People are peculiar about selecting the type of steak. Every steak is not the same. Different steak cuts have different levels of moisture and flavor.
In the same way, Denver steak is different from ranch steak; tomahawk steak is different from Ribeye steak.
If you are a steak enthusiast, you need to know the difference between tomahawk steak and ribeye steak. While there are some similarities, both of these steak cuts can stand on their own.
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What Is Tomahawk Steak?
Eating a tomahawk steak is truly an experience. Even though it is a little expensive, it is one of the world’s best steak cuts.
A Tomahawk steak is a ribeye steak with an extended portion of the rib bone intact. The bone is Frenched and at least 5-inches in length. Frenched means the bone has been cleaned of any debris.
The bone looks like the handle of the axe, which is where it gets its name from. Specifically, the tomahawk’s bone resembles a North American Tomahawk axe.
Tomahawk steaks can be labeled as many names. For example, tomahawk steaks can also be labeled cote de boeuf, tomahawk chop, or bone-in ribeye.
However, it can also be called cowboy steal, bone-in rib steak, or rib steak.
Tomahawks are usually carved from the rib portion of the animal. They are cut from the center area or eye, which stretches between the sixth and twelfth rib.
This region is known as the longissimus dorsi. Tomahawk steak can also be cut from a wagyu steer, including the package, kuroge, and mukake cows.
Moreover, tomahawk steak can also come from Angus beef, the world’s most famous cattle. Angus Tomahawk steaks have large amounts of marbling, which means a big, bold flavor.
Tomahawk steaks can weigh between 2-3 pounds. However, 40 or 48-ounce Tomahawk steaks are the most common.
In terms of thickness, Tomahawk steaks are usually 1 1/4-1 1/2-inches in thickness.
Tomahawk steaks are known for their decadent juicy texture. They have a robust meat flavor and a buttery texture. This is because they are cooked slower than their counterparts.
Tomahawk steaks are known for their intramuscular fat. However, most of the exterior fat is trimmed away.
This creates the signature melt in your mouth taste and givers the thicker part of the steak a slightly chewy texture.
Tomahawk steaks are challenging to cook. Therefore, reverse searing the steak is the best and safest cooking option.
In addition to this, you must cook tomahawk steak evenly, even though the steak does not have a uniform thickness.
Tomahawk steaks are indeed a sight to behold, which means this will cost you a pretty penny. Nevertheless, Tomahawk steaks are worth every delicious penny.
On average, Tomahawk steak can cost between $37 and $50 per pound.
What Is Rib Eye Steak?
Just because a Tomahawk steak is larger than its counterparts does not mean you should underestimate a ribeye steak.
Ribeye steaks are one of the most decadent steaks you can buy. It is also one of the world’s most popular steaks.
Ribeye steaks are carved from the rib portion of the animal. Specifically, it is cut from the sixth to the twelfth ribs.
The ribeye is carved from the longissimus dorsi muscle or the primal rib. This muscle also includes the spinalis and complexus muscles.
As you will notice, the ribeye muscles become less densely packed together and fattier on the outer sections of the steak. Ribeye steaks also contain several fat pockets between the meat.
Ribeye steaks contain a vast amount of intramuscular fat, making them juicy. Ribeye steaks can be labeled as scotch fillet, cowboy steak, deboned tomahawk steak, and Delmonico steak.
Ribeye steak can also be marketed as a beautiful steak because of its astonishing appearance.
Ribeye steaks are boneless. However, nations such as New Zealand and Australia serve ribeye steaks with a bone.
Most ribeye steaks are 3/4-1-inch in thickness. They can range from 8 ounces to 2 pounds.
Ribeye steak is loaded with flavor. This is because the muscle it’s carved from is barely used. Therefore, it is incredibly tender.
The ribeye’s juiciness is because of its large amount of marbling. The marbling melts as the steak is seared, creating a juicy steak without an excessively chewy texture.
Ribeye steaks are actually pretty easier to prepare. Since they are boneless, they are very easy to grill on a natural gas grill.
If you don’t have a grill, you can sear them in a hot cast-iron skillet on both sides until they are a rich, brown color and your desired doneness is achieved.
Ribeyes can cost between $8 and $15 per pound.
How To Cook Tomahawk Steak
A tomahawk steak is not the easiest steak to cook, but if you follow these guidelines for cooking, you can cook a tender, juicy steak.
Heat your kamado grill to high heat and set your oven to 375°F. Season your steak liberally with salt and pepper.
Make sure you coat the top, sides, and bottom of the tomahawk steak with seasoning.
Be careful not to overdo it with salt. Depending on its size, season the Tomahawk steak with a teaspoon of salt for every pound of steak.
Once your grill is hot, sear the Tomahawk steak for 3-4 minutes on both sides. The Tomahawk steaks are ready to flip when they release easily from the grills cooking grates.
Place the Tomahawk steak onto a baking sheet and place it into the oven.
The Tomahawk steaks will take about 30 minutes to cook. However, you should use an infrared thermometer to ensure the steak reaches your desired temperature.
Let the tomahawk steaks rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing it against the grain and serving.
How To Cook Ribeye Steaks
Ribeye steaks are easier for novice steak cookers to prepare. Pat your ribeye’s steaks dry with a paper towel and season them generously with salt and pepper.
Place a cast-iron skillet and set it over medium-high heat for a few minutes until it is scorching hot. Add a few tablespoons of your preferred oil to the skillet.
Place 1 ribeye steak into the center of the pan and cook it for 12-14 minutes, flipping it over every 2-3 minutes until a beautiful dark crust forms on the steak.
You can remove the ribeye steaks from the pan or baste them with butter and herbs.
Decrease the flame to medium-low and move the steak to one side of the skillet. Add a few pats of butter to the opposite side of the skillet. Add your favorite herbs, such as thyme or rosemary.
Once the butter is nice and foamy, baste the steak with the butter for 1-2 minutes. Flip the ribeye steak over to make sure every inch of it gets coated with butter.
Once the ribeye steak reaches your desired temperature, remove it from the skillet and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Tomahawk Steak vs. Ribeye
Now that we’ve discussed both steaks in-depth, it’s time to compare these great steaks. Unfortunately, most people get ribeye and Tomahawk steaks confused.
This is understandable since they are technically the same cut of steak.
Both Tomahawk and ribeye steaks come from the rib portion. However, the easiest way to distinguish the two is the Frenched bone sticking out of the Tomahawk steak.
You can cook both steaks on your portable pellet grill, but Tomahawk steaks need to be reverse grilled. In addition to this, ribeye steaks taste better when seared in a skillet or cooked in the oven.
Due to their bone, Tomahawk steak will take longer to cook than ribeye. The flavor of both steaks is relatively the same.
However, because Tomahawk steaks cook slower, they will still be juicy if you leave them on the grill for an extra 1-2 minutes.
Many individuals struggle to cook tomahawk steak evenly because it is so big. Nevertheless, the Tomahawk steak retains its shape better and creates a memorable presentation.
Many have trouble cooking the Tomahawk steak evenly because of its large size.
On the other hand, ribeye steaks can be evenly browned on all sides. Therefore, most people can cook them without any issues.
Tomahawk steaks are also much more expensive than ribeye steaks.
Is Tomahawk Steak Better Than Ribeye?
Whether Tomahawk steaks are better than ribeye steaks depend on how your preference, some people see Tomahawk steak as a glamorized ribeye steak, while others see it as an experience that’s different from eating a ribeye steak.
You will never know unless you try both ribeye and Tomahawk steaks.
Final Thoughts
Some people see Tomahawk steaks as a ribeye with a bone, while others see it as a completely different steak. Both Tomahawk and ribeye steaks are perfect for high heat searing or grilling.
Although there can only be one superior steak, we cannot decide who reigns supreme in our opinion. They are both heavyweight champions.
Only you can decide which steak is better, so you should fire up your kamado grill or heat your cast-iron skillet and cook up some Tomahawk and ribeye steaks.
You might also be interested in the following comparisons:
- Porterhouse Vs. Ribeye
- Sirloin Vs. Ribeye
- Porterhouse Vs. T Bone
- Filet Mignon Vs. Ribeye
- Prime Rib Vs. Ribeye
- Tenderloin Vs Filet Mignon
- Sirloin Vs. Tenderloin
- Filet Mignon Vs. Sirloin
- New York Strip Vs. Ribeye
- T-Bone Vs. Ribeye Steak
- New York Strip Vs. Sirloin
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.