Grilled Dry Aged Tomahawk Steak
Published August 2, 2020 • Updated June 22, 2026
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I grill a dry aged tomahawk steak by reverse searing it over indirect heat first, then finishing with a hard sear. The result is a juicy, thick-cut ribeye with a crust that crackles and medium-rare pink from edge to edge.
I have grilled a lot of steaks, but the first thing I want to tell you about the tomahawk is which one to buy. I have tried both American Wagyu and USDA Prime dry aged tomahawks from Snake River Farms, and I prefer the Prime for grilling. The Wagyu has beautiful marbling, but all that intramuscular fat renders too quickly at high heat and you lose some of the texture. The Prime holds up better on the grill and still has incredible flavor from the aging process.
The bone on mine was 12 inches long, the meat over 2 inches thick, and when you reverse sear it right, every slice is pink from edge to edge. This is the steak I make when I want to impress someone, or when I want to treat myself on a Sunday afternoon.
You will notice I skip compound butter. Nearly every other tomahawk guide finishes with herb butter, but I get a better crust from my dry brine method (kosher salt overnight, no oil, no butter, and a 500-degree sear). The dry surface crackles the moment it hits high heat. If you are dairy-free or just want the clean beefy flavor of the aging to come through, this is the way.
If you love grilling beef, I have plenty of options on the site. My grilled flank steak is great for weeknights, and smash burgers are my go-to when I want something fast. For low and slow, my smoked beef ribs are incredible. But the tomahawk is in its own class. One reader told me her dad, who has been grilling steaks his whole life, watched her pull the steak at 120 and move it to the hard sear without saying a word. He ate his portion without critiquing a single thing she did. Coming from a lifelong griller, that says everything.
How to grill a tomahawk steak
The cooking method for a tomahawk is the opposite of a traditional steak. Normally you sear first, then finish cooking. But since this cut is over 2 inches thick, I flip that order. I cook it over indirect heat first, flipping every 5 minutes, until my probe reads 115-120 degrees. Then I pull it off, let it rest while I crank the heat, and finish with a hard sear for 1-2 minutes per side.
I used to pull at 125, but after testing it repeatedly on cuts this thick, I get better results pulling at 115-120. The carry-over heat from the final sear brings the center to 130-135, which is perfect medium-rare. Season the ribeye on all sides with kosher salt at least 2 hours before grilling, or overnight if you can. I never rinse the salt off. The crust is better when I leave it.
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Ingredients
42 oz dry-aged prime tomahawk steak -
salt
-
black pepper
-
meat thermometer
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Season the tomahawk steak
Season all sides of the tomahawk steak generously with salt and pepper at least 2 hours before grilling. I recommend salting a thick ribeye steak 6 hours to overnight before grilling for the best salt penetration. Store in the refrigerator until ready to cook, but let steak come to room temperature before grilling. Insert a meat thermometer into the steak.
Grill direct heat
Preheat the grill to at least 500 degrees. Grill the tomahawk ribeye over direct heat for about 1 minute each side (cook the edges too).
Move to indirect heat
For indirect grilling, move steak to indirect heat until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees.
Let rest
Pull the steak off the grill and let rest about 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat thermometer reaches 135 degrees.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a cowboy cut and a tomahawk cut of steak?
I have cooked both and the only real difference is bone length. A tomahawk keeps the full rib bone attached, about 12 inches, while a cowboy cut trims it down to 4 to 6 inches. Both are bone-in ribeyes with the same marbling and flavor. I prefer the tomahawk for presentation (that long bone handle looks incredible on a plate), but if your grill is small, a cowboy cut is easier to maneuver.
How do I reverse sear a tomahawk on a charcoal kettle grill?
I have done this many times and it is straightforward once you understand coal placement. Bank all your coals to one side of the kettle. Place the steak on the empty side, close the lid, and flip every 5 minutes until your probe reads 115-120 degrees. Then move it directly over the coals for 1 to 2 minutes per side. The 500-degree target is grate temperature directly over the coals, not the dome reading. My dome usually reads about 50 degrees cooler than the grate surface. Keep the bottom vents open and the top vent half closed to hold heat steady during the indirect phase.
Do I need compound butter on a tomahawk?
I skip it completely and I think the steak is better for it. When you start with a proper dry brine (kosher salt, uncovered in the fridge overnight), the surface dries out enough that the sear alone produces a crust that crackles. Compound butter adds richness, but aged beef already has concentrated, almost nutty flavor from weeks of moisture loss. Butter masks that. If you are dairy-free, this approach works perfectly without sacrificing anything on the crust.
Should I pull the steak at 115 or 125 degrees for the reverse sear?
I pull mine at 115-120 degrees now, not 125. On a cut this thick, the carry-over heat from the final high-heat sear brings the center to 130-135, which is perfect medium-rare. I used to wait for 125, but the steak would overshoot into medium territory after the sear. A probe thermometer is the only way I trust to hit the target. Every tomahawk is a slightly different thickness, so go by the number, not by time.
How do I reheat leftover tomahawk steak without overcooking it?
I reheat mine in a skillet over medium heat for about a minute per side. That is enough to warm the center without pushing it past medium-rare. I do not microwave thick steak because it turns the edges gray and rubbery. If I have a large portion, I slice it into strips first so each piece heats evenly. The crust actually crisps back up in the hot pan, which is a nice bonus.
Can I cook a tomahawk on a Traeger or pellet grill?
I have cooked thick ribeyes on a pellet grill and the reverse sear works well on it. Set the temperature to 225 degrees and cook the steak on the grate until the internal temp hits 115-120. Then pull it off, crank the grill to its highest setting (usually 450-500 on most pellet grills), and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side once it is fully heated. The smoke flavor from the pellets adds a layer you do not get on gas or charcoal. I prefer lump charcoal for a cleaner sear, but a pellet grill produces an excellent result.
Can I cook a tomahawk steak in a cast iron skillet?
I have done this and it works, but you need a big skillet. My tomahawk barely fits in a 12-inch cast iron. I sear it on the stovetop first, then finish it in the oven at 250 degrees until the internal temp hits 115-120. The crust from cast iron is fantastic, but you miss the smoky flavor from the grill. If you want a great indoor steak option, my air fryer steak bites are quicker and still hit that seared crust.
How many people does a tomahawk feed?
My 42-ounce tomahawk easily feeds 2 to 3 people as a main course, or 4 if I am serving it family-style with sides. I have served one to a table of 4 adults and everyone got a generous portion. If I am cooking for a bigger group, I grill two and slice them both. For a different approach, my braised short ribs feed a crowd with less fuss. I also love pairing the tomahawk with grilled salmon for a surf and turf spread, or grilled marinated chicken for guests who want a lighter option.
Planning to make this for my husband's birthday dinner this weekend but can't find a dry-aged tomahawk anywhere, just regular prime ribeyes. Does the reverse sear still work the same with a boneless ribeye, or does the bone and extra thickness change the timing much? He's been asking for that edge-to-edge pink and I really don't want to mess it up.
Pulled this at 125, let it rest the full ten, then kept one piece and had the rest in containers before the dishes were done. Sliced it cold against the grain next morning. Went straight into salad bowls for three days, no reheat, no rubbery texture. If I want it warm, 2 minutes in cast iron on medium-low is the move. The dry-aged price keeps this from being weekly, but one cut covering four days of lunches beats most of what I batch cook.
smells like a steakhouse but it's my backyard.
The hard sear at the end does most of it. Dry-aged fat on high heat is its own thing. My neighbors keep "stopping by" whenever I make this one.
Budget the full rest before you bring it out, especially for a group. Brought this to a friend's backyard dinner last weekend. Sliced it open in front of everyone and this one guy who grills all the time just went quiet. He's usually got something to say. He spent the next ten minutes asking about the indirect heat phase and why I pulled at 125. Didn't care about the crust. He couldn't believe there was no gray band on a 42-ounce cut. Never had someone get that interested in something I cooked. Dry aging and reverse sear together. That's really the whole thing.
No gray band on a cut that thick. Gets the grill guys every time.
Genuinely didn't expect this to hit me the way it did. My dad did a tomahawk every year for his birthday, big production, but he always threw it over direct flame and we'd eat it half-gray inside. The reverse sear getting the interior right, that crust crackling when the knife went in. First bite and I went right back to his backyard. He would have asked so many questions about the method.
Someone who already ran a whole tomahawk production once a year would've had the right questions. The pull temp is where it all changes. I pull mine at 115 now, carry-over handles the rest.
Found this bookmarked on my son's phone last week before I even knew he was looking. He's been tracking protein for lacrosse, so the numbers made sense to him. Ran the thermometer himself through the whole reverse sear and called out each temp check like he was announcing it.
Finding it himself and then running the thermometer solo is not a small deal. The reverse sear has enough stages that once you start calling out temps, you're in it. 75g protein per serving, lacrosse handled.
five in. slow then sear is the only way.
Made this for a friend group dinner last weekend and when I pulled that tomahawk off the grill the conversation stopped. The reverse sear built this crust that actually crackled when I sliced through it, and it was pink all the way to the edges. Two guys there who grill all the time wanted to know exactly what I did. That doesn't happen often.
Grill guys wanting to know your method is the tell. That crackle is the dry aging. Can't get it on a fresh cut.
Added a butter baste with fresh rosemary during the last 30 seconds of the sear and the crust picked up this nutty, almost smoky herb edge I wasn't expecting. Reverse sear already handles the edge-to-edge medium-rare, so the baste didn't change the cook, just added to it. Trying thyme next time to see if it lands differently.
Thyme will land earthier, less piney than rosemary. Both work on this cut. I'd do rosemary if the rest of the plate is simple, thyme if I've got other herbs going on.
The hard sear crust on this crackles when you cut into it, and I'm now three tomahawks deep this spring with no signs of stopping.
Three in one spring is not nothing. The dry aging does something to that surface you can't replicate with a fresh cut - it's why I won't bother with the un-aged version anymore.
My husband is the self-appointed steak guy in our house, so letting me run the grill was already a statement. He watched the whole reverse sear process skeptically and then got really quiet after the first bite. That quiet said it all. The even pink all the way through on a cut that thick is what got him. One thing: don't skip the full rest. I pulled it at 7 minutes and the board was a mess, waited the full 10 the second time and it was night and day.
That quiet is the whole review. And yeah, the rest thing isn't optional on a cut that thick - the juices are still moving at 7 minutes. 10 is the floor.
Two years of keto. Somewhere along the way I stopped thinking a real splurge meal was in the cards. My butcher has had dry-aged tomahawks for months and I kept walking past them. Finally pulled one, did the reverse sear exactly as written, pulled it at 130 and let it rest the full ten minutes. The crust crackled when I cut in. Medium-rare pink all the way through, which I've never actually managed on a cut this thick. Put my fork down after the first bite. Just sat there for a second. This is what it's supposed to feel like.
Sat there a second reading this. The fork-down thing on a cut you'd been walking past for months - that's it.
I've tried probably four or five different tomahawk methods over the years and the outside always got wrecked before the center caught up. The reverse sear approach made me skeptical (pulling at 125°F felt too early) but the edge-to-edge pink was there and that crust actually crackled when I cut into it. This is the one I'm sticking with.
That crackle is what gets me every time. Try pulling at 115-120 next time - I've dialed it back from 125 because carryover on a cut this thick still brings it to 130-135 by the time you're done searing.
My husband considers himself the grill person in this house. Made this Sunday and when I sliced into it he just stood there watching the pink go edge to edge, which from him is basically a standing ovation.
That edge-to-edge pink is all the indirect heat. Nothing else gets a cut that thick there evenly. The grill guy could take notes.
First time with a tomahawk and I really don't want to mess up a cut this size. During the indirect stage, do you keep the lid closed the whole time? Or is there flipping involved? Once it hits temp and you move it back to the 500-degree side, how long per side to actually get the crust?nnI've got a three-burner gas grill and I'm fuzzy on the two-zone setup. Center burner off, outer two on high, is that it? Just want the full sequence clear before I start.
Closed the whole time, just flip it once around the halfway point. Your three-burner setup is right. Final sear goes fast, 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side.