What Is a Tomahawk Steak & How to Cook It
Thomas Joseph Butchery — The Complete Cut Guide
What Is a Tomahawk Steak — And How to Cook It
The most dramatic steak in the butcher's range — and one of the most forgiving to cook when you know how. Here is the complete guide to the tomahawk, from the team at Thomas Joseph Butchery.
Few cuts command a table the way a tomahawk does. A thick-cut ribeye left on the full long rib bone — typically 30–45cm — it is as much theatre as it is steak. But the tomahawk is not all showmanship. The bone genuinely contributes to the eating quality, insulating the meat during the cook and imparting flavour from the bone itself and the marrow within. The eye of the ribeye is identical to a standard boneless ribeye — all the marbling, all the fat, all the flavour — and the long cook the bone demands produces a result that a thinner steak simply doesn't have time to develop. At Thomas Joseph Butchery, we offer our tomahawk in three dry-aged expressions and a Golden Herd Heritage Wagyu version. This guide covers everything.
"The tomahawk is the steak that makes grown adults go quiet. Not because of the bone — because of what the bone, the ageing and the time in the cook produce together."
The CutWhat Is a Tomahawk Steak?
A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye steak — specifically, a ribeye cut with the full rib bone left intact and French-trimmed (the meat and fat cleaned from the bone to expose it). The rib bone is typically 30–45cm long, giving the steak its unmistakable hatchet-like appearance and its name. The cut itself comes from the prime fore-rib section of the animal, between the 6th and 12th ribs, in the same location as a standard ribeye steak.
The ribeye eye muscle — the primary eating muscle — sits in the centre, surrounded by the cap (spinalis dorsi) and the complexus, both of which are among the most flavourful muscles on the animal. The generous intramuscular fat that characterises the ribeye is present in full: those characteristic white veins and flecks of marbling that melt during cooking and baste the meat from the inside.
| Cut | Bone | Typical Weight | Serves | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomahawk | Full rib bone 30–45cm | 1–1.5kg | 2–3 | Full bone, maximum drama and insulation |
| Bone-In Ribeye | Short rib bone ~5cm | 400–600g | 1–2 | Bone-in flavour, more manageable size |
| Ribeye Steak | None — boneless | 350–500g | 1 | Maximum crust surface, quicker cook |
Why the Bone MattersThree Things the Long Bone Actually Does
The bone on a tomahawk is not purely decorative. It serves three genuine functions during the cook that directly affect the eating quality of the finished steak:
- Insulation — the bone slows heat penetration on the side of the steak adjacent to it, giving you a wider window to achieve an even cook throughout without overcooking the meat nearest the heat source.
- Flavour — the periosteum (the membrane around the bone) and the marrow within the bone contribute flavour compounds to the surrounding meat during the cook, in the same way that a bone-in chicken thigh tastes different to a boneless one.
- Heat retention — the bone retains heat during the rest phase, continuing to conduct warmth gently into the meat for the full 10–15 minutes the tomahawk needs to rest. This produces a more evenly cooked result than a boneless steak of the same thickness.
The TJB RangeTomahawk Steaks from Thomas Joseph Butchery
Grass-Fed Dry-Aged Tomahawk Steak
Sourced from cattle raised across British and Irish farms — grass-fed, pasture-raised and dry-aged in-house at TJB's Coxtie Green Farm facility for 32, 45 or 60 days. Each ageing period produces a meaningfully different flavour profile: 32 days delivers clean, deep beef character; 45 days adds complexity and a mineral edge; 60 days is bold, intensely beefy and unmistakably aged. All cut fresh to order and delivered next day.
32 Day — £59 | 45 Day — £65 | 60 Day — £70
Shop Grass-Fed Tomahawk →
Golden Herd Heritage Wagyu Tomahawk
From TJB's exclusive Golden Herd Heritage Wagyu programme — hand-selected from the top 1% of UK Wagyu farms across Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex. The extraordinary intramuscular fat marbling that runs through every millimetre of this cut guarantees a level of richness and buttery depth that the grass-fed version, exceptional as it is, cannot match. At 1.2kg, a genuine occasion steak.
Golden Herd Heritage Wagyu / 1.2kg — £125
Shop Wagyu Tomahawk →How to Cook ItTwo Methods — Both Outstanding
Two-Zone Charcoal Grill — The Definitive Method
Set up a two-zone charcoal grill — coals piled on one side for direct searing heat, the other side clear for indirect finishing. Season the tomahawk generously with flaky sea salt. Sear directly over the coals for 3–4 minutes per side to build a deep crust. Move to the indirect side, close the lid, and cook at 150–170°C until the internal temperature reaches 54°C — approximately 15–25 minutes depending on thickness. Rest for 10–15 minutes with a disc of Sublime Butter melting into the crust. Carve off the bone and slice to serve. For the full detailed BBQ method, see our dedicated Tomahawk BBQ guide.
Reverse Sear — The Most Consistent Indoor Method
The reverse sear produces the most evenly cooked tomahawk of any method and is the ideal approach indoors. Place the seasoned tomahawk on a wire rack over a roasting tray and cook in a 120°C oven until the internal temperature reaches 48°C — approximately 45–60 minutes. Remove and sear immediately in a screaming hot cast iron pan for 90 seconds per side to build the crust. The result is an extraordinarily even cook from edge to edge with a deep, well-developed crust. Rest for 10 minutes. Add Sublime Butter and crack black pepper over the resting steak. Carve off the bone before slicing.
At a GlanceTomahawk Cooking Times
🔥 The Single Most Important Rule
Rest the tomahawk for a minimum of 10 minutes — 15 is better. This is the most common mistake with a cut of this size. The muscle fibres are contracted and the juices centralised immediately off the heat. Carve straight away and those juices run directly onto the board. Rest it properly and every slice is deeply juicy throughout. Use the resting time productively: add butter, crack pepper, and prepare your sides. The tomahawk will be ready when you are.
🔥 Full BBQ Guide
The Complete Tomahawk BBQ Guide
For the full step-by-step BBQ method including Tom's personal notes, reverse sear instructions, temperature tables and carving guide — see our dedicated How to Cook the Perfect Tomahawk on the BBQ guide. Everything you need, in complete detail.
Read the Full BBQ Guide →Frequently Asked Questions
Tomahawk Steak — Your Questions Answered
What is a tomahawk steak?
A tomahawk steak is a bone-in ribeye steak with the full long rib bone left intact and French-trimmed — typically 30–45cm in length. It is cut from the prime fore-rib section of the animal (between ribs 6 and 12) and typically weighs 1–1.5kg. The name comes from the hatchet-like appearance created by the long bone handle. The ribeye eye muscle and marbling are identical to a standard boneless ribeye, but the long bone adds insulation during cooking, contributes flavour, and retains heat during resting.
What is the difference between a tomahawk and a ribeye steak?
A tomahawk and a ribeye come from exactly the same location on the animal — the prime fore-rib. The only difference is the bone: a tomahawk has the full long rib bone (30–45cm) left intact and French-trimmed, while a ribeye is either boneless or has only a short bone stub. The tomahawk's long bone adds theatre, insulates the meat during the cook, contributes bone-derived flavour, and requires a different cooking approach (two-zone or reverse sear) due to the cut's greater thickness and weight.
How long does a tomahawk steak take to cook?
On a BBQ using the two-zone method, a tomahawk takes 3–4 minutes per side over direct heat to sear, followed by 15–25 minutes over indirect heat at 150–170°C. Using the reverse sear indoors, allow 45–60 minutes in a 120°C oven followed by 90 seconds per side in a screaming hot pan. Always pull at 54°C for medium-rare and rest for 10–15 minutes. Total time from grill to table including rest: approximately 45–55 minutes.
How many people does a tomahawk steak serve?
A standard tomahawk of 1–1.2kg comfortably serves two people as a main course with side dishes. At 1.5kg it can serve three. The TJB Grass-Fed Tomahawk at approximately 1kg serves two generously; the Wagyu Tomahawk at 1.2kg serves two very generously or three with good sides. Carved at the table from the bone and sliced, it makes one of the most impressive sharing centrepieces in the steak range.
Is a tomahawk steak worth the price?
Yes — with the understanding of what you are paying for. The premium over a boneless ribeye of equivalent weight reflects several things: the labour of French-trimming the bone, the higher waste ratio of the cut, the longer dry-ageing period the thickness demands, and the presentation value of the finished piece. At £59 for a 32-day dry-aged grass-fed tomahawk serving two, TJB's tomahawk represents genuinely good value compared to the equivalent experience in a restaurant — where the same cut typically sells for £80–£150 per person.
Where can I buy tomahawk steak in the UK?
Thomas Joseph Butchery stocks grass-fed dry-aged tomahawk steaks at 32, 45 and 60-day aged options from £59, alongside the Golden Herd Heritage Wagyu Tomahawk at £125. All sourced from cattle raised across British and Irish farms, dry-aged in-house at Coxtie Green Farm, cut fresh to order and delivered next day anywhere in the UK.
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