Reverse searing is an excellent way to prepare tomahawk steak. This method requires allowing your steak to slowly rise in temperature on the grill, cooling it, then searing it. This way, you can enjoy your steak while it’s still hot.
Take the steak out of the fridge two hours before you plan to cook. You want the steak to come up to room temperature. After that…
Prepare the Grill
You have multiple options to prepare your grill or smoker. You can:
- Set up a two-zone heat method. In this method, you only have hot coals on one side of the grill.
- Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Both smoking and low-heat grilling work for slowly cooking your steak.
Season the Steak
Juicy grilled or smoked meat has its own rich flavor. For this reason, many people prefer to stick to the basics when seasoning steak. Use a healthy amount of quality salt and pepper to account for the thick slab of beef.
If you want to get fancy, you could go with a beef seasoning or steak rub. The best combinations for steak often include cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed coriander.
Regardless of how you season it, you want to apply seasoning right before you are ready to grill.
Start to Cook
Once your coals or smoker is ready, put the meat down. If you used the two-zone method, put your steak on the cool side of the grill. Remember, you want the meat to cook slowly to ensure the middle gets warm.
At this point, you do not want to sear the steak. Flip it regularly to keep the cooking even. After about 15 minutes, use a meat thermometer (We highly recommend Thermapen Mk4) to ensure the steak is around 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
A finished, medium-rare steak has an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want your steak finished yet, because the added heat from the sear will cook it further.
Time to Sear
Take your steak off the grill and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. If you cook steak, you know that you typically let the steak rest when you finish cooking. However, letting it rest before the sear will allow you to enjoy it nice and hot.
After it rests, light up some more coals and bring up the heat. If you started with a smoker, now is the time to bring out the grill (or pan, if you wish). Place the steak directly over the hot coals for a minute or two before you flip it over.
Now, you have a great sear, and your steak is ready to eat. If you don’t get the sear you want, you can try leaving the steak on a little longer. However, it’s important that you don’t overcook your steak at this point.
Finish and Eat
Use a thermometer to assess your steak. If you want it rare, you’re looking for 125 degrees Fahrenheit. For well done, you want 160 degrees (checkout our steak donesses guide).
If you wish, you can finish off your steak with salt or butter.
Then, cut it into thin slices and enjoy.