The Absolute Best Way To Cook A Tomahawk Steak
What's about two inches in thickness, costs a fortune, and features layers of marbled fat? If you've ever seen a Native American tomahawk axe, you might draw parallels between it and one of the most premium cuts of steak on the market: a tomahawk. As HowSuffWorks explains, tomahawk steaks cost between $50-$100 due to their flavorful, fatty meat, as well as their thickness and 30–45-ounce average weight. The tomahawk axe resemblance also comes from the steak's mighty handle, which is a bone that has been "Frenched." This is a fancy word for cleaning and cutting the bone to a certain length.
Despite their grand appearance, tomahawk steaks may present themselves as a challenge for home cooks. They easily outrank other steak cuts that are thinner and easier to cook, like a skirt steak, which has about one inch of thickness at best, per Cook's Illustrated.
But fear not, for tomahawk steaks can be cooked by anyone who has a cast-iron skillet. We'll tell you how.
You'll need an oven too
Taste of Home recommends searing a tomahawk steak on a cast-iron skillet first. Kansas City Steaks expands on this by stating that a non-stick skillet works as well, which should be hot and free of oil and water. They go on to explain that a seasoned tomahawk steak should sear for about three minutes on both sides for medium-rare doneness, but whether you're going for medium-rare or beyond, it's best to finish the steak in a 425 Fahrenheit oven.
12-14 minutes in the oven will achieve that coveted medium-rare finish (be sure to flip the steak at the halfway point too). It's also best to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, as medium-rare steaks should have a reading of 135 Fahrenheit, per Craft Beering. If you're going for rare or medium, adjust the cooking time in the oven accordingly. For reference, rare doneness should have a temperature of 125 Fahrenheit and medium doneness will read 145 Fahrenheit. And above all, don't slice it too early. It's important to let it rest for five minutes so those fatty juices can distribute evenly, thus, resulting in a juicy and tender tomahawk steak.
Cooking a tomahawk steak, or any kind of thick-cut steak for the matter, isn't so challenging after all. All you need is a cast-iron skillet, an oven, and a little bit of patience. But we promise you, it'll be worth the wait.