An old-school cheese sandwich? Give this pork tenderloin steak sandwich with roasted tomatoes a try!

Preparations:

Good tools are half the work. Make sure to get delicious pork tenderloins from the butcher. We use mixed red and yellow tomatoes for a balance of sweetness and acidity, enhancing the flavor surprise.

What to do with your KLAUWE:

Fire up your KLAUWE and bring the temperature to around 200 degrees Celsius.

For this dish, we will grill both directly and indirectly, so arrange the coals on one side of the fire basket. You can also choose to push the coals to one side once they’re burning. To reach higher temperatures easily, use quality charcoal, like Black Ranch Marabu, made from Cuban shrubs, which gets very hot.

When lighting your KLAUWE, you need more oxygen initially, so open the air vents at the front and back completely. (After lighting the fire, close the rear vent completely.) The front vent stays open during lighting and is where you fine-tune the temperature of your KLAUWE.

If the fire needs a heat boost, you can briefly open the rear vent. The vent in the lid should be half open. (This depends on how the temperature behaves. More air means more fire, which means a higher temperature, and vice versa. Once the fire is burning, control it with the front vent.)

Do not place the lid on the KLAUWE yet. Let the fire do its job.

Moving on to your ingredients:

Season the pork tenderloin with just salt and pepper (be generous, we love a good bite). Peel all the garlic cloves and cut them in half.

Briefly rinse the tomatoes under cold or warm water.

Take half of the fresh thyme out of the package.

Preferably use a cast-iron pan for this dish (make sure it fits on your KLAUWE).

Once you have everything ready, let it sit for a moment. We’re going back to your KLAUWE.

Back to your KLAUWE:

When the coals are hot and the highest flames have died down, move the fire basket with the lifting hook (and barbecue gloves) to the third level (from the top). We will first grill directly and then indirectly, so the coals should be on one side of the fire basket.

Place the grill grate on the second level (from the top). Then put the lid on your KLAUWE. (We’re grilling without a water ring and without a water tray.)

The air vents at the front and back are still somewhat open. Watch where the temperature goes. The goal is around 200 degrees Celsius. If the temperature goes beyond 200 degrees Celsius, adjust the air vents. Close the rear vent completely. If the temperature continues to rise, close the front vent a bit more. Eventually, you can fine-tune the temperature with the front vent. If the temperature is too low, open the front vent more (and possibly the rear vent as well). If the temperature is too high, close the front vent slightly.

Take your time with this. The temperature needs to stabilize. Do this, of course, with a suitable drink in hand.

And then?:

When the temperature is stable, place the cast-iron pan on the grate above the hot coals and add a generous splash of olive oil. Add the halved garlic cloves and thyme (this creates a delicious jus). Then place the pork tenderloins in the pan and brown them well. Don’t forget to turn the tenderloins regularly and spoon the jus over them to keep them juicy.

Once the tenderloins are nicely browned, move the pan to the indirect grilling zone and let the tenderloins cook for another 7 minutes. (Optionally, you can put the lid on your KLAUWE.) After 7 minutes, remove all the ingredients from the pan and wrap them in aluminum foil. The meat will rest, and we’ll proceed to the next step.

In the same cast-iron pan, add the tomatoes. You might choose to place the pan directly over the fire again. This goes faster, but you need to stay nearby and stir regularly. Let the tomatoes roast and slightly crush them. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. The juices should blend nicely. The tomatoes should be smashed.

Meanwhile, slice the ciabatta rolls open and place them on the grill over the indirect heat. Be cautious, as the bread can toast quickly. Turn them regularly.  

After about 5 minutes, the tomatoes should be soft and glossy. If the rolls are crispy and done, remove them from the grill. Let’s build your sandwiches.

De finishing touch:

Top 4 halves of the rolls with a layer of (iceberg) lettuce. The pork tenderloins are resting in the aluminum foil. Slice the tenderloins into thin slices. Place these slices on the lettuce.

Finally, add a generous spoonful of roasted tomatoes on top of the pork slices. And there you have your steak sandwich!

Bon appétit, and remember: Eat with your KLAUWE and Impress Your Friends!