Reverse-Seared Tomahawk Steak with Four Pepper Blend

Recipe of the Week

Prep: 5 minutes, plus 4 to 24 hours of seasoning time

Cook: About 1 to 1.5 hours, plus a 10 minute rest

Serves: 2 to 3

Target: Pull at 115°F for medium-rare (about 130°F after the sear and rest)

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ENAK Seasonings began with what became Four Pepper Blend, first used on a tri tip. So it’s fitting that the first Recipe of the Week is a Four Pepper Blend steak.

Today that steak is a thick-cut tomahawk, cooked medium-rare on the grill. Four Pepper Blend was made for steaks, and it is heavy on kosher salt for good reason. Salt does more than season, and this recipe is built to let it do its work.

What the salt is actually doing

Apply Four Pepper Blend 4 to 24 hours before cooking, and two things happen. First, the salt draws juices to the surface, where they dissolve it, and then that salty liquid seeps back into the meat, seasoning and tenderizing it from the inside. Second, the process dries the surface, which is essential for a good sear. The result is what we’re after: a crispy, flavorful crust and a juicy interior.

Don’t have that much time? If you can’t give it at least four hours, wait and apply the blend immediately before the steak hits the grill. Seasoning somewhere in between just pulls moisture to the surface without giving it time to reabsorb, and a wet surface steams instead of sears. Seasoning right before cooking still gives you great surface flavor, though without the tenderizing and internal benefits.

Apply the blend generously. You won’t overpower the natural beefy flavor of the steak, and you’ll give it the salt it needs.

What You Need

•       1 bone-in tomahawk steak, 2 to 2.5 inches thick (about 2 to 3 lbs)

•       Four Pepper Blend, 2 tablespoons per side (4 tablespoons total) as a baseline

•       A grill set up with two zones: one side for low, indirect heat and one side for high heat

•       An instant-read or probe thermometer

•       A wire rack and tray or sheet pan for the fridge

Steps

1.            Season 4 to 24 hours ahead. Pat the steak dry. Apply 2 tablespoons of Four Pepper  Blend to each side and press it into the surface. Set the steak on a wire rack over a tray and store it in the refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to cook. If you have less than four hours, skip this step and season immediately before cooking.

2.    Set up the grill. Build a two-zone fire with a low, indirect side holding about 225 to 250°F, and a high-heat side for searing.

3.    Cook slow on the indirect side. Place the steak on the indirect side and close the lid. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, away from the bone. For medium-rare, pull the steak at 115°F internal temperature. For a 2-inch tomahawk this takes roughly an hour to an hour and a half, but let the thermometer decide, not the clock.

4.    Sear over high heat. Move the steak over the hottest part of the grill and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use tongs to hold the fat cap edge against the grates for about 30 seconds to render it. Watch for flare-ups.

5.    Rest. Pull the steak from the heat and let it rest for at least ten minutes.

6.    Slice and serve. Cut the meat away from the bone, slice against the grain, and enjoy.

Notes

A thermometer takes the guesswork out of this cook, and a good one is cheap. It’s the single most useful tool for a thick steak.

For a different doneness, change the pull temperature and keep the sear at about two minutes per side:

Doneness	Pull at	Finished temp	Sear per side
Medium-rare	115°F	About 130°F	2 to 3 minutes
Medium	125°F	About 140°F	About 2 minutes
Medium-well	135°F	About 150°F	About 2 minutes

This reverse sear method is much more forgiving than going straight to high heat. If you overshoot a little, the steak will still be tender and juicy.