Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Bistecca is the much-celebrated, classic and undoubtedly epic Florentine cut of beef with a long history that you will find on any traditional Italian restaurant menu. Ours are 6-week dry aged grass fed O'Connor beef from Gippsland, weighing around 1.2kg each.
Ingredients
1 x 1.2kg Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Sea salt flakes
Rosemary & sage tied together into a brush
Extra virgin olive oil
Cannellini beans
Lemon wedges
Method
- Generously season your room temperature steak with flaked sea salt and cook on a very hot BBQ or grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes.
- Once off the grill, dip a rosemary and sage brush in extra virgin olive oil and generously anoint your meat.
- Rest at least 10 minutes, then cut against the grain, and arrange meat back on the bone.
- Serve on a warmed plate with cannellini beans and lemon wedges.
What is bistecca alla fiorentina?
A famous dish from Tuscany, the bistecca alla fiorentina is an epic Florentine steak. It is cut from the loin of the beast, below the rib cage and above the rump and has the classic T-Bone shape. The cut includes both the strip and tenderloin fillet and traditionally comes from the Chianina breed of cows which are native to Tuscany. The beef is aged generally between 15-20 days (whilst ours are aged even longer at 6 weeks) and is incredibly flavourful.
How to cook Florentine steak?
The trick to the perfect bistecca is to cook it over hot coals on the grill or barbeque. Do not overcook this meat either - for serious enjoyment, we recommend eating it rare. The meat is traditionally quite lean, so if it is cooked medium or well done it will be dry and tough.
What to serve with bistecca?
Traditionally, Florentines pair Bistecca alla Fiorentina with roast potatoes, sautéed spinach or silverbeet, white cannellini beans and Tuscan bread. The meat is so delicious that it does not need a sauce - simply eat it with salt, pepper and a little olive oil.
Steak Recipes
Steak lovers can discover more delicious recipes on our blog like steak au poivre and steak tartare. For those not confident in cooking meat, learn the basic techniques with our guide on cooking steak in our recipe archive. Learn more about our grass-fed beef producers and shop our range of beef.
Explore the technique
