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Dirty-Seared Tomahawk Elote Tacos

This recipe was inspired by the absolute legend, James from @grillnation. I met him out in Nashville a few months ago, and we've been in touch ever since. The guy’s a BBQ genius—up there with the greats. When he dropped his Elote Taco recipe, I knew I had to give it a whirl. Of course, I tweaked it a bit to match my style (and because mayo and I are not mates).

The result? A primal, smoky, and downright filthy-good taco. We’re talking reverse-seared Tomahawk steak, dirty-seared straight on the coals, paired with buttery, cheesy grilled elote (sans mayo) and all tucked into warm tortillas. It’s BBQ bliss with a street-food twist. Let’s get into it.

Prep Time 12 hrs
Cook Time 2 hrs
Rest Time 30 mins
Total Time 14 hrs 30 mins
Cooking Method: ,
Cuisine:
Courses:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cooking Temp: 110  C
Servings: 4
Estimated Cost: $  45
Calories: Approximately 750 per serving
Best Season: Summer
Ingredients
    For the Tomahawk:
  • 1 Kg Tomahawk steak (1-1.5kg)
  • Kosher salt (For dry brine)
  • 2 Chunks Oak wood (For smoking)
    • For the Elote (No Mayo):
  • 4 Ears Corn (Husked)
  • 60 Ml Sour cream (Or Mexican crema)
  • 2 Tbsp Melted butter
  • 15 Grams Fresh coriander (Chopped)
  • 120 Grams Feta cheese (Crumbled)
  • 1 Lime (Juice)
  • 1 Lime (Zest, optional)
  • 1 Tsp Smoked paprika
    • For Assembly:
  • 9 Small Flour or corn tortillas
  • Lime wedges (For serving)
Instructions
  1. 1
    Dry Brine the Tomahawk
    • Generously coat the Tomahawk with kosher salt on all sides.
    • Place it uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) to let the salt work its magic—enhancing flavour and setting up for that killer crust.
  2. 2
    Reverse Sear on the Kamado Joe
    • Fire up the Kamado Joe for indirect heat at 110-120°C.
    • Add the oak wood chunks for that deep, smoky flavour.
    • Place the Tomahawk on the indirect side, and insert the Ninja ProChef thermometer to monitor the internal temp.
    • Smoke until the steak hits 49°C (120°F) internally—this’ll take about 90 minutes.
  3. 3
    Grilled Elote (No Mayo) in the Ninja Woodfire
    • While the steak is smoking, grill your corn in the Ninja Woodfire over medium-high heat.
    • Rotate until the kernels are charred and golden (around 10-12 minutes).
    • Let the corn cool slightly before cutting off the kernels.
    • In a bowl, mix the corn with sour cream, melted butter, coriander, feta, lime juice & zest, and smoked paprika. Toss until it’s all coated and glorious.
  4. 4
    Dirty Sear – Straight on the Coals
    • Once the steak hits 49°C, pull it off and rest for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the grates from the Kamado Joe and rake the coals into an even, fiery layer.
    • Place the Tomahawk directly onto the hot coals. Sear for 30-45 seconds per side, flipping until it reaches 53°C (127°F) internal temp.
    • Rest the steak again for 10 minutes—the carryover heat will bring it to a perfect 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare.
  5. 5
    Warm the Tortillas

    Fire up the Ninja Woodfire again and warm the tortillas (~10 seconds per side) until soft and pliable.

  6. 6
    Assemble the Tacos
    • Slice the Tomahawk thinly against the grain—get those juicy, pink slices on show.
    • Load up each tortilla with beefy goodness.
    • Top with a generous heap of the elote mix.
    • Hit it with a squeeze of lime, and serve with extra wedges on the side.
Note

Not a fan of dirty searing? You can finish the steak on a cast-iron pan or over high heat on the grill grates, but trust me, the direct-on-coal sear gives it primal vibes you just can't beat.

Elote Variations: Want heat? Throw in some diced jalapeños or a pinch of chilli flakes into the elote mix.

Leftovers? Unlikely—but if you’ve got any steak left, it makes killer steak and eggs the next morning.

Keywords: Tomahawk steak tacos, dirty sear, reverse sear, grilled elote, BBQ tacos, Kamado Joe tomahawk, Ninja Woodfire recipes, no mayo elote, beef tacos, woodfire grilling
Read it online: https://www.smokeandsear.world/BBQ-recipes/dirty-seared-tomahawk-elote-tacos/
Lee
BBQ Enthusiast and Technology Geek

Hi, I'm Lee, a geek turned BBQ enthusiast. During the 2020 lockdown, I swapped my £5 disposable BBQs for a ProQ Frontier and never looked back. I love experimenting with outdoor cooking, sharing my discoveries, and supporting the UK BBQ community. Whether it’s smoking, grilling, or searing, I’m all about creating mouth-watering recipes and enjoying good times with family and friends.

Thank you for trying out this recipe! I hope it brings joy and flavour to your table. For more delicious recipes and BBQ tips, visit Smoke & Sear. Happy grilling! Cheers, Lee.