I kinda feel like a tomahawk steak is our ‘thing’ now… it started some time ago now in a bid to recreate the most epic steak (the Porterhouse from Porter & Rye in Glasgow) and my butcher recommended the tomahawk. We tried it. We loved it. We never looked back.
I have spent some time refining my cooking times for the PERFECT rare steak and this baby is charred on the outside, melty in the middle and just full of flavour. The sauce happened by accident one night when we found ourselves with the classic cheeseboard reject – stilton – and it could not be simpler or, if I do say so myself, a better pairing. Even my kids love it, fingers in the sauceboat love it.
TOMAHAWK STEAK WITH BLUE CHEESE SAUCE
Ingredients (Serves 2-4)
1 tomahawk steak (450-850g), room temperature
salt & pepper
olive oil
a knob of butter
75g stilton, crumbled
150ml double cream
There are two ways to cook a tomahawk and, for me, the weather dictates the method. In the summer, I throw it on the BBQ and in the winter (otherwise known as the other ten months of the Scottish year) I sear it in a pan. Either way, the steps are much the same…
Preheat the oven to 220°C – conveniently the same temperature you need for chips.
Heat a large frying pan (or BBQ grill) until piping hot before adding a slug of olive oil and the butter (I omit the fats for the BBQ – just let the flames do their thing). Season the tomahawk on both sides and then sear in the pan (or on the grill) for 3 minutes each side.
Now place the tomahawk on a tray and pop it into the hot oven according to the times below, remembering these apply to a rare steak –
Small (approx. 450g) – 5 minutes
Medium (approx 650g) – 9 minutes
Large (approx 850g) – 13 minutes
Take it out to rest for 12 minutes – this is really important because it continues to cook in this time and holds onto its lovely juices.
In the meantime, gently heat the cream and stilton in a small saucepan until the cheese has melted. Sauce done. Told you it was simple.
Now, if you so wish, you can give it another quick flash in the pan (or on the BBQ), just for a minute or so total before carving. I like to carve and plate mine before serving but it is equally, if not perhaps more, impressive to carve it ‘a table’ for friends and let guests decide which slices suit their preferences best – naturally the end farthest from the bone will be slightly better done.
Serve with a drizzle of sauce, veg of your choosing and more sauce on the side*. We like chips and something green – a pea, avocado, baby leaf salad for summer nights, roasted green beans in the winter.
*Excellent for dipping chips in.
As always tag #ThankfifiFood if you try it and please do send me your pics on Instagram – I love seeing them.
