Bistecca alla Fiorentina

by | Sep 15, 2023 | Main Courses

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

This is the absolute reference steak recipe in Tuscany. It’s quite simple, yet the flavor is so compelling that you may never have steak any other way!

Servings

4-6

Ready In:

1 hour

Good For:

Dinner

About this Recipe

By: Colleen McGlynn

The charred fat of the meat is the perfect companion to the richness and (fruit) tannins of Sagrantino, making for a deeply memorable crescendo to a delightful dinner.

This dish is best grilled, ideally over a wood fire, or mesquite charcoal; use gas only if you have no choice!

  • 2-1/2-3 inch thick prime ribeye (Ridge’s preference) or porterhouse
  •  Extra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh rosemary stalks
  • Parmegiano Reggiano
  • Arugula
  • True balsamic vinegar – the older the better
  • 1 or 2 heads of Radicchio, quartered and tossed with olive oil and salt
cauliflower soup
Step 1

Baste both sides of the steak with oil, then liberally salt the meat; add pepper to taste. Let it rest atop the rosemary stalks until the fire is ready (at least a half hour).

Make a good-sized fire, then (when the fire has subsided and the coals are hot) move the coals to one side.

Step 2

Cook over the hottest part of the grill, flipping just once. You want the meat to be no more than medium rare (125°F with an instant-read thermometer). Figure about 3 minutes per side, more or less depending on the fire and the thickness of the meat.

Remove from the heat and let rest for at least five minutes.

Step 3

While it’s resting, grill the radicchio, letting it char a bit.

Roughly chop the radicchio, toss it together with the arugula (more arugula than radicchio), then lay the mixture as a bed on a warm platter.

Step 4

Slice the steak on the diagonal, against the grain, in narrow slices. Arrange on the platter.

Cover with thinly shaved slices of parmigiano (a vegetable peeler works well), drizzle with balsamic, and finish with any juices from the steak while it rested.

Serve immediately, with roasted new potatoes tossed in extra virgin oil and salted.

Wine Pairing

Any of our bigger reds — Sagrantino, Vero, or Impossibile — will work beautifully.

But the beautifully marbled and charred fat of the steak creates the perfect time to open a bottle of Sagrantino (the older the better)!