If you’ve ever wondered how to cook a Tomahawk Ribeye, I’ve got you covered. My Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye Recipe is a fool-proof way to enjoy a fabulous cut of beef. As you can guess, Tomahawk steaks are enormous. This means they taste best when cooked low and slow. The result is a juicy steak you can’t get enough of!

The beef is perfectly cooked on the PK 360 Grill and seasoned with a spicy, savory, and sweet blend of rubs. To make this meal extra special, top your meat with a pat of homemade garlic butter. This would be a fabulous dinner for date night or to treat yourself while watching the big game.

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye Recipe | Heath Riles BBQ

If you’ve never reverse-seared your steak, you’re in for a treat! This cooking method ensures your beef cooks evenly and keeps the meat tender. Searing the Tomahawk Ribeye at the end gives your meat that golden crust pitmasters crave. Follow my simple instructions, and you will have a winner every time.

The Ingredients

This silky-smooth steak comes together in 10 ingredients. You’ll have leftover seasoning, so save it for the next great cook. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.

Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This tasty AP rub contains the best blend of garlic and peppers around! You can use it on just about anything, but it shines on chicken, seafood, beef, and popcorn.

Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub. If you grill a lot of beef, you’ll never be without a bottle of this decadent rub. It complements the natural flavors of beef without overpowering it. This seasoning contains a blend of paprika, chili powder, garlic, and salt.

Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub. This delicious blend adds a savory, nutty note to anything you put on it. If you have nut allergies, you’ll be glad to know this seasoning doesn’t contain the real deal.

Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. If you’re a fan of garlic, you’ll love this rub that combines multiple garlic notes. Use this rub on veggies, chicken, pork, steak, seafood, and eggs. It’s a keeper!

3 ½ - 4 pound Tomahawk Ribeye Steak. Tomahawk ribeye steaks have the entire bone left in, which many believe improves the meat's flavor. I have to say I agree! Tomahawk ribeyes are some of the juiciest, most tender cuts you’ll ever try. Bonus: The presentation is flawless.

Garlic butter. I love topping my steak with a pat of garlic butter. This extra step doesn’t take long, but it really seals in moisture. Garlic butter is easy to make. I use butter, minced garlic, Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub, salt, and pepper.

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used to make my Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye Recipe. You can find more of my grilling favorites in the Equipment and Tools section.

Grill/Smoker. I used the PK 360 Grill for this cook. This setup grills and smokes with ease. This pit is cast aluminum, making it durable and able to hold its heat. I love the adjustable airflow, which makes it easy to craft the perfect Tomahawk Ribeye.
Charcoal. I stoked the PK 360 Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds. This combination burns hot and fast. I use these pellets often with great results! Royal Oak Charcoal is an excellent brand of clean charcoal without any fillers.

The Process for Making Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeye

You can find a detailed demonstration of this cook in the video and recipe card. Here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled these Reverse Seared Tomahawk Ribeyes together.

Fire up the pit. I used my Vortex Chimney to create a two-zone fire, stoking the PK 360 Grill with Royal Oak Charcoal and Royal Oak Tumbleweeds.
Season the Tomahawk Ribeye. I removed the steak from its packaging and drizzled olive oil on both sides. Then, I added a good layer of Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Beef Rub. I let the meat sweat in for 20 minutes.
Make compound butter. I decided to take this recipe up a notch by adding compound butter. To make this condiment, I mixed softened butter, minced garlic, Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Cook the steak. After the steak had a chance to sweat in, I seasoned it with a layer of Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub. I set my raised rack in place and put the Tomahawk Ribeye on the cool side of the PK 360 Grill. I stuck my ChefAlarm in the center and set it for 115℉.
Wrap the steak. Once the Tomahawk reached temp, I pulled it off the pit and placed it on a double-lined sheet of aluminum foil. I put a couple of pats of my compound butter over the top of the Tomahawk and wrapped it tightly. I let the steak rest for five minutes.
Sear and finish. I removed the raised rack from the PK 360 Grill and unwrapped the steak. Then, I laid the meat directly over the hot zone and seared it, flipping once a minute until it reached 125℉. This took about 4 minutes in total. I took the Tomahawk off the pit and topped it with more compound butter, wrapping it tightly. I let the steak rest for 15 minutes before digging in.

The Results

The steak came off the pit with a gorgeous golden crust. This cut of beef was cooked to a magnificent medium rare and was perfectly juicy. Every bite was infused with a fantastic blend of sweet and savory. This recipe is one for the books!