The perfect steak is something I always struggle with, under done, over done, too tough ... blah blah ... it does my head in. For all the slabs of meat I've throw on the BBQ or in the frying pan it still makes me anxious particularly when you have an expensive piece of meat to deal with.

However, I have recently been introduced to the reverse sear option which gets me close to the perfectly cooked steak. Reverse searing basically means searing the steak, to get that crispy outside, after it's cooked to the preferred 'doneness'.  In this instance in the oven.

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak - Cooking with Rich

The concept is fairly simple, raise the internal temperature of the meat to your preference, then simply sear on a pan or bbq. Easy right? Yes, well kind of. The tips and clues here apply to all steaks and more so for a tomahawk steak. A tomahawk is basically a ribeye steak still on the bone, looks cool, but can be a little awkward to cook, so the oven to pan method does suit this particular cut of meat.

Now, argue with me or not, I believe the only way to serve good steak is medium rare, which has an internal temperature of 55-58℃, and that is benchmark of my tips below - so, like my brother says, the real chef in the family, "if you don't like your steak medium rare, you should order the fish".

My key tips, after many failed attempts, are:

  • Use a lower oven temperature. It will require more time to cook but provides better control.
  • Get a good instant read thermometer, this is almost a must, particularly when you are cooking expensive cuts of meat.
  • Don't skimp on the salt and pepper when seasoning.
  • Remove the steak from the oven when it is ~6-8℃ below the recommended internal temperature. NB: this is where I bugger up most often.
  • Let the meat rest for 10-15 mins after searing.