Tomapork is pork’s answer to a tomahawk steak: thick, bone-in and made for cooking over charcoal. Andrew Dickens gently smokes the steaks, building up layers of sweet, sharp gooseberry glaze before finishing them directly above the fire. The result is juicy pork with a dark, sticky crust, served with a fresh garden sauce packed with herbs, radish and cider vinegar.
This recipe was cooked by Andrew Dickens during his BBQ Around the World masterclass at Charlie Oven.
- Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Cooking time: Depends on the thickness of the steaks
- Resting time: 5 to 10 minutes
- Serves: Depends on the number and size of the steaks
- Charlie Oven temperature: 100 to 120°C/212 to 248°F, then 250 to 300°C/482 to 572°F
- Cooking method: Smoking and reverse searing
- Charlie accessory: Cooking rack
Ingredients
For the Tomapork steaks
- British Tomapork steaks, as required
- Fine sea salt, to season
- 1 small chunk of smoking wood
For the God Fyr gooseberry glaze
- 500ml chicken bone broth
- 300ml apple cider
- 50ml raw apple cider vinegar
- 100g gooseberry jam
- 2 sheets silver leaf gelatine
For the God Fyr garden sauce
- 375ml olive oil
- 120ml raw cider vinegar
- 60g parsley
- 15g tarragon
- 15g chives
- 20g mint
- 75g radishes
- 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
- 7g dried thyme
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Make the gooseberry glaze
- Pour the chicken bone broth, apple cider and cider vinegar into a wide-based saucepan. Simmer over a medium heat until reduced to 300ml.
- Stir the gooseberry jam into the warm liquid until fully combined.
- Soak the gelatine sheets in a shallow tray of cold water for around 5 minutes.
- Lift out the gelatine, squeeze away the excess water and stir it into the warm glaze until dissolved.
- Pour the glaze into a clean, airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
This makes a generous batch of glaze, so you may have some left over. Warm the amount you need gently before brushing it onto the pork.
Make the garden sauce
- Put all the ingredients into a powerful blender.
- Pulse a few times until you have a loose green sauce. Do not blend it completely smooth. You should still be able to see small pieces of herbs and radish.
- Season with salt and pepper. If it is too thick, add a little more olive oil and cider vinegar until it has the consistency of chimichurri.
This also makes a generous batch. Keep it covered in the fridge and bring it towards room temperature before serving.
Set up your Charlie Oven
Light around half a football’s worth of good-quality lumpwood charcoal. Bring the Charlie Oven to 100 to 120°C/212 to 248°F.
Place a cooking rack in the middle of the oven so the steaks sit well above the charcoal.
Add one small chunk of smoking wood to the hot charcoal just before the pork goes into the oven. Wait for the heavy white smoke to clear. A fine stream of pale blue smoke from the chimney means the steaks are ready to go in.
Smoke the Tomapork steaks
- Season the steaks on both sides with a little fine sea salt.
- Place them on the middle rack and close the Charlie Oven door.
- Turn the steaks every 10 minutes, brushing both sides lightly with the gooseberry glaze each time.
- Continue smoking until the centre of the thickest part reaches 55°C/131°F. Insert the temperature probe from the side, avoiding the bone.
- Remove the steaks and keep them somewhere warm while you prepare the Charlie Oven for searing.
Sear the steaks
- Open the vents and bring the Charlie Oven to 250 to 300°C/482 to 572°F. Add more lumpwood charcoal if needed.
- Move the cooking rack to the lowest shelf position, directly above the charcoal, and allow it to become very hot.
- Return the steaks to the rack and sear them on both sides until deeply caramelised. Turn them regularly, as the gooseberry glaze will colour quickly.
- Check the temperature in the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone. For a fully cooked pork steak, it should reach 70°C/158°F for two minutes.
- Remove the steaks and give them a final light brush of gooseberry glaze.
Rest and serve
Rest the steaks somewhere warm for 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the meat to relax and the juices to settle.
Cut the pork away from the bone, then slice it across the grain. Spoon over the God Fyr garden sauce and serve the rest alongside.
Cook’s notes
Tomapork steaks vary considerably in thickness, so use their internal temperature rather than the clock to judge when they are ready.
The glaze contains sugar from the cider and gooseberry jam. Turn the steaks regularly during the final sear so the glaze caramelises without burning.
Wait for the heavy white smoke from the wood to clear before adding the pork. The finer pale blue smoke gives the meat a cleaner, gentler smoky flavour.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Tomapork steak?
A Tomapork is a thick pork loin steak with the long rib bone left attached, giving it the shape of a beef tomahawk steak.
Why reverse sear a Tomapork steak?
The low-temperature first cook allows the pork to take on smoke while cooking evenly. Searing it directly above the charcoal then creates a dark, caramelised crust.
Which wood should I use to smoke pork?
Andrew’s original recipe does not specify the smoking wood. Apple would work naturally with pork and gooseberry, but his choice should be confirmed before the recipe is published.
How do I stop the gooseberry glaze from burning?
Apply the glaze in light layers and turn the steaks regularly during the final sear. Move them higher in the oven if they begin to darken too quickly.
Can I prepare the sauces in advance?
Yes. Make both sauces ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Warm the glaze gently before using it and bring the garden sauce towards room temperature before serving.