How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak Perfectly Every Time

This one is a little outside of what I normally do here at V-Twins to V-8s, but with Labor Day coming up, I figured it was worth sharing.

I’ve cooked tomahawk steaks this way several times, and the method works. You get a steak that’s cooked evenly through the middle with a great sear on the outside—and you don’t need anything fancy to do it.

The trick is pretty simple: cook it slowly over indirect heat first, then finish it over a screaming-hot grill.

Here’s exactly how I do it.

Start With the Steak at Room Temperature

I take the tomahawk out of the package and let it sit for about 30 minutes before it goes on the grill.

A tomahawk is a big, thick piece of meat. Giving it some time out of the refrigerator helps take some of the chill out of the center before you start cooking.

Season the Tomahawk

For seasoning, I keep it simple:

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic

• A little sugar

Yes, sugar.

Not a lot. Just a little. It helps with the crust when we get to the high-temperature sear at the end.

Season the steak well and then get the grill ready.

Set Up the Grill for Indirect Heat

I'm using a two-burner gas grill for this.

Turn on one burner and bring the grill temperature to approximately 400°F.

The steak goes over the burner that is turned OFF.

That's important.

We're using indirect heat at this point. I don't want that big tomahawk sitting directly over a flame for 40 minutes. We're going to bring the steak up slowly and evenly first, then worry about the sear later.

Cook for 20 Minutes

Put the tomahawk on the grill over the burner that's turned off, close the lid, and let it cook for:

20 minutes at approximately 400°F.

Don't keep opening the grill and messing with it. Let the heat do its job.

Flip It and Cook Another 20 Minutes

After 20 minutes, flip the steak.

Keep it on the indirect side of the grill and let it cook for another:

20 minutes.

At this point, the outside of the steak is going to look pretty good.

But we're not done.

Not even close.

Now Get the Grill HOT

Take the steak completely off the grill and set it aside.

Turn on the second burner, close the lid, and let the grill heat up for about 10 minutes.

I want it as hot as I can reasonably get it.

On my grill, that's right around:

600°F.

This is where we're going to build that crust on the outside.

Sear the Tomahawk

Once the grill is around 600°F, put the steak back on over the direct heat.

Now we're moving quickly.

Sear the first side for one minute.

Flip it.

Sear the second side for one minute.

That's it.

The steak already did most of its cooking during the indirect portion. We're not trying to cook the center now. We're putting that final sear on the outside.

Let It Rest

Take the steak off the grill and leave it alone for:

5 minutes.

Don't immediately cut into it.

After the rest, mine was sitting right at an internal temperature of approximately 130°F.

For the blog, I'd keep it natural and useful:

A good instant-read meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of this—especially with a steak this thick.

Instant-Read Meat Thermometer

That's where I like it.

Keep in mind that steak doneness is a personal preference, so use a good meat thermometer and adjust your final temperature to suit how you like your steak cooked.

Time to Cut It

Now comes the good part.

After the five-minute rest, slice into it and see what you've got.

Using this method, I get a tomahawk that's evenly cooked through the center with a good crust on the outside—and I can repeat the result instead of guessing every time I throw one on the grill.

That's really the whole trick:

Indirect heat first. High-heat sear last.

You don't need to overcomplicate it.

Tomahawk Steak Cooking Method at a Glance

Room temperature: 30 minutes
Seasoning: Salt, pepper, garlic and a little sugar
Grill temperature: Approximately 400°F
First side: 20 minutes over indirect heat
Second side: 20 minutes over indirect heat
Heat grill for searing: Approximately 10 minutes
Searing temperature: Approximately 600°F
First-side sear: 1 minute
Second-side sear: 1 minute
Rest: 5 minutes
My finished internal temperature: Approximately 130°F

That's how I cook a tomahawk steak—and it comes out pretty darn perfect every time.

Sometimes the best project of the weekend isn't in the garage.