to overcook a couple of burgers while you getting the hang of it. But it would really hurt to ruin an expensive piece of meat like tomahawk steak.

Not to worry, I’ve done lots of testing, so you don’t have to. Here are my best tips.

What cut of beef is tomahawk steak?

Despite its intriguing appearance, the tomahawk steak is no different than the famous ribeye but with the rib bone still attached.

It comes from the beef rib and is considered one of the most succulent, and therefore tastiest cuts. Another famous piece of beef, which comes from the same place, is the Prime Rib (aka Rib of Beef), which many people enjoy at Christmas.

Not only does this steak have an impressively long bone attached but it is also at least 2 inches thick. This baby can feed a family!

As impressive as these steaks are, they could also be very intimidating to cook. However, let me remind you that this is a prime cut of meat.

People are often worried about grilling steaks and getting it just right while in reality the quality of meat is what really matters. You can do all the right things to a cheap cut and it will still taste tough.

On the contrary, it’s difficult to mess up a ribeye. It’s the cut that is inherently tender, juicy and flavourful. All you have to do is to decide what level of doneness is your favourite, buy yourself a meat thermometer and follow my tips below.

Recipe Tips and Notes

Take the steak out of the fridge an hour before grilling, so it would come to room temperature. This helps with even cooking.
Generously season with salt and pepper. Don’t forget to pat the steak with paper towel before grilling as the salt will draw out moisture.
Tomahawk is a very large steak. To grill it perfectly you will need to start grilling it on direct heat to develop nice crust but once that’s done, move it to indirect heat. This will cook the interior of the steak without burning the outside.
How long you cook the steak on the indirect heat will depend on the degree of doneness you prefer. I like mine medium rare and it takes 10 minutes for a 35 oz steak.
Getting an instant read meat thermometer is the easiest way to ensure your beef is always perfectly cooked. Why guess when you can know for certain!
The internal temperature of medium cooked steak is 57C/135F and 54/130F for medium rare.
Finally, do rest your steak for 10 minutes before slicing. It will be much juicier if you wait!

Steak Sauce Options

In my personal opinion it’s a travesty to eat a steak without a sauce. That is why I have several recipes on my website. My personal favourite is Bearnaise Sauce. It’s classic and it’s incredibly delicious!

However, what I am suggesting to serve with my tomahawk steak is herb butter. I like blending good quality butter with a variety of soft herbs like parsley, dill and green onions, as I did with Garlic Herb Butter.

And although green onion is not technically a herb, it add nice touch of heat to this butter. I also like to add a touch of garlic, either fresh or roasted.

More Steak Sauce Recipes