Tuscany's answer to the porterhouse — a 4 cm thick T-bone from Chianina cattle, grilled rare over white-hot embers, served with nothing but salt, pepper, and a wedge of lemon. The simplest and most exacting steak in Italy.
Serves 2 to 3Prep 20 minCook 12 min
What to ask for
This recipe calls for Bistecca alla fiorentina. Can't get it where you are?
Ingredients & method
Ingredients
1 Chianina or Maremmana T-bone, 4 cm thick (about 1.2 to 1.5 kg), aged at least 21 days
Coarse sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Extra-virgin Tuscan olive oil
1 lemon, halved
Rosemary sprig (optional)
Method
1Take the steak out of the fridge at least 90 minutes before cooking. Tuscans insist on it being warm to the bone.
2Build a hardwood or charcoal fire and let it burn down to white-hot embers — you should not be able to hold your hand 10 cm above the grate for more than 2 seconds.
3Pat the steak dry. No oil, no salt yet.
4Lay the steak directly over the embers. Grill for 5 minutes without moving. Flip once and grill 5 more minutes on the second side.
5Stand the steak up on its bone-edge for 2 to 3 minutes to render and crisp the fat strip. Internal temperature should read 50 to 52 °C (122 to 125 °F).
6Transfer to a wooden board, season generously with salt and pepper. Rest 8 minutes.
7Carve the strip and the fillet off the bone, slice across the grain into 1.5 cm slices. Drizzle with olive oil and squeeze lemon over the top.
Cook this well
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Chef's tip If your butcher offers anything thinner than 4 cm, it isn't a fiorentina — ask for a different cut. The exterior char and the rare interior depend on that mass.
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