Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
754 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak)
Description
The Bistecca Alla Fiorentina recipe calls for thick porterhouse or T-bone steaks weighing about one kilogram and cut approximately 4 cm thick. The steaks should be at room temperature before cooking to ensure even heat penetration. Grilling is done over very hot hardwood coals, with the grill positioned about 10 cm above the heat source.
Cooking involves placing the steak on the grill to sear without moving it, flipping carefully once it releases easily, and seasoning liberally with top-quality sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper after flipping. This process continues with periodic flipping and seasoning, enhancing the seared exterior and preserving a juicy interior.
The steak is typically served sliced with a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil and accompanied traditionally by a lemon wedge, a simple tossed green salad, boiled cannellini beans dressed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and complemented by robust Italian red wines such as Chianti Classico Riserva or Brunello. This presentation underscores the steak’s rich flavor and textural contrast.
Ingredients
- 4 steak porterhouse of T-bone & look for a steak that’s just under a kg and cut about 4 cm thick, very thick
- sea salt top quality, e.g. Fleur de Sel de Guérande
- Searing hot coals made from a hard wood
- black pepper freshly cracked
Instructions
PREPARE THE GRILL
- Make sure the coals are quite hot – you should not be able to hold your hand over the coals for more than about 4 seconds; put the grill about 10cm over the coals and let it heat up.
PREPARE THE STEAK
- If the steak comes right out of the fridge, it will cook a little longer than something that is, already, at room temperature – I like meat cooked from room temperature. For the perfect steak florentine, leave the steak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior cooking it.
COOK THE BISTECCA ALLA FIORENTINA
- Pop the steak onto the grill so that it can sear & then lift the grill but don’t move the steak; it can only be flipped once it comes off the grill easily – flip it off & onto a plate and salt liberally (you’re salting the seared side so that the salt can’t draw out the excess moisture) and then pop the other side onto the grill.
- Continue in this fashion: a few minutes on, flip, lightly pepper, salt, flip and so on – you know the drill.
- It’s very important that the heat remains constant so fan the coals back to life if the look as if they’re going to die (which they shouldn’t if you’ve made a decent fire).
- It should cook in a few minutes & when the steak is done it should still be rare – but it’s all a matter of taste.
Notes
- Allow steaks to come to room temperature before grilling for more even cooking.
- Cook over very hot hardwood coals with the grill about 10 cm above the heat.
- Flip steaks only when they lift easily from the grill to ensure proper sear.
- Serve sliced with a pat of butter or olive oil, lemon wedges, and simple sides like green salad and boiled cannellini beans.
- Pair with robust Italian red wines such as Chianti Classico Riserva or Brunello.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 754 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 754kcal | 38% |
| Protein | 70g | 140% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 190mg | 63% |
| Sodium | 183mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 1050mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 20mg | 2% |
| Iron | 6.8mg | 38% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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