Captain Ron’s 2-Zone Cooking Method: Perfect Tomahawk Steak on the Big Green Egg

Hey, FOGO fans! It’s Captain Ron here, and today on the FOGO Charcoal YouTube channel, I’m going to show you how to cook a perfect Tomahawk steak using the 2-zone cooking method on the Big Green Egg. And let me tell you, this technique will have your steaks tasting incredible every time!

Setting Up the Grill

First things first: let's talk about setting up the charcoal. For this cook, I used FOGO’s all-natural black bag charcoal because it burns steady and reliably, giving you that perfect low-and-slow burn you need for the first part of cooking, but also heats up quickly for that beautiful sear at the end.

To create the 2-zone cooking setup, I banked all the charcoal to one side of the Big Green Egg. This allows you to create a direct heat zone (for searing) and an indirect heat zone (for cooking the steak to the desired internal temperature). The beauty of this method is that you have control over how fast or slow you cook, depending on what you need at any given point.

The Setup

For this cook, I used a combination of accessories to get everything dialed in just right. I started by placing the Conveggtor Basket in the Big Green Egg. This helps with indirect cooking by holding everything in place properly, ensuring that the steak gets cooked slowly and evenly.

Next, I added the cast iron half-moon cooking grid in the basket, followed by the ceramic half-moon stone opposite the cast iron grate. On top of that, I placed a stainless steel half-moon grate. This setup allowed me to control the temperature precisely, and it’s perfect for achieving that nice, even cook before hitting the steak with direct heat at the end.

The Steak: Demkota Ranch Beef Tomahawk

Now, let’s talk about the star of the show—this beautiful Demkota Ranch Beef Tomahawk steak from Fairway Packing. If you haven’t had one of these, you’re missing out! These steaks are marbled to perfection and just full of flavor. And don’t forget—if you want to grab one for yourself, you can save 10% with the code CaptainRon when you shop at Fairway.

I seasoned the Tomahawk steak simply with some salt and a sprinkling of Heath Riles Garlic Butter to let the natural flavors shine through. With that prep out of the way, I placed the steak on the indirect side of the grill and let it cook slowly for about an hour until it hit an internal temperature of 120°F. This slow cook gave me the perfect medium-rare finish.

Searing Time

Once the steak hit the target temperature, I pulled it off the grill. At this point, it’s time to get the coals ripping hot for that sear. I opened all the vents on the Big Green Egg, left the dome open, and gave the direct heat zone a few minutes to really fire up.

While the steak rested, I let the coals get screaming hot—this is essential for that beautiful sear. When the coals are at their peak, it’s time to return the steak to the grill, this time on the direct heat side, where it will sear for just a few minutes on each side. You want to get a nice crust on the steak, so it’s best to keep an eye on it.

The Perfect Sear

Once that steak had a nice golden-brown sear on both sides, I pulled it off the grill & this Tomahawk steak was ready to slice and enjoy. The 2-zone cooking method gives you the best of both worlds: a perfectly cooked steak with that amazing sear you crave.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for tuning in to the FOGO Channel! We hope you learned something new today and can use this 2-zone method on your next cook. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to hit that subscribe button while you’re there, so you never miss out on new grilling tips and recipes. Remember to get out and grill, and we’ll see you next time on the FOGO Channel, where we show you how to BBQ the right way with FOGO!

Happy grilling, everyone!