The Tomahawk

I love steak, my family loves steak, and if you are a friend of mine….you love steak too.  We were born meat eaters, and steak is at the top of the list for special nights at the farm.  I love cooking them on the smokers, wood bbq, charcoal, on a stick, sous vide, dutch oven, and cast iron.  I usually change my method based off the weather.  If it is 10 degrees outside I am using kitchen technique, once the weather breaks I find myself outside on one of my barbecues.

I am always surprised when I find chefs, restaurants, and friends that claim to know how to make the best steak but fall short of their promise because they have a lack knowledge, or they just don’t care.  When I hear people tell me that they do everything from feel, I know what to expect…imperfection.  I hear this all the time.  “I just press on the steak and if it feels like the hand below the thumb its done.”   So here is my thought on that….if you are camping and have nothing else use that technique, but it will not be perfect, not by a long shot.  Steaks all have a different feel based on the product, quality, and the cut.  Temperatures can swing very fast based on the temperature of the method using.  I carry a meat probe, and my steaks come off the grill, and sit on the cutting board coming up to the perfect temperature, before a knife presented for its first pristine cut.

What you need

• A great cut of steak
• Salt and Pepper
• Meat probe
• BBQ (I am using fire, nothing better for a Ribeye)

It is that simple.

TIP # 1

Take the meat out of the fridge to get to room temperature at least 45 minutes before you cook it.

Tip # 2

Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper while it is sitting there coming to room temperature.  Do not worry if you over season it a little, it will burn off on the fire if it is a ribeye.  If it is another cut with less fat, be more particular and accurate with seasoning.

TIP #3

RIBEYES LOVE THE FLAME OF A FIRE.  SIZZLE IT!

Tip #3

USE A MEAT PROBE.  Steaks will cook differently depending on their location of the bbq.  Be a pro, use a temp probe for accuracy.  I pull my steaks at 136 degrees, then let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.  I don’t want them bloody and I do not want them overcooked.  I will not even serve people at my farm if they want it well done.  I want my steaks to be a tweener, just over Medium Rare and under Medium. 

TIP #4

Find a good butcher.  There is a major difference in quality of good beef and meat.  This is a shout out to my boys at Cutforths Market in Canby Oregon.  The home of the Bone in Tomahawk Ribeye!

That folks is how you do it.  Do not over think it, and do not be afraid of it.  Keep it simple and precise.  The method is the important part.

Enjoy your summer!

The Hunting Chef