Tomahawk Steak vs. OP Rib Steak vs Ribeye Steak: What’s the Difference?
Most people confuse Ribeye with Tomahawk and OP (oven prepared) Rib steaks, and we can see why—it is actually the same piece of meat. A Tomahawk steak is a bone-in Ribeye, taken from the rib area. The butcher can sometimes take out the bone, leaving the boneless Ribeye cut. In simple words, Tomahawk has full bone, OP Rib has a short stump bone, and Ribeye has no bone.
The easiest way to differentiate Tomahawk steak vs OP Rib vs Ribeye steak is through the presence of a bone. A Tomahawk Ribeye steak and OP Rib stead are on the bone, and Ribeye is not. While you can cook both meat cuts on the grill, the Tomahawk Ribeye and OP Rib steaks requires reverse grill searing. To reverse sear, the tomahawk steak and OP Rib steak are cooked at a lower temperature on the grill / smoker while the meat slowly comes up in temperature. Using a meat thermometer to test for internal temperature, the steak is removed from the grill about 10-15 degrees from the desired doneness. The grill is then cranked up to high or a cast iron pan is preheated. The steaks are returned to the smoking hot grill or pan and quickly seared on each side for a perfectly charred finish.
Tomahawk and OP Ribs steaks will take longer to cook than Ribeye because the bone serves as an insulator. They taste the same in terms of flavour, but because Tomahawk steaks and OP Rib steaks cook more slowly than Ribeyes, they might be juicer (if left 1-2 minutes longer on the grill).
Bone-in steaks hold their shape better and make for a unique presentation, whereas boneless Ribeye steaks allow for caramelising all sides evenly.
Small Bone
US CERTIFIED (USDA) PREMIUM BLACK ANGUS TOMAHAWK STEAK (1.54KG)
Large Bone
USDA PRIME THICK-CUT RIBEYE STEAKHOUSE STEAK (SCOTCH FILLET, 680G(24OZ), ~3CM THICKNESS)
No Bone
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