Florence's Steak Specialty: Bistecca Fiorentina
Steak Time: Time for a unique, mouth-watering dinner! We're making the legendary Italian-style T-bone steak, often known as bistecca fiorentina. This ain't your normal cut—you'll need to special-order a 2 ½ to 3-inch-thick porterhouse weighting 2 ½ to 3 pounds. Get your hands on some high-quality beef, whether it's Maremmana or Chianina, or whatever your butcher can find for you.
Strategy: If you've got an outdoor grill, crank it up and go authentic! Can't fry this baby outside? No sweat! We've got a goddamn unconventional method that'll work with your oven. Cook it directly on the rack, and those onions? Just there to soak up the steak's drippings to keep your oven clean. Don't even think about eating those charred and bitter onions.
Got a hankering for blood sanguinoso? Well, the real Italians say it should be eaten raw, but most Americans aren't into that, so we've timed it for medium-rare cooking. If you're feeling adventurous, pull the steak off the grill at 120°F—but proceed with caution as it'll be rare as hell!
This recipe'll spice up your Valentine's Day, that's for sure. But get ready, because things are gonna get messy!
- Servings: 2-3 folks
- Difficulty: Medium as hell
- Time: 1 damn hour, tops
- Active: 10 bloody minutes
Ingredients:1. 1 goddamn solid porterhouse (2 ½ to 3 pounds, 2 ½ to 3 inches thick)2. 2 tablespoons of olive oil to drown that bad boy in3. Salt like the sea, enough to taste (1 to 1 ½ tablespoons)4. Fresh ground pepper (1 teaspoon)5. 2-3 fucking massive onions, chopped into tasty chunks6. Arugula, who gives a shit much (a few handfuls, about 3-4 ounces)7. Chianti Butter, because we're splurging (optional, for garnish)
Let's take this Italian classic and give it our homesick twist! Pour the olive oil all over the steak and season generously with salt and pepper. Give this babe some time to warm up at room temperature for 30 minutes, uncovered. Set your oven to 500°F, no bullshit, not broil. Shove one rack in the top third and another in the bottom.
Now, place those onions in a large, deep pan, enough to cover the bottom. Chuck that pan on the bottom rack of the oven with the steak sitting pretty on the top rack, right above the onions. Give the steak a flip after 15 goddamn minutes and keep watch to make sure it doesn't burn. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium rare or 120°F for those damn rare steak cats.
Ditch those burnt onions and let your steak rest for a little while on a cutting board before serving. Place it on a bed of arugula and dress it up with some Chianti Butter (or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if you ain't feeling fancy).
This recipe is pure, rustic Tuscany fuckin' magic, perfect for sharing. Pair it with some roasted potatoes and broccoli rabe and get ready for a flavor explosion!
Extra Tuscan Spice
Treat yourself to some Chianti Butter for extra indulgence! It's a heavenly mix of chilled, unsalted butter, finely minced garlic, chopped fresh parsley, and a splash of Chianti wine.
Variation: Bistecca alla Fiorentina à la Household
If you can't get your hands on the traditional Chianina or Maremmana beef, don't you worry, this bad boy still slaps! Just use high-quality beef and grind the pepper fresh for the best results.
- Register the legendary Italian-style T-bone steak recipe, known as bistecca fiorentina, in your cookbook for a special-occasion dinner.
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the high-quality porterhouse steak for a flavorful marinade before cooking it to medium-rare for nutrition and taste.
- Uncategorized: The giant onions used in the recipe are not for consumption but serve to soak up the steak's drippings, keeping your oven clean during cooking.
- In order to add a homemade twist to your dish, consider making Chianti Butter as an optional garnish for an extra indulgent and flavorful steak experience.
