Tomahawk Steaks this Father’s Day at Sunset Foods

This Father’s Day, make a statement with a truly memorable meal for Dad. Our impressive Tomahawk Steaks, featuring top-tier Certified Angus Beef, are the ultimate centerpiece for any celebration. We've sourced exceptional Tomahawk Steaks specifically for Father’s Day, guaranteeing a restaurant-quality experience right in your own backyard this summer.

Choosing Your Father's Day Tomahawk: Why USDA Prime Matters

Selecting the right steak is the first step toward a perfect Father's Day feast. At Sunset Foods, we are selling Tomahawk Steaks for Father's Day that are sure to impress. A tomahawk is a bone-in ribeye, and its quality is paramount. That is why we exclusively offer cuts the USDA grades as Prime. The USDA reserves this grade for the highest-quality beef, characterized by abundant marbling, the intramuscular fat that melts during cooking to deliver exceptional flavor and tenderness. Our Meat Buyer, Dan Humphrey, knows exactly what to look for.

"A quality tomahawk steak, which is cut from the ribeye, should have a cherry red color with visible marbling throughout the meat.", Dan Humphrey

Sunset Foods tailors Tomahawk Steaks for home grilling. While the cut’s defining long bone often proves unwieldy at 10-12 inches, we cut them to 8 inches for easier handling and less waste.

This ensures you get all the visual appeal without the awkwardness on a standard grill. These special cuts are timed perfectly for your celebration. They arrive in store on June 17th and will be available while supplies last, so be sure to visit our meat counter to secure yours.

The Sunset Foods Secret: Preparing Your 45 oz Tomahawk for the Grill

Proper preparation is key to unlocking the full potential of a magnificent cut of beef. Our Tomahawks are substantial; they are an average of 45 oz, making them ideal for sharing. A steak this thick requires careful handling before it ever touches the heat. The single most important step is allowing the steak to come to room temperature. This prevents the exterior from overcooking while the inside remains too cool. Our meat department team always offers this advice.

We recommend allowing your steak to come to room temperature approximately 1 hour prior to cooking. During this time, you should season the steak generously. This is your opportunity to build the foundation for a delicious crust. Whether you prefer a simple blend of coarse salt and black pepper or one of our store's prepared rubs, the goal is to coat the entire surface. This does more than just add flavor.

"While the steak is coming to room temperature, season it with a rub or salt and pepper to help form a crust when searing" Dan Humphrey recommends.

Don't be shy with the seasoning; a 45oz steak can handle a liberal application. As the steak tempers and the seasoning begins to adhere, you can prepare your grill. For a tomahawk, we recommend a two-zone fire. This means banking your hot coals to one side (for charcoal) or leaving one set of burners off (for gas). This creates a high-heat zone for searing and a cooler, indirect-heat zone for the primary cooking.

Mastering the Grill: A Foolproof Method for Your Father's Day Tomahawk

Grilling a tomahawk can seem intimidating due to its size, but our preferred method, the reverse sear, is simple and reliable. This technique starts by cooking the steak slowly over indirect heat before finishing it with a quick, high-heat sear. This gives you more control and results in a perfectly cooked steak from edge to edge. Once your grill has two distinct heat zones, you can begin.

For a medium-rare finish, place the tomahawk on the indirect, low-heat side of the grill and close the lid. Cook for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, flipping once halfway through.

Time is only a guideline for a cut this large. The most crucial tool for success is a reliable meat thermometer. Temperature, not time, determines doneness.

To get the most accurate temperature, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak.

You will want to pull the steak from the indirect heat about 10 degrees below your target final temperature. Once it hits that mark, move it over to the hot side of the grill to sear for 60 to 90 seconds per side, creating a beautiful, dark crust. Keep this temperature chart handy.

"Target final internal temperatures are: Rare 120°F, Medium Rare 130°F, Medium 140°F, Medium Well 150°F, and Well 160°F.

Remember that the steak's temperature will continue to rise a few degrees after it leaves the grill.

Slicing and Serving Your Tomahawk: Presentation Tips for a Memorable Meal

The final moments after grilling are just as important as the cooking itself. You must let the steak rest. This allows the muscle fibers to relax and the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is moist and flavorful. Rushing this step is a common mistake that can undo all your hard work. A 1.5, 2-inch thick tomahawk should rest for 8 to 12 minutes, loosely tented in foil to protect the crust while the interior settles.

Once rested, the presentation begins. For a dramatic effect, first carve the entire ribeye portion away from the bone in one large piece. Place the bone on a large cutting board or platter as the backdrop. Then, take the boneless ribeye and slice it against the grain into thick, shareable strips, about a half-inch to three-quarters of an inch thick. Arrange these succulent slices back against the bone to recreate the steak's original shape. This makes for an impressive display and easy serving. It's a presentation that will impress everyone at your Father's Day cookout in Highland Park. We suggest finishing with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or a dollop of compound butter just before serving. Surround the steak with simple, delicious sides like grilled asparagus or roasted potatoes to complete a meal that Dad will never forget. It's all part of our "Thrill of the Grill" season, and we're happy to help you make it special.