Grilled Tomahawk Steak with My Signature Cilantro Garlic Paste: A Professional Recipe

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Mastering the Tomahawk: Behind-the-Scenes Kitchen Battle

Whenever you see a picture of a perfect, juicy steak on a food blog, know that there is a real battle behind it! Perfecting this massive Tomahawk steak was nothing short of a test for me, and I had to face three major difficulties in the kitchen:

• The Smoke Trap (Dhuwan Aur Searing): To get that perfect steakhouse crust, it was essential to get the pan screaming hot. But the moment the steak hit the pan, the entire kitchen filled with smoke! The smoke detector was just about to go off when I quickly threw open the windows. Even while coughing through the smoke, I didn’t move the steak once so I wouldn’t ruin that beautiful sear.

• The Thickness Dilemma (Under-Cooking Ka Darr): A Tomahawk steak is exceptionally thick. My biggest stress was that it would burn on the outside while remaining completely raw on the inside. This is where I stayed completely focused, using a digital thermometer to constantly check for the correct internal temperature.

• The Torturous Rest Time (Sabr Ka Imtihan): When the steak was finally ready, the incredible aroma made me want to carve into it right away. However, professional rules state that it must rest for a full 10 minutes to lock the juices inside. Waiting out those 10 minutes was the hardest part for me!

The Reward: But when I finally sliced it open, a perfect, edge-to-edge medium-rare pink center emerged! The moment I drizzled Nani’s hand-crushed cilantro paste over the top, it felt like all my hard work and every single kitchen struggle were completely worth it for that one perfect bite.

I follow the recipe of salty tales youtube channel. The recipe is authentic and great. I embedded the link.

Fozia Siraj

Grilled Tomahawk Steak with My Signature Cilantro Garlic Paste: A Professional Recipe

My Professional Guide to Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Cilantro Garlic Paste

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Calories: 2669

Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• Ingredients
• For the Hand-Crushed Herb Sauce & Marinade:
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp Sea salt coarse
• 1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Dried oregano
• 1 tbsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Red chili flakes for that perfect tangy kick
• 1 Juiced lime
• 1 tbsp Black pepper freshly cracked
• ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
• For the Steak:
• 1 Tomahawk Steak approx. 2 to 2.5 lbs, thick-cut
• 2 tbsp High-smoke point oil avocado, canola, or grapeseed oil for searing

Equipment

• 1 Mortar and pestle
• 1 Large heavy-duty cast-iron skillet
• 1 Meat Thermometer
• 1 Cooking tongs

Method

 

1. Method
2. Crafting the Herb Paste (The Flavor Base)
3. The Garlic Paste: Drop the 4 peeled garlic cloves and 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt into your mortar. Using the pestle, grind the garlic against the salt using a circular, crushing motion until it breaks down completely into a smooth, aromatic paste. The coarse salt acts as a natural abrasive here.
4. Incorporating the Herbs & Spices: Add the handful of chopped cilantro, dried oregano, cumin, chili flakes, and black pepper. Grind gently to bruise the cilantro and release its oils, blending it into the garlic.
5. Emulsifying: Pour in the fresh lime juice and slowly trickle in the ½ cup of olive oil while stirring thoroughly with a spoon until completely mixed.
6. 💡 Chef’s Note: Divide this sauce into two portions. Use one-third as a wet marinade rub for the steak, and save the remaining two-thirds in a clean bowl to serve fresh at the table.
7. Preparing the Tomahawk
8. Bring the Tomahawk steak to room temperature for at least 1 hour before cooking to ensure an even doneness throughout. Pat it completely dry with paper towels.
9. Take the one-third portion of your prepared herb paste and rub it thoroughly all over the meat, coating the sides and the fat cap. Let it sit for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
10. The High-Heat Steakhouse Sear
11. Set your cast-iron skillet over high heat until it is screaming hot. Add 2 tablespoons of high-smoke point oil (save the olive oil for the sauce, as it burns too easily at this stage).
12. Carefully lay the Tomahawk into the pan, laying it away from you. Sear completely undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes to build a deeply caramelized, dark golden crust.
13. Flip the steak and sear the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes.
14. Use your tongs to stand the steak upright on its thick edge, rendering down the fat cap for about 45 seconds.
15. Finishing to Perfection
16. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Because a Tomahawk is exceptionally thick, continue cooking in the pan—turning every 2 minutes—until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 52°C (125°F) for a perfect medium-rare.
17. Remove the steak from the skillet and place it on a warm wooden board. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute.
18. Presentation & Serving
19. Carve the meat by slicing directly along the curve of the long bone. Set the bone aside, then slice the steak against the grain into thick, beautiful strips.
20. Fan the slices out on your platter, and generously spoon the remaining fresh, vibrant green herb sauce right down the center of the warm steak.

Video

Notes

Pro Tip:The Glossy Finish: To make the steak look incredibly juicy and high-end on camera, brush a light layer of the fresh, vibrant green herb sauce over the meat right before snapping your photos. The olive oil will catch the light beautifully under your studio setup