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
One week since MEATUP . . . and honestly, we’re already missing it. 🔥

Seeing so many people walking around the festival wearing FOURGE hoodies was a proper moment for us. Four mates started this — and suddenly, there was a whole crew carrying the flame with us.

There are now only a limited number of places remaining among the first 50 FOURGE Founders.

The £150 Founders Box includes:

🔥 The Founders Fourged in Fire Hoodie
🔥 Your choice of FOURGE T-shirt or trucker cap
🔥 All five Pass the Flame rubs
🔥 Two future FOURGE releases before public launch
🔥 A numbered Founders Wallet Card with 10% off food at FOURGE-run events
🔥 Your permanent place on the FOURGE Founders Wall

Use code MEATUP at checkout to save 20% — bringing the Founders Box down from £150 to £120.

When the first 50 places are secured, it closes. No second drop. No reopening the gate.

Secure your place:
https://www.fourge.uk/product/founders-box/

Meet the Founders already carrying the flame:
https://www.fourge.uk/story/founders/

UNITED BY FLAME. 🔥

#FOURGE #UnitedByFlame #MEATUPFestival #UKBBQ #LiveFire BBQCommunity
MEATUP 2026 . . . what a weekend. 🔥

Our first ever festival as FOURGE.

In just two days we served 617 customers . . . a number that genuinely blows our minds.

As someone who’s usually hiding behind a screen or an iPhone, I wasn’t prepared for just how tough festival life is. Massive respect to everyone who does this every weekend—I was a broken man by the end of day one! 😂

The best part? Meeting so many of you, seeing people wearing FOURGE merch, hearing incredible feedback, and watching a brand that’s only a year old become part of something so special.

To everyone who queued, supported us, shared a laugh or simply stopped by to say hello . . . thank you. ❤️

If this was @meatupfestival first year, we genuinely can’t wait to see what the future holds.

617 transactions.
One unforgettable weekend.
We’ll be back. 🔥

#FOURGE #MEATUP #BBQ #LiveFire #FoodFestival
🔥 WE NEED YOUR FOURGE PHOTOS & VIDEOS! 🔥

If you captured our food, us cooking, or any of the absolute legends walking around MEATUP in our merch — and you’re happy for us to share it — please upload it here:

https://www.fourge.uk/share/

THANK YOU to everyone for the love you showed us this weekend. Our first-ever festival as FOURGE was absolutely non-stop!

I’m physically and mentally ruined… but I’d do it all again. Maybe not next weekend though 😂

Seriously, your support genuinely means the world to us.

Lee, Liam, Andy & Ben 🧡🔥
THREE BBQS. THREE FAMILY DINNERS. ONE BOX. 🔥

This is the BBQ Basics Box from Village Butchers, and rather than cooking the whole lot for one massive BBQ, I wanted to see how far we could actually make it go.

The answer? Three completely different dinners for me and the three kids — with plenty to go around.

🥩 Inside the box:

• 1kg Korean-style beef short ribs (Galbi / flanken cut)
• 2 x 10–12oz rump steaks
• 4 x 110g beef steak burgers
• 6 traditional English sausages
• 1kg butterfly chicken breast
• 4 lamb kebabs
• 2 pork chops

We spread it across three nights, kept the sides simple and cooked outside each evening.

🔥 Night one — Olivia joined me for burgers and sausages on the Ninja FlexFlame.

🔥 Night two — Oakley helped cook the rump steaks and butterfly chicken over charcoal on the Weber Go Anywhere.

🔥 Night three — Oscar joined me on the Kamado Joe for Korean short ribs, pork chops and lamb kebabs.

Nothing overly complicated. No expensive sides. No turning dinner into an all-day cook.

Just decent meat, simple sides and three proper family dinners.

BBQ doesn’t always need to be a big event. Sometimes it’s just dinner — cooked outside.

You can grab the BBQ Basics Box from Village Butchers here:

https://thevillagebutchers.co.uk/shop/meat-boxes/bbq-basics/

For clarity: Village Butchers sent me the BBQ Basics Box free of charge. I decided to turn it into three family dinners and cook each one with my kids.
Sometimes you don’t need to travel far for a cracking family day out 🙌

Spent a few hours at Tattershall Farm Park today with the kids and, as always, there was PLENTY to keep them busy.

Animals fed ✅
Parks conquered ✅
Jumping pillow ✅
Inflatable assault course ✅
Go-karts ✅
Giant bubbles ✅
Indoor play ✅
Ice creams demolished ✅
And then the main event… the 4pm FOAM PARTY 😂

Absolute carnage. They loved it.

We’ve been a few times now, but for less than £50 for me and all three kids, including a few bags of animal food, you really can’t argue with it. Especially during the summer holidays when keeping three kids entertained can very quickly get expensive!

And apparently the guy wandering around making giant bubbles will forever be known in our house as “The Bubble Man” 😂

Cracking few hours and three suitably knackered kids by the end of it.

If you’re looking for somewhere to take the kids over the summer, Tattershall Farm Park is well worth a visit.

#TattershallFarmPark #FamilyDayOut #Lincolnshire #LincolnshireDaysOut #SummerHolidays
TENTBOX SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED! ⛺️

School finished, the car was absolutely RAMMED and within minutes it was me, three kids, one chocolate Labrador and far too much stuff heading off for our first little adventure of the summer. 😂

We didn’t go far — it was already 3pm — so we headed back to @theglampingpub and tried their brand-new Off Grid Meadow Camping.

Six acres, only 10 pitches . . . and somehow we had the ENTIRE meadow to ourselves.

Absolutely perfect.

Archery, football, laser tag, running around with the dog, music playing, pub food, games, evening walks and then films and more games in the TentBox before bed.

Although I’m not sure you can technically call it “off grid” when Dad turns up with portable power and Starlink. 😂

I’ve used my @tentbox loads on my own, but three kids + a Labrador takes TentBox life to a whole new level.

And this summer we’re going ALL IN on it.

No big expensive holiday planned. Instead, we’re going to load up the car, stick the TentBox on the roof and explore as much of the UK as we can.

One night here. A couple of nights there. New places. New adventures.

And hopefully a ridiculous amount of memories with the kids along the way.

We’re definitely still refining the setup though!

I need a decent family-sized portable gas grill for quick dinners and those occasions when lighting a BBQ isn’t sensible or allowed — exactly what happened this time because of the heat and incredibly dry ground.

And I desperately need to find four genuinely good compact camping chairs that don’t take up half the bloody car. 😂

But we’ll figure it out as we go.

The TentBox was an investment, absolutely — but THIS is exactly why I bought it.

A roof over our heads and an excuse to just get out there and have an adventure.

Summer 2026.
Three kids.
One Dad.
One chocolate Lab.
One TentBox.

Where should we go next? 👇
A slightly different post from the usual BBQ stuff . . . 

A few of the projects I’ve been working on are now coming to the end of the line, which means I’ve got some space opening up for new work.

Through @digital.ember , I work with businesses on websites, digital marketing, SEO, content and ongoing support — whether that’s a one-off project or something more retained.

And on the Smoke & Sear side, I’m also looking to ramp up the number of paid collaborations with BBQ, outdoor cooking, food and lifestyle brands.

I’m completely open when it comes to the numbers too. If a brand wants to know what my social reach looks like, how the website performs, audience figures, traffic, engagement etc, I’m more than happy to share it. I’ve always thought it’s better to be an open book.

Smoke & Sear itself has now passed 1,000,000 website sessions, which I’m pretty proud of considering it started life as a hobby.

The honest bit is that with three kids full-time, jumping back into the corporate world isn’t particularly straightforward, so I’m doing what I can to keep building work around family life.

No sob story. Just putting it out there.

So if you:

need a website building or improving,
need some digital marketing help,
want ongoing support,
or you’re a BBQ/food brand looking for someone to work with . . . 

Drop me a message.

Even if it’s just to have a chat and see whether there’s a fit.

🔥 DigitalEmber
🔥 Smoke & Sear