Charcoal Series: Steaks (Reverse Sear)

When ribeyes are left on the ribs, they're called tomahawk steaks, named after how they resemble the traditional Native American weapons. It's usually a cut reserved for restaurant dining: after all, the long rib bones attached to each ribeye make them hard to fit in a regular home oven. But there’s plenty of space on a grill, and it was interesting to try cooking one of these beauties. Having a grill isn't just for smoking meats!

Reverse searing is the foolproof way of cooking steaks, and is perfect for a free afternoon when I’m not after something challenging to do. I do reverse searing a lot in an oven where the temperature is easily controlled, but it’s also surprisingly manageable over charcoal even if the temperature runs higher with this recipe. I take a more relaxed approach here than in the oven. We don't need to be overly preoccupied with the grill temperature here! After all, the steaks usually come up to temperature in 30 minutes, which is barely enough time for any adjustments of the grill vents to have an effect on the temperature anyway. As long as you have a thick-cut steak (at least 1.5-2 inches), and a pile of lit charcoals, you should be good to go. Just keep the steaks on the other side of the charcoal, crack a beer open, and relax - it's the essential grilling experience.

Grilling steaks over charcoal gives a dry, crisp and singed edges with a noticeable smoky taste. I like the results from grilling more than searing with a cast iron pan. The bone’s a bit superfluous, to be honest, and takes up valuable real estate. But it looks grand like nothing else, and I’m all about the vibes. If you’re having a steak cookout, perhaps just buy plenty of regular ribeyes, and one tomahawk for the feels.

Charcoal Series: Steaks (Reverse Sear)

INGREDIENTS
Steaks (with a thickness of at least 1.5 inches. For thinner steaks, just sear directly over the fire.)
Salt and black pepper, for seasoning

STEPS

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper the night before grilling. Place the steaks on a metal rack set over a tray to collect any drippings, and leave the steaks uncovered in the fridge to dry out the surface of the steaks.


2. When ready to grill: Light a chimney of charcoal, and wait for about 20-30 minutes until half of the charcoal is ashed over. Pour the lit charcoal onto one-side of the grill. Lightly oil the grates.


3. Place the steaks on the cooler end of the grill, and cover the grill. Leave the steaks to cook to the desired internal temperature. (For a medium rare steak, you are aiming for an internal temperature of 115F for this stage, which would take about 30 minutes).


4. When the steaks come up to temperature, transfer them to directly over the charcoal. Sear each steak for a total of 4 minutes, while flipping the steaks over every minute. (2 minutes total on each side).


5. Remove the steaks from the grill. Reverse-seared steaks do not need to rest, and can be served immediately.


Variation: for a more flexible serving time, you can precook the steaks first by cooking the steaks with 15-30 lit briquettes, and then remove the steaks from the grill when at desired internal temperature. Allow it to sit at room temperature until ready to proceed. When ready, pour about 3/4 chimney worth of lit charcoal onto one-side of the grill, then sear each steak for a total of 4 minutes while flipping the steaks over every minute. (2 minutes total on each side).