Bistecca Fiorentina
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr
Active: 10 mins
Makes: 2 to 3 servings
By Aida Mollenkamp
A recipe that epitomizes the rustic simplicity of Tuscan cuisine, bistecca fiorentina, or Italian-style T-bone steak, is perfect for sharing. Though it’s usually prepared on an outdoor grill, many of us don’t have year-round access to one, so we came up with this indoor method. It is traditionally topped only with a bit of high-quality olive oil, but here we add a pat of Chianti Butter for extra indulgence. Serve it on a bed of arugula alongside some roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe.
What to buy: You’ll have to special-order this steak, because it isn’t a typical cut. Order a 2-1/2- to 3-inch-thick porterhouse that weighs in at 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. Traditionally, the meat comes from the Maremmana or Chianina oxen, but make do with whatever high-quality meat your butcher can get for you.
Game plan: If you have an outdoor grill and want to be authentic, cook this over a very hot flame. If not, try our unconventional method in which you cook the steak directly on the rack of a very hot oven. The onions, placed under the steak, serve only to absorb the meat’s drippings so that your oven doesn’t get smoky; don’t try to eat them—they’ll be charred and bitter.
While a true Tuscan will insist that this dish should only be eaten... read more
- 1 (2-1/2- to 3-pound) porterhouse steak (2 1/2 to 3 inches thick)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 large onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- A few handfuls (about 3 to 4 ounces) arugula
- Chianti Butter, for garnish
- Brush steak with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper, and let sit, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Position one oven rack in the top third of the oven, a second rack in the bottom of the oven, and heat to 500°F (not on broil).
- Fill a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with enough onions to completely cover the bottom. Place the baking dish on the lower rack. Place the steak directly on the top rack, positioned above the dish of onions. Use tongs to turn the steak after 15 minutes, and check periodically to make sure it is not burning. For medium rare, roast until the internal temperature registers 125°F, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Discard onions and place steak on a cutting board to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To serve, place on a bed of arugula and top with a few slices of Chianti Butter (alternatively, brush on a little high-quality extra-virgin olive oil).
Beverage pairing: A red wine from Tuscany would be delicious with this hearty dish. A Chianti would do the trick, but for something a bit more unusual, try a Rosso di Montalcino (made from Sangiovese), like the 2004 Casisano Colombaio Rosso di Montalcino.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
Im not really sure where to begin, but this is not Bistecca Fiorentina. First off if not done on an open fire, the bistecca should be done on cast iron. Very hot cast iron.
Second, a bistecca "arriva com'era" meaning comes as it comes.... RARE. Most Bistecca places may take an order for Medium Rare but that is about it. This is because traditional Bistecca is made from Chianina beef, a low fat breed. Cook it past rare and it starts to toughen.
Last, the topping of a bistecca are salt & olio. After it cooks. Nothing else. Well a heathen may add a litttle fresh ground pepper. If there is any arugula it is served on a side plate. No Chianti Butter.
The sugggestion of a Rosso di Montalcino is brilliant because real Bistecca is quite common in Montalcino. If you are ever there, I recommend Il Pozzo in Sant'Angelo in Colle.
Yeah, gotta agree with what deangold said. This is a nice recipe, but mislabeled. Never had anything like this in Italy or the US Italian restaurants that serve bistecca fiorentina.
What's the point of putting the pan of onion underneath, especially if you're supposed to discard them?
B.I.S.S.,
The reason we cooked up such a method is simple: you're inside. When grilling outside, the drippings from your steak hit the coals and burn. This creates smoke, which simply floats away (also infusing the meat with that irresistable grilled flavor.) When "grilling" indoors, on the oven rack as in this recipe, the drippings from the steak also fall below--but if they're caught on a baking sheet or pan, they only burn--creating a choking cloud of smoke that quickly fills your kitchen, house, etc. (And no amount of venting equipment seems able to tame.)
The pan of onions is our solution--the only method that worked well (we also tried no pan, a small pan of water, et. al.) The onions also add a very slight roasted vegetable aroma to the meat, sort of like on the grill, but without all that smoke. In fact, you could deglaze the dripping pan with red wine and make a nice reduction sauce to go with the steak, but we felt it was too far a departure from the Italian dish.
By the way, we are all for doing this on the grill, but since it's February, it's not really an option for most of us! We hope you'll try our method--thanks for commenting!
Thanks for the explanation. I'm gonna try it!
Ok, so I can swallow the explanation for the indoor cooking method with the onions for those who don't have access grilling year round. However, it is a serious FAUX PAS to season the steak prior to it being cooked.
Source 1, The Silver Spoon: "Those who wish to serve authentic Florentine T-Bone steaks should follow the rules of the Articles of Association of the Florentine T-bone Steak Academy, founded in 1991 by the representatives of the Florentine Butchers' Association....[EXPLANATION OF TYPE OF STEAK OMITTED]...It must be cooked for 5 minutes on each side WITHOUT SEASONING over hot charcoal, preferable oak charcoal, about 8 inches above the embers. The steak must be turned only once with a spatula and SEASONED ONLY WHEN COOKED. The meat should be brown on the outside and slightly rare inside..."
Source 2, Williams-Sonoma Food of the World Cookbook Series, Florence: "More than a century ago, Pellegrino Artusi, Italy's greatest food writer, offered a few guidelines for preparing this most famous of Florentine secondi in his encyclopedic La Scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene. First the meat should be cooked over hot, but not flaming coals. It should be SEASONED SIMPLY WITH SALT AND PEPPER, AND ONLY AFTER COOKING, AS PRESEASONING MAY DRY OUT THE MEAT. LASTLY, IT SHOULD NEVER BE DRESSED WITH OLIVE OIL UNTIL AFTER GRILLING, OR THE STEAK WILL TAKE ON A TALLOWLIKE TASTE."
Changing cooking methods to accomodate those who want to make this dish is fine, however, the author definitely didn't do their research in how the steak is to be seasoned and served.
It is a very common MYTH that salting meat befor cooking will dry it out--but it is indeed a myth, proven false many times over by chefs and food scientists. (Incidentally, Pelligrini Artusi died in 1911, which explains why he might have had things wrong.) Also I see no reason why putting olive oil on a steak after grilling it would give it a tallow-like taste.
Actually, I would disagree with you there. I have seen the flip side of the coin demonstrated by chefs and food scientists who have shown that the salting of meat prior to it being cooked pulls the juices to the surface of the meat.
Secondly, I was refering two sources with the first being the authority of what constitutes authentic "Bistecca Fiorentina."
Lastly, if you reread my post you will see that I did say drizzling with olive oil is appropriate, drizzling with olive oil beforehand is what would cause the tallowlike taste.
I thougth what made a fiorentina was the breed of cattle? If it's not chianina (plain and rare) it's not fiorentina. No?
The recipe is fine, and I'm sure it turns out a wonderful steak. I also understand that the author is trying to make accommodations for people who don't have access to chianina beef, Tuscan butchers, and grills. But the cooking method, and even garnish, is so radically changed from tradition, that I'm not sure why the recipe is called "Bistecca Fiorentina" at all. What is it about the recipe that makes it resemble Florentine style?
Why not just call it what it is, "Pan roasted Porterhouse with Chianti Butter"?
I'm glad that I learned that if I use tongs instead of a spatula, I can no longer call it Bistecca Fiorentina.
Give me a break.
I don't think anyone was debating the merits of the tongs vs. spatula flip.
1. We're talking about degrees of authenticity.
Chianina beef is number one, everything else is a facsimile. Has to be a young animal (less than 18 mos.). Has to be cut from the triangular part of the sirloin rack and include the eye of the loin. Has to be aged (at least three weeks). Macelleria Falorni in Greve does it right.
2. We're talking about method.
Has to be grilled. Is salted and peppered before serving, and drizzled with extra virgin ollive oil. Marination no. Pre seasoning no. Pan searing no.
3. Seasoning before cooking is not going to dry out the meat. However alllowing the salt to penetrate for too long before cooking will change the consistancy. Ideally the steak will be allowed to temp for several minutes, up to an hour, before grilling. That means sit out and relax a while. After its "temped" go ahead and salt it if you prefer, but allow it top rest for only a few minutes after seasoning and before grilling. Grilling without seasoning is fine too, but equally important is a good 5 to 10 minute rest after cooking.
4. Flipping with a spatula, not as important as wearing red underwear with ruffles, and stilletto heels...... Ya fool.
I need a clarification. Do you put the steak directly on the upper rack, or do you put it in a pan on the upper rack?
Thanks!
I need a clarification. Do you put the steak directly on the upper rack, or do you put it in a pan on the upper rack?
Thanks!
Bzdhkap: You put the steak directly on the upper rack with the pan on the next rack down. The idea is that you are simulating an open grill in your oven, yet you need the pan there to catch the drippings.
This recipe should be called "porterhouse in the oven." It's interesting that I have to read the responses to find out how to prepare the real deal. And MacArthur Mike, don't you understand? The original recipe said "use tongs," while bkhuna rightly, and hilariously, pointed out how ironic this specific instruction is the rest of the direction totally bastardizes a time-honored recipe!!
I didn't read it that way, and Bkhuna did not comment further on the topic, so I don't not know their true point. However, I took it to mean that he was sarcastically putting down my use of sources on what is considered true bistecca fiorentina. I don't think he was pointing out the fact that the use use of the tongs vs. spatuala bastardizes the recipe and that it creates an unauthentic dish.
Has anyone actually tried the above described method, all labels aside?
Ive made steaks in the oven like this many times; it works.
I usually dont salt meats before cooking, just my preference and I do think it dries out the meat, but if I did or cooking partner did I would immediately cook the meat.
I'd consider myself to be better than average on the Grill. THis after taking a class, reading, etc. I ALWAYS oil the grill as well as my meat so it doesn't stick. I find it odd that the meat isn't seasoned nor rubbed down with oil before grilling. I would think the steak my stick to the grill or oven grates. Any thoughts?
It depends on so many factors: how hot the grates are, natural oils in the meat, type of meat, etc..
I find steak doesnt stick unless its a very high heat and you dont turn it at some point before flipping it over.
It depends on so many factors: how hot the grates are, natural oils in the meat, type of meat, etc..
I find steak doesnt stick unless its a very high heat and you dont turn it at some point before flipping it over.
I can only say that no matter how you prepare it in thiis country it will never taste the same as it does in Tuscany. I have fouund it works better if I wear a pink thong and my tennies ( I fell in my stilleto pummps), Anyone up foroa tasting trip to forence?
dear Ladies & Gentleman
Any fain chances to find Chianina beef in the Chicago area?
Fascinating subject!
thanks.
Gabi @ <a href="http://www.mamaliga.com"><...