Holidays, birthdays, graduations. All worthy occasions to indulge. This Father’s Day, we’re cooking tomahawk steak on the grill to show appreciation to the fathers in the family.

Make no mistake. As celebratory as a steak dinner can be, the cook gets anxious about the actual steak cooking! It’s pricey and it’s one of the few meals we make that we ask guests for their doneness preferences. Lots of pressure to get it right.

I’m happy to report that a relatively new method, attributed to award-winning cookbook author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, called “the reverse sear,” lessens the anxiety of a perfectly cooked steak. You can find plenty of instructions online for this ultra-low and slow followed by high-heat searing method. I enjoy those by grill master and cookbook author Steven Raichlen and videos from all levels of cooks on YouTube.

We are convinced. Especially for entertaining. This technique gives the cook more control and allows you to par-cook thick steaks before the company even arrives. The low temperature cooking can be done in the oven or on a grill with a good thermometer.

All that’s left to do is a high heat sear over a very hot grill, in a cast-iron skillet or under a broiler. This last step takes just a few minutes and adds a delicious char while finishing the steak to rare or medium-rare.

I especially like this method for thick, bone-in ribeyes known as tomahawk steaks with their long, frenched (scraped clean) rib bones. It’s also great for 1 1/2-thick porterhouse steaks and tri-tip roasts. Starting the cooking process in a 250-degree oven could not be easier, but I do prefer to use my grill instead. That way, I can add some wood chips or chunks to add a modicum of smoke along the way.

Same for the high heat sear — I employ the grill. A hot gas grill, or a charcoal grill stoked with natural hardwood charcoal, adds delicious char to the steak. A well-ventilated stove and a cast-iron skillet or griddle will likewise give excellent results, albeit a bit less smoky.

Season the steak with a simple, flavorful rub that can be a personal signature throughout the summer. Serve the steak with a pat of butter seasoned with that same rub. Russet potatoes get a smoky finish on the grill along with some of the same rub.

The fathers in my life love to nibble on a pile of shishito peppers. I high-heat sear the small, randomly hot peppers in a cast-iron pan and then sprinkle them with the Three pepper steak salt. Offer a big green salad, dressed with fruity olive oil and a little red wine vinegar. Happy Father’s Day, indeed!

Seared Three Pepper-Crusted Steak

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