How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak Gordon Ramsay?

How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak Gordon Ramsay takes 45 minutes: sear hard, baste with butter, garlic, and herbs, then finish in the oven until the center reads 145°F. Rest it 3 minutes before slicing.

Use a 2-inch rib steak, salt it well, oil the pan, and press the fat cap to heat first. Aim for a dark crust, not a slow gray cook. Spoon hot foamy butter over the meat, flip often, and cut from the bone to serve thick slices.

The Short Answer, With Numbers

Cook a tomahawk steak Ramsay-style by hard-searing it first, then finishing it gently until the center reaches 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.

For a typical 2-inch-thick, 32- to 40-ounce tomahawk, plan on 4 minutes total searing plus about 12 to 25 minutes in the oven, depending on thickness and starting temperature.

Fast Ramsay-Style Method

Take the steak out before cooking so the surface is not refrigerator-cold. Pat it very dry. Moisture blocks browning, which matters more on a tomahawk because the steak is thick and the sear time is short.

Season aggressively with salt and pepper. A 2-inch tomahawk has a lot of interior meat, so a light dusting will taste underseasoned once sliced.

Heat a heavy skillet until very hot. Add oil, then sear the steak for 2 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second side. Sear the fat edge for 30 to 60 seconds if it is thick.

Add butter, crushed garlic, and thyme or rosemary. Baste for 60 to 90 seconds, spooning foaming butter over the meat while the pan stays hot.

Move the skillet to a 375°F to 400°F oven, or transfer the steak to a rack set over a sheet pan. Start checking early with an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into the thickest center.

Worked Timing Examples

Example 1: a 1 1/2-inch tomahawk may need about 8 to 14 oven minutes after the sear. Check at 8 minutes, then every 2 minutes.

Example 2: a 2-inch tomahawk often needs about 12 to 20 oven minutes after searing. Check at 12 minutes, especially if the bone is small or the steak started warm.

Example 3: a 2 1/2-inch tomahawk can take about 18 to 25 oven minutes. The outside may look done long before the center reaches temperature, so rely on the thermometer.

When the thickest center reads 145°F, remove the steak and rest it for 3 minutes. Resting is part of the safe-temperature target for beef steaks, not an optional garnish step.

Edge Cases That Change the Clock

If the steak is very cold in the center, add several minutes. If it is closer to room temperature at the surface and less chilled inside, it will finish faster.

If the tomahawk has a long exposed bone but a smaller meat eye, cook it by thickness of the meat, not by total weight. Bone length makes the steak look larger without increasing center cook time much.

If your skillet is not oven-safe, sear in the pan, then move the steak to a preheated sheet pan with a rack. The method still works; it may add 2 to 4 minutes.

Slice across the grain after resting. For a dramatic Ramsay-style plate, cut the meat off the bone first, slice into 1/2-inch strips, then arrange the slices back beside the bone.

What Gordon Ramsay Method Means

For a tomahawk steak, the Gordon Ramsay method means 3 things: aggressive seasoning, a very hot sear, and repeated butter basting with aromatics before finishing to the correct internal temperature.

It is not a “set it and forget it” steak. You build a crust first, then control the center with gentler heat. The bone makes this important because the meat near the bone cooks slower than the outer edge.

The Core Sequence

Use a thick tomahawk, usually 2 to 3 inches thick and 30 to 45 ounces. Pat it dry hard with paper towels. Moisture on the surface delays browning and gives you gray meat instead of a crust.

Season all sides, including the fat cap and the meat around the bone. For a 2.5-pound steak, use about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper as a starting point.

Heat a cast-iron pan until the oil just starts to shimmer. Use about 1 tablespoon high-heat oil. Lay the steak away from you, then sear the first side for 2 to 3 minutes without moving it.

Turn and sear the second side for 2 to 3 minutes. Then sear the fat cap for 45 to 60 seconds. For a tomahawk, also press the meat edge against the pan where the bone curves away.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and 2 thyme or rosemary sprigs. Tilt the pan and spoon foaming butter over the steak for 60 to 90 seconds per side.

How the Tomahawk Changes the Method

A ribeye steak can often finish in the pan. A tomahawk usually needs oven time because the bone, thickness, and large eye of meat make pan-only cooking uneven.

After searing and basting, move the pan to a hot oven or transfer the steak to a rack set over a sheet pan. Check the center with a thermometer inserted from the side, away from bone and fat.

For food safety, beef steaks must reach 145°F and then rest for 3 minutes. That is the USDA safe minimum for steaks, chops, and roasts from beef, pork, veal, and lamb.

Worked example: a 2-inch tomahawk may sear 3 minutes per side, baste 90 seconds per side, then need about 8 to 12 minutes in the oven before reaching 145°F.

A 3-inch tomahawk may use the same sear, but need roughly 15 to 25 minutes of finishing time. The thermometer matters more than the clock because thickness beats weight.

Edge case: if the outside is dark enough but the center is not at 145°F, stop searing. Move to oven heat on a rack. More pan time will burn the butter solids and crust before the middle catches up.

Edge case: if the steak is browning too slowly, the surface was wet or the pan was not hot enough. Remove it, wipe the pan, reheat, add fresh oil, and restart the sear.

Edge case: if the bone side reads lower, rotate the steak so the thicker bone-side meat faces the hotter part of the oven or pan. Do not judge doneness from the thinner outer edge.

The Ramsay-style finish is slicing after the required rest, then spooning the browned butter, garlic, and herb juices over the cut meat. Slice across the grain in 1/2-inch pieces for clean serving.

Tomahawk Steak Ingredients Needed

For a Gordon Ramsay-style tomahawk steak, buy 1 bone-in ribeye tomahawk, 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick, weighing about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 lb. That size serves 2 hungry adults or 3 moderate portions.

The meat matters most. Choose USDA Prime if available, or high-Choice with heavy marbling. Avoid steaks under 2 inches thick; they sear fast but overcook before the fat cap and interior heat evenly.

Core Ingredients for 1 Large Tomahawk Steak

Use kosher salt, not fine table salt, for the listed amount. If using fine salt, cut the amount by about one-third, because it packs more tightly and can make the steak taste harsh.

A practical salt rule is 3/4 tsp kosher salt per pound of steak. For a 3 lb tomahawk, use about 2 1/4 tsp. For a 2 1/2 lb steak, use just under 2 tsp.

Use coarse black pepper because fine pepper burns more quickly in a ripping-hot pan. If you plan to sear over very high heat, add half the pepper after searing to reduce bitterness.

Butter, Herbs, and Pan Aromatics

Ramsay’s style usually leans on butter basting with garlic and woody herbs. For 1 tomahawk, 4 tbsp butter is enough to spoon over the meat without drowning the pan.

Use unsalted butter so the salt level stays controlled. If you only have salted butter, reduce the kosher salt on the steak by 1/4 tsp.

Crush the garlic cloves with the side of a knife, but do not mince them. Minced garlic burns fast during searing; crushed cloves perfume the butter without turning bitter.

Thyme is the main herb here. Rosemary is stronger, so keep it to 2 sprigs. If your rosemary stems are large and woody, use 1 sprig instead of 2.

Optional Steakhouse Add-Ons

• Shallot: 1 small shallot, halved, added during butter basting.
• Flaky salt: 1/2 tsp for finishing after slicing.
• Lemon: 1 wedge to brighten the butter after cooking.
• Beef tallow: 1 tbsp instead of neutral oil for a deeper beef flavor.

For a cast-iron pan, use avocado, canola, grapeseed, or another neutral high-heat oil. Olive oil is not ideal for the first sear because it can smoke heavily before the crust forms.

If the tomahawk is wider than your skillet, plan for a grill, griddle, or roasting pan. The meat must contact the hot surface evenly; a lifted edge gives you gray meat and weak crust.

For food safety, beef steaks, chops, and roasts have a USDA safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Use an instant-read thermometer, not color, to verify doneness.

Prepare the Steak First

Use a 2 to 2 1/2-inch tomahawk steak, usually 32 to 48 oz with the bone. That thickness matters: a thin ribeye cooks too fast for a Ramsay-style hard sear, butter baste, and controlled finish.

Unwrap the steak and pat every surface dry with paper towels. Press into the meat, the fat cap, and around the bone. Surface moisture delays browning and can turn the first 2 minutes in the pan into steaming.

Trim only loose, dangling fat. Leave the main fat cap at about 1/4 inch. If one edge has a thick fat seam over 1/2 inch, shave it down so it renders instead of flaring or tasting waxy.

Salt Early, Then Dry Again

Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of steak. For a 40 oz tomahawk, use about 2 1/2 teaspoons. If using fine table salt, cut that amount by roughly half.

Salt all sides, including the edges. Stand the steak on its side and season the fat cap directly. For a steak this thick, the edge is a real cooking surface, not an afterthought.

For best texture, salt 4 to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate uncovered on a rack set over a rimmed sheet pan. The rack lets air reach both sides, helping the exterior dry evenly.

If you only have 45 minutes, salt it now and leave it on the counter while you set up. If you have less than 20 minutes, salt right before it goes into the pan to avoid drawing out moisture.

After the rest, pat the steak dry again. Do not rinse. The goal is a dry, seasoned exterior that can form a dark crust quickly without washing away the salt.

Measure Thickness and Plan the Finish

Measure the steak at its thickest point, not near the bone. A 2-inch steak and a 2 1/2-inch steak can differ by 10 to 15 minutes in total cooking time, depending on heat and oven use.

Insert an instant-read thermometer from the side to learn the path before cooking. Aim the probe into the center of the eye, away from bone and fat pockets, so your final reading is accurate.

For beef steaks, the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Use that figure if you are cooking to the USDA minimum.

Edge case: if the bone curves sharply, the meat near it may read lower than the outer eye. Check two spots: the center of the eye and the thick meat beside the bone. Use the lower reading.

Set Up the Ramsay-Style Aromatics

Before heat hits the pan, have everything ready: 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 crushed garlic cloves, and 3 to 4 thyme sprigs. Add rosemary only if you want a stronger pine note.

Use a heavy 12-inch cast-iron skillet for a 32 to 40 oz steak. For a 48 oz steak with a long bone, use a 14-inch skillet or sear the meat end while letting the bone extend over the edge.

Wrap the exposed bone in foil only if presentation matters. Keep foil off the meat, because trapped steam softens the crust where it touches.

Finish prep by oiling the steak lightly, not the pan heavily. Rub about 1 teaspoon oil over the meat. This helps seasoning adhere and reduces dry spice scorching during the first hard sear.

Cook It Step by Step

Gordon Ramsay-Style Tomahawk Method: Sear, Baste, Finish

Use a 2-inch tomahawk steak, about 36 to 44 oz. Take it out 45 minutes before cooking so the center is not ice-cold when it hits the pan.

• 1. Season hard and dry the surface. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Season all sides with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp cracked black pepper for a 40 oz steak. Press seasoning onto the fat edge and around the bone.
• 2. Preheat the pan and oven. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put a heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp high-heat oil only when the pan is visibly shimmering.
• 3. Sear the first side. Lay the tomahawk in the skillet away from you. Sear 2 minutes without moving it. If the steak is too long for the pan, let the bone ride up the rim; keep the meat flat on the metal.
• 4. Sear the second side and the fat edge. Flip and sear 2 minutes. Then hold the steak with tongs and sear the fat cap for 60 to 90 seconds. For a very thick fat cap, give it the full 90 seconds so it renders instead of tasting waxy.
• 5. Add Ramsay-style aromatics and baste. Lower heat to medium. Add 3 tbsp butter, 3 crushed garlic cloves, and 2 rosemary or thyme sprigs. Tilt the pan and spoon foaming butter over the meat for 90 seconds.
• 6. Finish in the oven to a safe temperature. Move the skillet to the 400°F oven. Roast until the thickest meat, away from the bone, reaches 145°F. A 2-inch steak usually needs 8 to 14 minutes after searing.
• 7. Rest, slice, and serve. Rest the steak on a board for 3 minutes. Slice along the bone to remove the meat, then cut across the grain into 1/2-inch slices. Spoon the browned butter over the sliced steak.

Timing Examples and Edge Cases

For a 32 oz tomahawk, start checking at 6 minutes in the oven. For a 44 oz steak, start checking at 10 minutes. Use the thermometer, not the clock, as the final authority.

If the crust is dark before the center reaches 145°F, lower the oven to 350°F and continue roasting. If the pan smokes heavily before searing, pull it off heat for 30 seconds, then continue.

Measure in the thickest part of the eye, not against the bone. Bone runs hotter or cooler than the meat around it and can give a misleading reading.

Rest Slice and Serve

For a tomahawk steak, resting is not optional. USDA’s safe minimum for beef steaks is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Use that as your floor, even if the crust looks perfect.

Move the steak to a warm plate or cutting board. Do not cut into it on the pan. Keep the bone attached during the rest so the thick ribeye cap and eye settle evenly.

Resting Time by Steak Size

The 3-minute rest is the food-safety minimum after the steak reaches 145°F. A thick tomahawk benefits from a longer practical rest because the center is large and the bone slows heat movement.

Tent loosely with foil only if the kitchen is cold. Do not wrap tightly. Tight foil traps steam and softens the seared crust, which works against the hard sear used in Gordon Ramsay-style cooking.

Worked example: a 2.5 lb tomahawk comes off the heat at 145°F in the thickest part. Rest it at least 3 minutes. For better slicing, wait 10 minutes before removing the bone.

Before slicing, spoon any board juices over the top once. If you basted with butter, garlic, rosemary, or thyme, discard the spent aromatics and use only the clean resting juices for serving.

How to Slice It Cleanly

First, stand the steak on its long edge. Run a sharp knife along the rib bone, keeping the blade tight to the bone. Remove the entire ribeye in one piece.

Turn the boneless ribeye flat on the board. Slice across the grain into 1/2-inch slices for steakhouse-style service. For richer servings, cut 3/4-inch slices and finish with coarse salt.

If the steak is very wide, split the eye and cap into sections before slicing. The grain can change direction near the cap, so rotate each section and cut across its visible muscle fibers.

Serve the bone on the platter for presentation. Arrange the slices back against the bone in their original shape, then spoon over 1 to 2 tablespoons of resting juices.

For 4 people, a 2.5 to 3 lb tomahawk usually gives generous portions after bone weight. Slice it all at once if serving family-style, or slice half and keep the rest intact to retain juices.

Edge case: if the steak was cut immediately and juices flooded the board, stop slicing. Push the remaining unsliced piece together, wait 5 minutes, then resume cutting across the grain.

Edge case: if the crust softened during rest, do not reheat the whole steak. Instead, serve with the best-crusted side facing up and keep sauces off the top until the plate is at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should a tomahawk steak reach for safe eating?

For a beef tomahawk steak, the USDA safe minimum internal temperature is 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer, avoiding the bone, because the bone can give a misleading reading.

How would Gordon Ramsay sear a tomahawk steak?

Use a very hot heavy pan, add oil, and sear the steak hard on all sides until a deep brown crust forms. For Ramsay-style flavor, add butter, crushed garlic, and herbs, then baste repeatedly for 1 to 2 minutes.

Should I cook a tomahawk steak in the oven after searing?

Yes, if the steak is very thick. Sear first for crust, then move it to the oven so the center cooks evenly. Use a thermometer and cook until it reaches 145°F, then rest it for 3 minutes before slicing.

How long should a tomahawk steak rest before cutting?

Rest a beef tomahawk steak for at least 3 minutes after it reaches 145°F. Place it on a board, loosely tent with foil, and avoid cutting early. Resting helps juices redistribute instead of spilling onto the board.

How do I slice and serve a tomahawk steak like a steakhouse?

After the 3-minute rest, cut the meat away from the bone in one piece. Slice across the grain into thick strips, about 1/2 inch wide. Spoon over pan butter, garlic, and herb juices for a Ramsay-style finish.

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