Father's Day in Australia falls on Sunday 7 September 2026 — the first weekend of Perth spring, warm sunny days after weeks of grey, and the exact moment every serious Perth dad remembers he owns a barbecue. This is the day for a big-format cook — one hero cut, sliced at the table, feeding 4-6 people with theatrical presentation.
There is no better cut for this job than a Wagyu tomahawk.
At THE BUTCHER BOX, our Wagyu tomahawks are cut long-bone, 1.0-1.2 kg each, 350+ marble score, dry-aged 21 days. One tomahawk plates 4 people beautifully. Two tomahawks and you're feeding the whole extended family. This guide is the reverse-sear method we use — the single most forgiving, foolproof way to cook a huge steak to a perfect medium-rare edge-to-edge.
Why reverse sear beats direct grilling for tomahawks
A traditional hot-and-fast sear on a 4 cm thick tomahawk gives you a burned crust and an raw grey band before the middle even warms up. The reverse-sear method flips the sequence:
- Low heat first — cook the tomahawk slowly in a 130 °C oven until the internal temperature hits 48 °C. This takes 45–60 minutes and produces perfectly even doneness edge-to-edge.
- Then a screaming-hot sear — hit the pre-warmed steak with maximum heat for 60 seconds per side to develop the crust. Because the interior is already warm, the sear doesn't overcook it.
Result: a tomahawk that looks like it came off the counter at Rockpool Bar & Grill.
Shopping list
For 4-6 people:
The hero:
- 1 × Wagyu tomahawk, 1.0–1.2 kg (from THE BUTCHER BOX) — order here
- 3 tablespoons sea salt flakes
- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Sides that write themselves:
- 1 kg baby potatoes — halved, roasted with rosemary and sea salt
- 500 g heirloom carrots — roasted with cumin and honey
- A big bowl of rocket, shaved parmesan, lemon salad
- Crusty sourdough — for the pan juices
Method — the full reverse-sear timeline
Aim to eat at 1pm Sunday. Working backward:
11:00am — Tomahawk out of the fridge
Pull the Wagyu tomahawk out 60 minutes before it goes in the oven. Pat completely dry with paper towel. Season aggressively on all surfaces with sea salt and pepper — you want more salt than feels reasonable; a 1.2 kg steak has a lot of surface area.
11:15am — Preheat oven and cook the sides
Preheat oven to 130 °C fan-forced. On a separate baking tray, toss the halved baby potatoes with olive oil, sea salt and rosemary. Set aside.
Toss the carrots with olive oil, honey and ground cumin. Set aside.
11:30am — Tomahawk into the oven
Place the tomahawk on a wire rack over a foil-lined tray. Slide into the 130 °C oven. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the steak. Set the alarm for 48 °C internal temperature.
11:30am — Same time — Roast the potatoes and carrots
Slide the potato tray onto the middle rack. Roast at 130 °C for 20 minutes. Then increase heat to 200 °C once the steak is out.
12:20pm — Steak hits 48 °C
Pull the steak out of the oven (potatoes and carrots stay in — you'll crank the heat in a minute). Cover the tomahawk loosely with foil while you set up the sear.
12:20pm — Simultaneously — Crank the oven to 220 °C
Increase the oven to 220 °C. The potatoes will finish in the next 15 minutes and the carrots will roast alongside.
12:25pm — Fire the pan for the sear
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet on the BBQ (or on the stovetop) at maximum heat for 5 full minutes. It must be smoking hot before the steak goes near it.
12:30pm — The 60-second sear
Add the olive oil to the pan. Lay the tomahawk in the pan — carefully, the bone is long. Sear 60 seconds on the first side, 60 seconds on the second. Add the butter, smashed garlic, thyme and rosemary. Continuously baste the steak with the aromatic melted butter for 60 more seconds per side.
Also sear the fat cap and the bone edges for 30 seconds each — the bone-marrow that renders out is one of the best-tasting parts of the meal.
12:35pm — Rest — 10 MINUTES
Move the tomahawk to a warmed carving board. Cover loosely with foil. Rest a full 10 minutes. The internal temperature will climb 3–4 °C during resting to 52–54 °C — perfect medium-rare.
12:45pm — Slice at the table
Carry the whole tomahawk to the table on the board with a sharp carving knife and a fork. Slice against the grain in 1 cm strips, starting from the bone. Serve family-style — everyone helps themselves.
Scatter flake salt over the slices as you plate. Pour the pan-butter (garlic, herbs, meat juices) directly onto the platter.
The sides — timings
- Baby potatoes: 45 min at 130 °C, then 15 min at 220 °C once the tomahawk comes out. Total 60 min.
- Roasted carrots: 25 min at 220 °C — go in when you crank the heat.
- Salad: dress at the last minute with lemon juice and good olive oil.
- Sourdough: warm in the oven for the last 5 minutes.
Wine pairing — the Father's Day pour
A single-vineyard Margaret River shiraz or a Barossa cab-shiraz. Decant 30 minutes ahead. If Dad prefers a lighter drop, a Great Southern pinot noir works surprisingly well with the fatty richness of the Wagyu.
Ordering for Father's Day 2026
Father's Day 2026 = Sunday 7 September. Saturday delivery = Saturday 6 September. Order cut-off = Thursday 4 September 7pm.
Wagyu tomahawks are our most-requested Father's Day cut and sell out fast. Order early:
- Grill Master's Box — includes 2 × Wagyu tomahawks + 4 scotch fillet steaks + 8 gourmet burgers
- Build your own beef — add 1 or 2 tomahawks as stand-alones ($49/kg)
- Carnivore Collection — beef-focused with tomahawk, rib eye, scotch fillet and Wagyu biltong
All Wagyu 300-350+ marble score, dry-aged 21 days, vacuum-sealed, delivered cold Saturday morning across Perth metro. Free delivery on every order.
Pro tip: pre-order a tomahawk 3-4 weeks ahead and set the delivery date to Saturday 6 September. We reserve premium Father's Day stock for early orders.
