Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak with Cowboy Butter & Bourbon Infused Salt

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak with Cowboy Butter & Bourbon Infused Salt

Servings: 2 Total Time: 25 hrs 45 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Party Pleaser Party Pleaser Show Stopper Show Stopper Smoke & Sear Fav. Smoke & Sear Fav.
The Ultimate BBQ Steak Experience

Get ready to impress with this mouth-watering Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak recipe! We’re talking about a massive cut of beef, cooked to perfection on the Kamado Joe Classic 3. This juicy steak is taken to the next level with a decadent cowboy butter and a sprinkle of bourbon-infused salt. Perfect for a weekend BBQ, this recipe will make you the hero of any backyard gathering.

Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak with Cowboy Butter & Bourbon Infused Salt

Prep Time 24 hrs Cook Time 1.5 hr Rest Time 15 mins Total Time 25 hrs 45 mins
Difficulty: Intermediate Cooking Temp: 120  C Servings: 2 Estimated Cost: £ 40 Calories: Approximately 950 per serving Best Season: Summer

Steak:

Cowboy Butter:

Bourbon Infused Salt:

Instructions

  1. Dry Brining

    • Prep the Steak: Remove the tomahawk steak from its packaging and pat dry with kitchen towel.
    • Season: Generously season all sides with quality salt.
    • Refrigerate: Place the steak in the fridge for 24 hours to allow the salt to penetrate and season the meat evenly.
  2. Smoking

    1. Set Up Smoker: Preheat your Kamado Joe Classic 3 to 120°C (250°F) for indirect cooking. Add a block of bourbon-infused oak wood for smoke.
    2. Monitor Temp: Insert a temperature probe into the steak and close the lid.
    3. Smoke the Steak: Cook until the steak reaches the desired internal temperature (see table below).
    Steak Doneness Temp to Remove from Smoking (°C/°F) Temp to Remove from Searing (°C/°F) Final Internal Temp (°C/°F)
    Rare 45°C / 113°F 49°C / 120°F 51°C / 125°F
    Medium Rare 49°C / 120°F 53°C / 127°F 54°C / 130°F
    Medium 55°C / 131°F 58°C / 136°F 60°C / 140°F
    Medium Well 60°C / 140°F 63°C / 145°F 65°C / 150°F
    Well Done 65°C / 149°F 71°C / 160°F 74°C / 165°F
  3. Cowboy Butter

    • Soften Butter: Let the butter soften at room temperature.
    • Mix Ingredients: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
    • Shape and Chill: Place the mixture on cling film, shape into a cylinder, and refrigerate until hardened.
  4. Bourbon Infused Salt

    • Reduce Bourbon: Simmer bourbon over low heat until it becomes syrupy.
    • Combine with Salt: Mix the syrupy bourbon with coarse salt.
    • Dehydrate: Spread the mixture on a tray and dehydrate in a Ninja Foodi MAX Pro Health Grill or oven on the lowest setting for 1.5 hours.
  5. Searing

    • Prep Grill: Increase grill heat to around 290°C (550°F) by opening all vents.
    • Remove Probe: Take out the temperature probe before searing.
    • Sear Steak: Hold the bone with heatproof gloves and sear the steak directly over the fire for about a minute on each side, including the edges.
    • Monitor Temp: Use a Thermapen ONE to check internal temperatures. Remove the steak once it reaches the second temperature target for desired doneness.
  6. Resting and Serving

    • Add Cowboy Butter: Place a slice of cowboy butter on top of the steak as it rests.
    • Rest: Let the steak rest for 5-10 minutes, allowing the butter to melt and flavours to infuse.
    • Slice and Serve: Cut the steak off the bone, slice against the grain, and sprinkle with bourbon-infused salt before serving.

Equipment

Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy a product using these links, we get a commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps keep the BBQ magic alive, and we thank you in advance!

Note

  • Extra Flavour: For an extra smoky flavour, use bourbon-infused oak wood chunks during the smoking stage.
  • Holding Temperature: You can hold the steak in a low oven if you need to delay serving.
Keywords: Reverse seared steak, tomahawk steak, cowboy butter, bourbon salt, Kamado Joe, BBQ recipes
Love this recipe? Spread the word!
Tag #SmokeSearRecipes if you made this recipe. Follow @smoke.sear on Instagram for more BBQ tips and recipes.

Pin this recipe to share the BBQ love with your friends and followers.

pinit
Six years ago I stepped into the UK BBQ scene.

I had no idea that buying a smoker during lockdown would completely change my life.

Since then I’ve shared 100+ free recipes, created over 1,000 pieces of content, surpassed ONE MILLION website views, welcomed 600,000+ active users to Smoke & Sear, and built social profiles, groups and communities with 70,000+ members and followers.

But the numbers aren’t what I’m most proud of.

It’s the friendships, the community, and seeing more and more people across the UK discovering outdoor cooking.

A massive thank you to every brand that’s believed in me over the last six years. Whether you’ve trusted me with your products, invited me to events, or somehow flown me to Nashville . . . (still can’t quite believe that one! ❤️)

Then there’s @fourge.bbq . . . 

Starting a business with three great lads I met through the BBQ community is genuinely a dream come true.

It’s still early days, but seeing so many FOUNDERS backing us, our rubs selling so well, and people proudly wearing FOURGE merch honestly means more than I can put into words. Pellets, fuel and plenty more are just around the corner, and I can’t wait to cook for so many of you at @meatupfestival in just a few weeks.

Thank you to everyone who’s followed my journey over the last six years.

I’m just one bloke trying to do his small part to help push UK BBQ forward.

Here’s to the next chapter. 🔥🇬🇧

#UKBBQ #OutdoorCooking #PassTheFlame
First time guest judging at Whole Hog 2026 with @comp_bbq_uk . . . and what a weekend🔥

Six rounds. Two days. Nine teams. A LOT of pork.

Honestly, it opened my eyes to a whole other side of UK BBQ. So much skill, creativity, graft and proper passion for cooking over fire.

Massive respect to Comp BBQ UK for building something special, and huge respect to @weberuk and cranswickplc for everything they do to support this event and help the competition BBQ scene grow.

UK BBQ is gathering serious momentum… and this definitely won’t be the last BBQ comp I attend.

Who’s ever thought about getting a few mates together and entering a BBQ team? 👀🔥

#CompBBQUK #WholeHog2026 #UKBBQ #BBQCommunity #CompetitionBBQ
This started as a daft little comp I set up in the UK BBQ WhatsApp Community to get the regional groups talking, cooking, meeting up and generally giving each other grief.

Most regions went suspiciously quiet.

But two actually stepped up.

SOUTH vs NORTH

The South came in swinging with a proper land, sea and fire feast — venison haunch wrapped in nori, reverse-seared smoked lamb, lobster, scallops, shell-on prawns, Sussex mackerel, monkfish, black sea bream, focaccia, fresh green sauce and a Sussex Smokie finished with a breadcrumb crust.

Then the North answered with an absolute monster board — rack of lamb, black pudding burnt ends with Newcastle Brown Ale sauce, sticky pork ribs, Cumberland sausage, smoked chuck scouse, fish and chips, roast beef, ribeye steaks, venison burgers, grilled potato skewers, sweet Yorkshire pudding with bone marrow crème pâtissière and smoked sticky toffee pudding with bourbon ice cream.

And honestly, this is exactly what it was meant to be about.

People getting together. Cooking outdoors. Making new mates. Sharing ideas. Having a laugh. Creating something that represents where they’re from.

But… there can only be one winner.

To vote, comment:

SOUTH

or

NORTH

I’ll somehow collate the votes from Instagram and Facebook on Monday 6th July, and we’ll find out who takes the regional glory for 2026.

More details on both cooks are on the website, and you can also join the UK BBQ WhatsApp Community there if you fancy getting involved. It really is a cracking bunch.

Now then…

Who gets the glory?

SOUTH or NORTH?
Second walk out with the Lads Project today and honestly… what a proper day.

Hot as anything, big Peak District views, Thor’s Cave, River Dove, miles in the legs, plenty of laughs and just a really good bunch of lads getting outside and doing something positive.

No pressure, no awkwardness, no forced deep chats — just fresh air, good people, proper conversation when it comes, and a reminder that getting out of your usual routine does a lot.

Any lads want to join the next monthly social walk? Drop me a DM and I’ll send you the link to the WhatsApp group where it’s all planned.

#LadsProject #PeakDistrict #MensMentalHealth #MensCommunity #HikingUK
DRAGON01 over Coningsby 🔥

It’s been a few weeks since I last watched Flt Lt Tom Nation put the Typhoon through its paces over RAF Coningsby — but the second I heard today’s slot announced on the NOTAM, there was absolutely no chance I was missing it.

And what a display.

I may have lost half of it to the sun, and the other half to Tom flying so low he disappeared behind the trees . . . but wow. 😂

The speed, power and agility of the Typhoon is ridiculous — but the way Tom handles it is something else entirely.

Huge respect to Tom and the whole Typhoon Display Team behind the scenes.

Absolutely epic.

#DRAGON01 #TyphoonDisplayTeam #RAFConingsby #EurofighterTyphoon #TyphoonFGR4 RoyalAirForce Aviation
🔥 GIVEAWAY TIME 🔥

I’ve teamed up with @meatupfestival to give away 2 adult full weekend tickets to Meat Up Festival 2026, worth £139.

📍 Ashley Showground, Cheshire
📅 1–2 August 2026
🎟️ Prize: 2 adult weekend tickets

I’ll be there myself with the FOURGE team, cooking up a storm and getting properly stuck into the fire, smoke and festival chaos.

This is the North’s only Field-to-Flame Festival — live fire cooking, butchery, farming, music, family zones, country pursuits, and enough BBQ energy to make your neighbours nervous.

To enter:

🔥 Follow @smoke.sear 
🔥 Follow @fourge.bbq 
🔥 Follow @meatupfestival 
🔥 Like this post
🔥 Tag the person you’d love to bring for the weekend
🔥 Share this post

Enter as many times as you like — just tag that person you’d love to bring for the weekend. One tag per comment keeps it tidy, you absolute legends.

Winner picked at random on Friday 12th June.

Please watch out for fake accounts. We’ll never ask for bank details, card details, payment, or your secret wing sauce password.

This giveaway isn’t sponsored, endorsed or affiliated with Instagram/Facebook. The giveaway is also running on Facebook, but there are only 2 tickets up for grabs in total.