REVERSE-SEARED TOMAHAWK with Smoked Bone Marrow Butter
BBQ: Low & Slow, then Ripping Hot
A tomahawk is not a subtle cut. It's a statement. Two kilos of bone-in ribeye with a handle long enough to double as a weapon. It demands respect, a proper fire, and enough time to do it right. Rush it and you've wasted a serious piece of meat. Give it the patience it deserves and you'll cook something people talk about for years.
The reverse sear is the method here. Low and slow first, indirect heat, smoke doing the work, then a ripping hot sear at the end to build the crust. It's the opposite of how most people were taught, and it's better in every way. More control, more even cook, more bark.
The bone marrow butter is the finish: rich, smoky, deeply savoury. It melts into the rested meat and makes everything taste like it was always supposed to be this good.
You'll need a kettle BBQ or offset smoker, a good instant-read thermometer, and a Thomson knife sharp enough to carve cleanly through that crust without dragging.
Everything else is fire and patience.
Serves 2 – 3 people
Prep Time 30 min + overnight dry brine (recommended)
Cook Time 2.5 – 3.5 hours total
Resting Time 20 – 30 minutes
Method Reverse Sear: indirect low heat, then direct high heat
Fire Setup Kettle BBQ or offset smoker + hardwood chunks
Target Internal Temp 52°C pull temp / 55°C rested (medium-rare)
Difficulty Intermediate. Thermometer required
Ingredients: Steak
1 Tomahawk ribeye, bone-in. 1.8 to 2.2 kg, at least 6 cm thick.
2 tsp Flaky sea salt, for dry brine
1 tsp Cracked black pepper, coarse
1 tsp Garlic powder
2 – 3 chunks Hardwood: oak, ironbark, or cherry for smoke
Ingredients: Bone Marrow Butter
2 Beef marrow bones, halved lengthways. Ask your butcher.
150 g Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp Thyme leaves, fresh
1 tsp Flaky sea salt
1/2 tsp Cracked black pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Squeeze Lemon juice, just a touch, to cut the richness
Method:
01. DRY BRINE: THE NIGHT BEFORE
Pat the tomahawk completely dry with paper towel. Season generously on all sides with flaky sea salt. Don't be shy, this is a thick cut. Place uncovered on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate overnight, or for a minimum of four hours. The salt draws moisture to the surface, then pulls it back in, seasoning the meat deep and drying the exterior for a better crust. This step is not optional if you want a serious result.
- No overnight? Salt it at least an hour before cooking. Forty minutes is the danger zone. The surface moisture hasn't been reabsorbed yet.
02. BRING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
Pull the steak from the fridge 60 to 90 minutes before it goes on the fire. A cold centre means uneven cooking. The outside overcooks before the middle gets there. While it comes up to temp, mix your rub: cracked pepper and garlic powder. Apply it all over the steak just before it goes on.
03. SET UP THE FIRE: TWO ZONES
Light your kettle or offset and set up for two-zone indirect cooking.
On a kettle: bank all coals to one side, leaving the other side empty. You want the indirect zone to sit at 110 – 130°C (230 – 265°F). Add two or three chunks of hardwood directly to the coals. Oak gives a clean, bold smoke; cherry adds a subtle sweetness that works well with beef. Let the fire settle and the smoke run clear before the meat goes on.
- White billowing smoke is bitter. Wait for thin blue smoke. That's the sweet spot.
04. SMOKE THE STEAK: LOW AND SLOW
Place the tomahawk on the indirect side of the grill, bone facing the heat source. Close the lid and leave it. Resist the urge to open it constantly. Check the internal temperature with a probe thermometer after 90 minutes. You're looking for 52°C (125°F) as your pull temperature. The carry-over during the sear will bring it to 55°C (131°F) rested, which is a perfect medium-rare. Depending on thickness and fire temp, this low-and-slow phase will take 2 to 3 hours. Don't rush it.
- Rotate the steak 180° halfway through if your fire has hot spots. The bone end cooks slower. Keep it closer to the heat.
05. SMOKE THE MARROW BONES
While the steak is in its low-and-slow phase, place the marrow bones cut-side up on the indirect side of the grill. Season with salt and pepper. Smoke them for 45 – 60 minutes until the marrow is soft, bubbling, and pulling slightly away from the bone. Remove and allow to cool. Scoop the marrow out with a spoon into a bowl and mash it into the softened butter with the garlic, parsley, thyme, Worcestershire, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully combined. Roll in cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- The marrow butter will keep in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for a month. Make extra. It's exceptional on grilled bread, roasted vegetables, or stirred through pasta.
06. THE SEAR: GET IT RIPPING HOT
When the steak hits 52°C, pull it off the indirect side and tent loosely with foil. While it rests briefly, stoke your coals or open all vents wide to get the direct zone as hot as possible. You want it screaming, 300°C+ if you can manage it. A cast iron grate helps here. Sear the steak directly over the coals: 60 to 90 seconds per side, rotating 45° halfway through each side for a crosshatch crust. Hold the bone and sear the edges too. The goal is a deep, dark, crackling bark. Not grey, not pale. Black in the good way.
- Don't move it while it's searing. Let the crust form and release naturally. If it sticks, it's not ready to turn.
07. REST: NON-NEGOTIABLE
Pull the steak off the fire and place it on a wire rack over a tray. Do not cut it. Do not prod it. Rest it uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. The internal temperature will rise a few more degrees and the juices will redistribute through the meat. Cut it too early and those juices run out onto the board. Rest it properly and every slice stays pink, juicy, and intact.
08. CARVE AND FINISH
After resting, stand the tomahawk upright by the bone and carve the meat away from the rib bone in one clean motion. Your Thomson Chef's Slicer is the right tool for this. Lay the eye of the meat flat and slice against the grain into thick pieces, 1.5 to 2 cm. Arrange on a warm board or plate. Top immediately with two or three generous slices of the cold marrow butter. It will melt slowly into the meat as you carry it to the table. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and cracked pepper.
- Slice against the grain. Always. It shortens the muscle fibres and makes every piece tender regardless of how the steak was cooked.
Serve with:
This cut doesn't need much alongside it. It's the main event. Keep the sides honest and let the steak do the talking.
On the board:
Chimichurri, the classic (recipe 106 from the series)
Alongside Smashed potatoes with sour cream & crispy capers
Or Charred broccolini with lemon, almonds & parmesan
To drink Something red and serious. Barossa Shiraz or a Malbec from Mendoza.
Bread Grilled sourdough to mop the board. Don't waste the butter.
Carving a tomahawk is where your knife earns its keep. You need length to follow the bone cleanly, and a sharp edge that doesn't drag through the crust or compress the meat. The Thomson Chef's Slicer, available in carbon or stainless, is built exactly for this. Long, thin, and precise. One pass per slice. No sawing.
If you're serving at the table, the Thomson Steak Knife Set handles the rest. Sharp enough that nobody has to work for it.
