Tomahawk Steak
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of eating at NoMI—the restaurant at the top of the Park Hyatt in Chicago. The chef served us an Imperial aged Japanese Wagyu tomahawk steak for two. The steak was first roasted in the oven, set aside to rest, and then seared on a plancha. It was presented with the bone and then sliced and served. I loved the steak, the technique, and the presentation, so I decided to make this idea the centerpiece of a dinner party that my friend Bob Blumer and I were throwing in Los Angeles. I ordered a Certified Angus Beef tomahawk that weighed about 3 pounds, and it came beautifully Cryovac-ed. It was begging to be my sous vide experiment. I didn’t open the wrapping to season the steak—which ended up being a happy decision. I don’t think seasoning on the steak adds anything except visual appeal. It was almost embarrassingly easy. If you want to fancy it up a bit, you could serve the steak with the Caviar Butter on page 24 or the Whiskey Butter on page 5 instead of brushing it with melted butter.
Serves 2 hungry souls
1 tomahawk steak (about 3 pounds and 3 to 4 inches thick), vacuum-sealed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 large sprigs rosemary (optional)
Fleur de sel, for serving
Special Equipment: Vacuum sealer (such as Cuisinart vacuum sealer); ChefSteps Joule sous vide circulator
Grilling Method: Direct/Medium-High Heat
1. Make sure that your tomahawk steak is sealed in an airtight Cryovac package either from your butcher or by using a vacuum sealer.
2. Fill a large rectangular pot such as a turkey roaster or a Cambro container (a large heavy-duty plastic rectangular tub) with water. Secure the sous vide circulator to the pot. Set the temperature to 140°F. Once the temperature reaches 140°F, place the wrapped steak in the water. Let cook at 140°F, uncovered, for 4 hours for medium-rare.
3. Remove the steak from the water. Pat the wrapper dry, and place the steak in its wrapper in the refrigerator overnight.
4. The next day, just before you serve the steak, preheat the grill with all burners on high. Once preheated, adjust the temperature to medium-high heat for direct grilling. Or preheat a large stovetop grill pan to hot.
5. Remove the steak from its wrapper and blot dry with a paper towel. Brush all over with olive oil and season with sea salt.
6. Place the steak on the grill, cover, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to char the outside and warm the center.
7. Let the steak rest for 5 to 7 minutes, then slice off the bone. Place the slices on a platter and brush with melted butter. (I like to use a couple of large sprigs of rosemary as the butter brush.) Sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve.
Recipes adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's "Steak and Cake," © 2019 Workman Publishing Company, Photograph by Stephen Hamilton