In essence, a tomahawk steak is simply a ribeye beef steak that has been specially cut so that at least five inches of the rib bone is left intact. French trimming is used to the extra-long, french-trimmed bone in the same way that it is used to form a rack of lamb. ″Frenching″ is the process of cutting the bone of meat and fat to the point that it resembles a handle of some sort.