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Wood-Grilled Beef Tomahawks with Blue Cheese Butter

Wood-Grilled Beef Tomahawks with Blue Cheese Butter

The beef tomahawk is a rib steak with an extended section of the rib bone.

Fire-seared beef tomahawks are topped with a classic compound butter flavored with blue cheese. These Wood-Grilled Beef Tomahawks with Blue Cheese Butter are everything a steak should be.

 

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Wood-Grilled Beef Tomahawks with Blue Cheese Butter

Recipe Notes

  • Yield: Serves 4 to 6
  • Equipment: a grill hoe or other long-handled tool to rake out the coals; long-handled tongs; grill gloves

Ingredients

For the Blue Cheese Butter:

  • 2 ounces blue cheese, at room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary needles
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the steaks:

  • 3 “tomahawk” (bone-in) rib-eyes, preferably dry-aged, each about 24 ounces and 1-1/2 to 2 inches thick
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary needles plus 5 sprigs of rosemary
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Coarsely and freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Recipe Steps

Step 1: Prepare the Blue Cheese Butter. Place the blue cheese, butter, rosemary, and pepper in a food processor and process until creamy and smooth. Place a 12-inch piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on your work surface and mound the butter in the center. Roll it up into a cylinder 1 1⁄2 inches in diameter, twisting the ends of the wrap to compact the butter. Refrigerate or freeze until firm. The butter will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. You can do this step ahead of time.

Step 2: Build a righteous hardwood fire and let it burn down to glowing embers. Using a grill hoe, spread the coals directly under the grill grate (you’re looking for a hot fire on one side and a cooler fire on the other).

Step 3: Season the steaks with the garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Pat the seasonings and oil with a fork. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.

Step 4: Arrange the tomahawk steaks directly on the hottest part of the grill grate along with the rosemary sprigs for a fragrant infusion of smoke. Sear for about 5 minutes per side, rotating the steaks 90 degrees with long-handled tongs after 3 minutes to achieve a nice crosshatch of grill marks. Repeat on the other side.

Step 5: Transfer the steaks to the cooler part of the grill and continue to cook until the steaks are done to your liking—125 to 130 for medium-rare. (The exact time will depend on the strength of your fire and the thickness of the steaks.) If the bones start to burn, slide a sheet of aluminum foil under them.

Step 6: Transfer the steaks to a platter or plates. Top with a disk of the Blue Cheese Butter and let them rest for 2 minutes.

Recipe Tips

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