The Tomahawk is one of the most recognisable cuts in butchery, and one of the most misunderstood. The long bone is not decoration. It changes how the steak cooks, how it holds heat, and how it lands on the table. Here is what the cut actually is, and where it earns its place.
Before you order one, it helps to know exactly what you are paying for. A Tomahawk is not a separate muscle or a novelty item. It is a rib steak cut from the same primal as a Cube Roll, with one key difference in how it is prepared. Understanding that difference is what lets you judge whether the cut suits the meal you are planning, not just the photo.
What Is a Tomahawk Steak
A Tomahawk steak is a bone-in ribeye cut from the rib primal, with the rib bone left long and French-trimmed, meaning the meat and fat are cleaned off the bone so it stands clear of the steak. A standard Cube Roll or ribeye comes from the same section of the animal but has the bone removed entirely, or trimmed short. The Tomahawk keeps that bone intact and extended, which is what gives the cut its shape and its name, taken from the resemblance to a single-handled axe.
Because it comes from the rib section, a Tomahawk carries the same marbling and eating quality as a Cube Roll of equivalent grade. The bone does not add flavour on its own in any measurable way during a standard cook. What it changes is the cooking process itself, and that is worth understanding before you commit to one.
The Bone Advantage
The long bone does three things that a boneless ribeye cannot.
Even Heat Retention
Bone conducts heat more slowly than muscle and fat. As the steak cooks, the bone acts as a buffer along that edge, slowing the cooking rate closest to it. This reduces the risk of the meat directly against the bone overcooking before the rest of the steak reaches temperature, which matters more on a thick cut like this than on a standard steak.
Structural Support During Cooking
A Tomahawk is thick, commonly 5cm to 6cm through the eye. The bone helps the cut hold its shape on the grill or in the pan, reducing curling and uneven contact with the cooking surface compared to a boneless cut of the same thickness.
Handling and Presentation
The exposed bone gives you a handle. That matters when you are searing a thick cut and need to turn or tip it on edge to render the fat cap, and it matters again at the table, where the cut is carved and served rather than plated individually. This is the practical reason the Tomahawk is built for sharing rather than a single portion.
Why It Works as a Centrepiece
A Tomahawk is not a better cut than a Cube Roll or a Sirloin. It is a different format, suited to a different kind of meal. At 1.2kg on the bone, one Tomahawk typically feeds two to three people once carved, which changes how it is served. It is rested, carved at the table or immediately before serving, and shared, rather than plated as an individual portion the way a single-serve steak is.
That makes it suited to a specific kind of occasion, a dinner where the meal is the event, not a quick weeknight cook. If you are feeding one or two people and want a fast, straightforward result, a Cube Roll or Sirloin from the same rib and loin sections will get you there with less handling. If you are cooking for a table and want the meal itself to carry the occasion, the Tomahawk is built for that. For a broader breakdown of which cut suits which setting, The Right Steak for Every Occasion covers this in more detail.
How to Cook a Tomahawk
The thickness of the cut is what dictates the method. A single high-heat sear alone will burn the outside before the centre reaches temperature. The reliable method is reverse sear.
Bring the steak to room temperature before cooking. Season generously with salt. Cook low and slow first, either in a 120C oven or on the cool side of a grill, until the internal temperature sits roughly 5C to 8C below your target. Rest briefly, then finish with a hard, fast sear on all sides, including standing it on its edge to render the fat cap, until a crust forms. Rest again for at least ten minutes before carving off the bone.
Frequently Asked Questions
01Is a Tomahawk the same as a ribeye
Yes, from the same primal cut and grade. The difference is the long, French-trimmed bone left on the Tomahawk. A ribeye or Cube Roll is the same eating quality without the bone.
02Does the bone add flavour
Not in any significant way during a standard cook. What the bone changes is cooking behaviour, slowing heat at the edge and helping the cut hold its shape, not the flavour of the meat itself.
03How many people does one Tomahawk feed
A single Tomahawk steak is 1.2kg on the bone, and feeds two to three people once carved off.
04What is the best way to cook it
Reverse sear. Cook low and slow to just under your target temperature, rest, then finish with a hard sear on all sides including the fat cap edge.
05When should I choose a Tomahawk over a Sirloin or Cube Roll
When you are feeding two to three people and the meal itself is the occasion. For a fast individual portion, a Sirloin or Cube Roll gets there with less handling.