Tomahawk Pork Chops are the gourmet version of regular pork chops. With the bone still on the meat, and a thicker, fattier piece of meat, the tomahawk pork chop wins every award for juiciness and flavor.
I hadn’t cooked a Tomahawk Pork Chop at home until I saw my friend posting pictures of his on Facebook. His whole family is so in love with these chops that they make them regularly – weekly, even! We’ve been making them quite often ourselves lately. I’m sure you’ll see why once you try this recipe.
Why You’ll Love It
- Impressive presentation: The tomahawk pork chop, with its long rib bone extending from the meat, offers a dramatic and eye-catching presentation.
- Juicy and Flavorful: Thanks to the bone-in nature and ample marbling of a tomahawk pork chop, it cooks up exceptionally juicy and flavorful, rich in taste and texture.
- Versatile Cooking Options: Versatile enough to accommodate various cooking methods, like grilling, roasting, or pan searing.
Kimberly Hansen says: 
Delicious!! I don’t normally like pork chops but my husband loves them. Tonight with this recipe it tasted like we were at a fancy expensive restaurant. It was so delicious!
What is a Tomahawk Pork Chop?
Tomahawk Pork Chops are cut from the rib, or what is called the bone-in ribeye. Unlike other bone-in chops, the Tomahawk has the long bone remaining on the meat. It’s tender and flavor-packed, due to the part of the animal it’s taken from, right next to the succulent pork belly.
Sometimes Tomahawk pork chops come with the skin and fat cap still attached. Sometimes they come with a bit of the pork belly left on the bone. But the most typical way for them to be butchered is for the long bone to be trimmed of meat, and the majority of fat and skin removed.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tomahawk pork chops – The ones we are using are about 1/2 pound each.
- Dry rub ingredients – Salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.
Equipment Needed
- BBQ grill OR skillet and oven-safe baking pan or sheet
- Meat thermometer or probe
- Grill tongs
How to Make Tomahawk Pork Chops
Step 1: Season
Pork is one of those meats that really thrives with a good dry rub (here’s our favorite dry rub recipe). It soaks up the salt, creating a fantastic crust, and all that flavor bakes right in and creates the tastiest piece of meat you’ve ever had.
All you need for the dry rub is paprika, salt (smoked salt is even better, if you have it!), black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.
About 30 minutes before you intend to cook the chops, take them out of the refrigerator. Pat them dry and coat them with the dry rub on all sides.
Step 2: Cook the Chops
There are many ways you can cook these pork chops, but we recommend two methods, either grilling or baking in the oven. We’ll give both sets of instructions here.
Grilling Instructions
Preheat your grill to medium high heat, about 450°F (230°C). When it’s ready, place the pork chops on the grill grates.
Use a meat probe or thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. It will take only about 4 minutes per side to reach the ideal internal temperature of 135°F (57°C). When it reaches this temperature, remove the chops to a plate and let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Oven Instructions
I cook meat in the oven quite frequently (like these awesome oven-baked baby back ribs and oven-roasted tri-tip steak). It’s an easy way to cook Tomahawk Chops if you don’t want to fire up the grill.
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
While it’s preheating, heat a pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop. When it’s hot, sear the pork chops for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer them to an oven safe dish or baking sheet.
It’s best to have a probe thermometer inserted into the meat (not touching the bone), so you are sure when to remove the pork chops from the oven. The internal temperature should reach 135°F (57°C). If you like your meat medium, cook to 145°F (63°C).
Remove the chops to a serving plate and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Side Dishes to Try
Salads
Crunchy Broccoli Salad
Corn & Black Bean Pasta Salad
Bacon, Jalapeno & Corn Salad
Classic Wedge Salad
Pear & Gorgonzola Salad
Veggies
Roasted Asparagus with Cranberries & Feta
Shaved Asparagus with Pesto
Roasted Green Beans & Mushrooms
Crispy Roast Potatoes
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Oven-Roasted Tomahawk Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 2 tomahawk pork chops about 1/2 pound each
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt smoked salt is even better, if you have it!
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper
Instructions
- About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the pork chops from the refrigerator. Mix together the dry rub seasonings and season the pork chops on all sides. Let sit for 30 minutes.
To grill the chops
- Preheat your grill to medium high heat, about 450°F (230°C). When it's ready, place the pork chops on the grill grates.Use a meat probe or thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. It will take only about 4 minutes per side to reach the ideal internal temperature of 135°F (57°C). When it reaches this temperature, remove the chops to a plate and let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
To bake the chops
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and pre heat to 400°F (204°C).Heat a large oven-safe skillet over high heat. Sear the pork chops for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to an oven-safe baking dish or sheet and put it in the oven.Bake the pork chops for about 6-10 minutes, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 135°F-140°F.
- Remove the chops from the grill or oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
- You can change up the dry rub seasonings if you want something different.
- Always use a meat thermometer or internal probe to make sure you don’t over or undercook the meat.
Nutrition
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Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes.
I’ve been searching for a good bone-in pork chop recipe and now I have it, thank you!!
The combination of paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder really flavors this pork chop nicely. A great special occasion meal!
Now this is a hearty dinner idea! Perfect for wintertime. 🙂
This looks perfectly cooked. I can’t wait to try it at the weekend.
What a tender and juicy pork chop. I had no idea these were so good.
Delicious!! I don’t normally like pork chops but my husband loves them. Tonight with this recipe it tasted like we were at a fancy expensive restaurant. It was so delicious!
So glad to hear it, Kimberly! These are definitely special pork chops.
Very good! I grilled our chops and doubled the rub (we had 4) Didn’t have to add the butter, they were perfect without it. Thanks for sharing
That sounds great! The butter is really just an extra icing on the cake.
These were great! My ribeye chops were boneless. They turned out juicy and delicious. Now I know what to do with this cut of pork if I find it again!
Great to hear that, Heather. Glad the boneless ones turned out just as juicy.
never tried tomahawk porkchops before so triedthis recipe it was fantastic
Excellent. First time trying anything Tomahawk as I happened to see it at the store I usually visit. Really cheap too actually 12 CAD for 2 fat chops. Cannot wait to pick up some smoked salt and try it with that, as you mentioned. I boiled some baby potatoes, smashed them in the bottom of a 9×9, dotted with butter, seasoned and finished with shredded cheese in the oven with the chops then added a quick salad. So luxurious.
You’re making my mouth water, Gary! Sounds delicious.
It was perfect, and I did not use bay leaves (don’t like them). Still, the dish was amazing. And the gremolata….I love raw garlic and had no problem with it. Visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com
Wow! The combination of searing it on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven creates the most succulent and flavorful pork chops I’ve ever tasted.
It’s definitely a must-try for pork chop lovers!
My boyfriend was super impressed! Thanks!!!
I’m really excited to try this oven-roasted tomahawk pork chop recipe!
We hope you love it!
I was hesitant to try cooking a tomahawk pork chop at home, but this recipe made it so simple and foolproof.
It does seem a bit daunting doesn’t it? But, totally worth it!
I didn’t have an oven-safe skillet, so after searing the tomahawk pork chops, I transferred it to a preheated baking dish before placing it in the oven. Despite this small change, the pork turned out beautifully cooked, juicy, and full of flavor.
Sounds like a good work around Roman. I hope you enjoyed it.
just enjoyed tomahawk pork chop at family gathering in York SC..where can I purchase this pork chop so I can make this amazing dinner?
Joyce, we have been able to find them at our local butcher shop and, once in awhile, at the grocery store.
I followed this recipe to the letter, and my tomahawk pork chops were ABSOLUTELY delicious!!
We are happy you had such great results Renee. Thanks for letting us know.
Absolutely fabulous! The meat was delicious, I didn’t have smoked salt but the smoked paprika gave it a good smooth taste. It cooked perfectly.
I’m so happy to hear that it came out great for you!