If you’re all about power tools, chopping wood, and dreaming of the perfect steak, then the hanging tomahawk steak is your kind of recipe. We’re talking about a thick-cut, freakin’ delicious steak with a nice crust that will make you drool before the first bite.
To make the magic happen, we drill a hole in the steak’s long bone and hang it between the two fire sources on the FYR Grill. It’s almost like reverse searing or smoking a steak. Even though it’s a simple recipe, it’s got the absolute best flavor profile. The best way to achieve that flavor is starting with a slow smoke at a low temperature, locking in that deep, rich flavor, then finishing with a blazing-hot sear on the grill.
Never tried cooking steak this way? Buckle up — this is one of the best steaks you’ll ever make! If this is the first time you’ve heard of reverse searing and want to do some more research, I have a whole article dedicated to How to Reverse Sear a Steak.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Hanging Tomahawk Steak
- Most Anticipated Grill of 2025
- Hanging Tomahawk Steak Ingredients
- A Brief History of the Tomahawk Steak
- This sauce is FYR!
- How to Make Hanging Tomahawk Steak
- Prepping Our Bone-In Steaks
- Making the Garlic Confit Chimichurri
- Grilling the Steaks
- Finishing the Tomahawk Steak
- What to Serve with Hanging Tomahawk Steak
- Leftovers and Reheating
- More Tomahawk Steaks
- FAQs
- Flavor X Fire & FOOD X Fire
- Hanging Tomahawk Steaks Recipe
- A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TOMAHAWK STEAK
Why You’ll Love Hanging Tomahawk Steak
Thanks to its unique look, there’s something downright primal about a long-bone tomahawk steak. Add in power tools and we’ve got full-on cowboy fire cooking vibes. The slow smoke lays the foundation for a tender steak that’s stacked with flavor. By cooking it this way, we can ensure we hit the desired internal temperature of the steak before creating the steak’s crust.
My smoked steak and grilled Tomahawk steak methods come together to make you the backyard BBQ hero. This recipe is perfect for a special occasion or just enjoying a good meal with the fam. I’m topping our big steaks with a garlic confit chimichurri, which is absolutely off the charts. Chimichurri is a classic South American cowboy sauce, so it felt like the right call to add it here. You can get a few other ideas for how to use chimichurri in my roundup of the Best Chimichurri Recipes!
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Hanging Tomahawk Steak Ingredients
- Tomahawk Steak: Grab a whole tomahawk steak, your favorite steak rub and some canola oil.
- Garlic Confit: We’ll use just garlic cloves and olive oil for this component. Super simple ingredients for big flavor!
- Chimichurri: We’ll make our chimichurri with chopped parsley, red wine vinegar, finely diced red chile, some of our garlic confit and a little of the reserved garlic confit oil.
A Brief History of the Tomahawk Steak
Big, bold, and built for meat lovers — the tomahawk steak is the ultimate showstopper. This bad boy, which resembles a tomahawk axe, is just like a ribeye. It’s basically a large cut of steak with a handle, and yeah, it’s as badass as it looks.
From Butcher’s Secret to Steakhouse Star
Butchers have known for ages that keeping the rib bone intact amps up the flavor and juiciness. But it wasn’t until steakhouses and fire-loving pitmasters got their hands on it that the tomahawk became a legend. Toss in the rise of social media, and boom — suddenly, everyone wanted to reverse-sear one of these beasts over an open flame.
Why It’s a Next-Level Steak
Slow-smoked, then seared over a screaming-hot fire, this hanging tomahawk recipe delivers a perfect crust, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and that primal, caveman cooking experience. Whether you’re hanging it over a fire or going for a skillet sear, this is the steak that demands attention.
Bottom Line?
The tomahawk isn’t just a cut of beef — it’s a statement. If you’re into power tools, fire, and unapologetically good food, this is the steak for you.
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How to Make Hanging Tomahawk Steak
Prepping Our Bone-In Steaks
Using a 1/4” drill bit, drive a hole into the top part of the bone of your tomahawk steak. Using some trussing string, wire or a butcher hook, truss the tomahawk so that it will hang nicely over your fire about 5-6 inches away from the coals.
Slather your steaks with a little canola oil (or in my case I used the FYR BLK sauce to add a bit of flavor), then thoroughly season your steaks on all sides with 2.5 tablespoons of your favorite steak rub. Once the steaks are seasoned, set them in the fridge for 1 hour to set.
Making the Garlic Confit Chimichurri
While our steaks are (literally) chilling, let’s make the garlic confit chimichurri. Preheat your grill to medium high heat temperature (around 375 degrees F) for direct cooking. Add a cast iron skillet with six whole garlic cloves and 1.5 cups olive oil to the grill. Wait until the garlic is simmering, then control the heat so that it stays simmering.
Let the garlic brown (but not burn) and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until the cloves are extremely tender. Pull out the garlic cloves, smash them, and keep the olive oil hot (around 275 degrees F).
Add all the ingredients for the chimichurri —1 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons finely diced red chile and salt to taste — to a high heat bowl, including the smashed garlic. Then, pour the hot oil over the ingredients and let it sit for at least 2-3 minutes.
Grilling the Steaks
To grill the steaks, build a three-zone fire in your FYR Grill. Wait until the fire is about medium to medium high heat (around 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Set up your hanging device over the pit.
Next, pull your steak out of the fridge and then let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then, hang your tomahawk steaks over the fire and cook for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Keep adding charcoal and wood to maintain the temperature of the fire. When the steaks are done, pull off and let rest for 10 minutes.
Finishing the Tomahawk Steak
Once the steaks have rested, place them on the grill and sear for about 1-2 minutes per side for a great crust. When the steaks are done, pull them off your grill. Serve up your steaks with the garlic confit chimichurri over top, slice and enjoy!
What to Serve with Hanging Tomahawk Steak
A big steak like this deserves some next-level sides. If you want to go full send, pair it with some grilled lobster tails or garlic butter shrimp for the ultimate surf and turf dinner.
Looking for something classic? Loaded baked potatoes and a side of grilled asparagus bring the perfect balance. Whatever you choose, make sure you’ve got a good drink in hand and plenty of hungry guests ready to feast.
Leftovers and Reheating
Got leftover hanging tomahawk steak? Lucky you! Wrap any remaining steak in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store the meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
When it’s time to reheat, fire up your smoker or grill. Keep it low and slow at 225-250 degrees F until the steak warms through, then finish with a quick sear over direct heat to bring back that crust. Pro move? Slice it up for some killer steak sandwiches the next day. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
More Tomahawk Steaks
FAQs
The biggest difference is that the butcher leaves the long bone attached to the steak, but essentially, it’s the same cut of meat. The long bone is perfect for the hanging tomahawk steak recipe.
Yep! Use a charcoal grill with indirect heat for a reverse sear method, or slow cook in the oven before finishing with a hot grill sear.
Check the meat case at your local butcher, higher-end grocery stores, or also order USDA Prime steaks online for top quality.
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Hanging Tomahawk Steaks
Ingredients
Tomahawk Steak:
- 1 Whole Tomahawk Steak
- 2.5 tbsp Favorite Steak Rub
- Canola Oil as needed
Garlic Confit:
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 1.5 cups Olive Oil
Chimichurri:
- 1 cup Parsley chopped
- ¼ cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Finely Diced Red Chili
- 2 tbsp Garlic Confit
- Garlic Confit Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Steaks:
- Using a 1/4” drill bit, drive a hole into the top part of the bone of your tomahawk steak. Using some trussing string, wire or a butcher hook, truss the tomahawk so that it will hang nicely over your fire about 5-6 inches away from the coals.
- Lather your steaks with a little canola oil. Thoroughly season your steaks on all sides. Make sure to season the sides with your favorite steak rub. Once the steaks are seasoned, set in the fridge for 1 hour to set.
- Build a three zone fire in your FYR Grill. Wait until the fire is about medium to medium high heat (around 350F). Set up your hanging device over the pit.
- Pull out your steak and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Hang your tomahawk steaks over the fire and cook for about 30 minutes until the internal temperature is 110F. Keep adding charcoal and wood to maintain the temperature of the fire.
- When the steaks are done, pull off and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Once rested, place your steak on the grill and sear for about 1-2 minutes per side for a great crust. Once the steaks are done, pull them off.
- Serve up your steaks with the garlic confit chimichurri over top, slice and enjoy!
Garlic Confit Chimichurri:
- Preheat your grill to medium high heat temperature (around 375F) for direct cooking.
- Add a cast iron skillet with the whole garlic cloves and olive oil to the grill. Wait until the garlic is simmering, then control the heat so that it stays simmering.
- Let the garlic brown (but not burn) and cook for 30-45 minutes or until it is extremely tender. Pull out the garlic and smash them, and keep the olive oil hot (around 275F).
- Add all the ingredients for the chimichurri to a high heat bowl including the smashed garlic. Then pour the hot oil over the ingredients and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Been following the blog for sometime and this is one of my favourite recipes. Tried this few days ago at a family dinner but not with the Tomahawk Ribeye (that was too expensive for me). It turned out absolutely mouth-watering and everyone enjoyed every bite. The spicy mustard really spiced up everything 👌🏻
Cheers!
Going to try this soon. I like the simplicity.