Tomahawk Steak on a Weber Kettle (Reverse Sear Method)

A reverse sear tomahawk steak is one of the most reliable ways to cook a thick, bone-in ribeye perfectly from edge to edge.

Instead of blasting it over high heat and hoping for the best, this method slowly brings the steak up to temperature before finishing with a hard sear for a deep, flavorful crust.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to reverse sear a tomahawk steak on a Weber kettle using a simple two-zone setup. We’ll also cover dry brining for better browning and the exact internal temperatures to hit your desired doneness.

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook a tomahawk steak without overcooking the outside or undercooking the center, this method makes it repeatable.

This page includes affiliate links, which means I will receive a commission if you buy the products mentioned in this post.

Dry Brining a Tomahawk Steak

Dry brining simply means seasoning the steak with kosher salt and letting it rest uncovered in the refrigerator for several hours, or up to 24 hours. The salt draws moisture to the surface, which then reabsorbs into the meat, improving flavor throughout.

Allowing the surface to dry out also helps develop a better crust during the sear. For thick cuts like a tomahawk, this step makes a noticeable difference

Why Reverse Sear Works For Thick Steaks

A tomahawk steak is simply too thick to cook well using only high heat. Starting over direct flame often leads to an overcooked exterior and an undercooked center.

The reverse sear method solves this by cooking the steak gently over indirect heat first. Bring the internal temperature to about 10–15°F below your target doneness before finishing with a hard sear over direct heat.

For medium rare, that means pulling it around 115–120°F and finishing around 130–135°F.

This approach gives you:

• Even edge-to-edge doneness
• Better temperature control
• A deeper, more consistent crust

If you want a deeper breakdown of the science and timing behind reverse searing, I’ve written a full guide to the reverse sear method.

Reverse searing works especially well on a Weber kettle because a two-zone charcoal setup makes temperature control simple and repeatable.

Weber Kettle Setup for Reverse Searing

Cowboy Butter For Serving (Optional)

This tomahawk steak is excellent on its own, but I often finish it with a spoonful of cowboy butter for added richness and flavor. My version includes chopped green peppercorns, which add a subtle heat and depth that pairs especially well with charcoal-grilled ribeye.

Here’s the full cowboy butter recipe

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

• Author: The Kettle Guy
• Total Time: 85 minutes
• Yield: 2-4

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This reverse seared tomahawk steak is cooked low and slow over indirect heat, then finished with a high-heat sear for a deep crust and even doneness from edge to edge. Using a simple two-zone charcoal setup on a Weber kettle makes this thick-cut ribeye predictable and repeatable.

You can see my step-by-step process in the video below.

---

Ingredients

• Tomahawk steak (2-4 pounds, bone-in ribeye)
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per side, for dry brining)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika (see note)
• For serving (optional): Cowboy Butter (see note)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Dry brine the steak by patting it dry and seasoning both sides with kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per side). Place it on a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.
2. Preheat your grill for two-zone cooking, maintaining an indirect temperature between 225–275°F.
3. Remove the steak from the refrigerator and season with freshly ground black pepper and any additional seasonings just before cooking.
4. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the steak and place it on the indirect side of the grill. Cook with the lid closed until the internal temperature reaches 10–15°F below your target doneness (about 115–120°F for medium rare).
5. Increase the grill heat for direct cooking.
6. Place the steak directly over the hot zone and sear 1–2 minutes per side, turning as needed, until a deep crust forms and the internal temperature reaches your desired final doneness (about 130–135°F for medium rare).
7. Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve as-is or topped with cowboy butter

Notes

1. Any commercial steak or beef rub would be great. Alternatively, you could try my All-Purpose Rub which is amazing on beef.
2. I like to serve ribeye steak with cowboy butter. It’s delicious and makes for a truly memorable meal.

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Brine Time: 4 hours (up to 24 hours)
• Cook Time: 120 minutes
• Category: Steak
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 16 ounces
• Calories: 1240
• Sugar: 0
• Sodium: 41mg
• Fat: 80g
• Saturated Fat: 30g
• Unsaturated Fat: 50g
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 7.2g
• Fiber: 0
• Protein: 93.7g
• Cholesterol: 570mg