“Go big, or go home. Tomahawk steak, sometimes called ‘cowboy steak’, is rib eye with an extra-long bone left on so it resembles (you guessed it!) a tomahawk. It’s a prime cut and a chunk of grass-fed, dry-aged rib eye isn’t cheap; so I tend to make this dish for special occasions. (A minute steak would make for a cheaper – and quicker – weeknight alternative. It’s a ridiculously tasty centrepiece, especially with chimichurri and Argentinian red wine!” – Charlie Carrington.
1.4kg tomahawk steak at room temperature
4 onions
2 Tbs olive oil
Flaked salt to taste
100mL sherry vinegar
50g butter
Chimichurri:
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
2 garlic cloves
1/4 bunch thyme, leaves picked
1/2 bunch oregano, leaves picked
125mL olive oil
60mL sherry vinegar
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sugar
Pre-heat oven to 200 C (400 F). Put onions, skin and all, in a roasting dish and bake for 25 minutes.
While the onions cook, season steak by coating your hands in oil then massaging it into the meat.
From a height, sprinkle salt over very evenly, then place on a massive pan, plancha or barbeque, over a very high heat. Since the steak is so large and pans often don’t have consistent heat throughout, it can be a challenge to cook the steak evenly. I find the best way to do this is to constantly rotate the steak by 90 degrees.
After about 5-6 minutes, flip the steak and repeat on the other side.
Remove from the heat and rest in a nice, warm place either on top of the oven or near the stove.
Once the onions are cooked, cut them in half keeping the skin on. Use tongs to handle them, as they will be hot.
Get a large frying pan very hot and using tongs, sear the cut side of the onions until blackened and burnt smelling.
Return onions to roasting tin, cut side up and top each onion with vinegar and butter. Put them back in the oven at 160 C (320 F) for 20 minutes.
Chimichurri:
Pulse all ingredients in a blender to a paste-like consistency – you don’t want to puree it.
Reheat the pan or barbeque which you cooked the steak on, to a high heat and reheat steak for about 2 minutes on each side.
Place onion halves on a large serving platter and pour some of the chimichurri where the steak will sit.
Slice the steak and then season with your best flaked salt. Place on top of the chimichurri, drizzle over the remaining chimichurri and serve.
Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from The Atlas Cookbook – Charlie Carrington, published by Hardie Grant Books.
