andrejthechef
ItalySteakDinnerGluten-freeLow carbHigh protein

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

Florence's steak, done the way Tuscans insist: a thick, bone-in T-bone grilled hard and fast over a high flame, salted only, served rare.

prep
10 min
cook
15 min
total
25 min
serves
2
level
medium
Thick-cut bistecca alla fiorentina T-bone steak, charred outside and rare in the center

Bistecca alla fiorentina is deliberately plain: a very thick bone-in T-bone or porterhouse, ideally from Chianina cattle, seared hard over a scorching fire and left rare inside, the Tuscan word is al sangue. No marinade, no sauce, salt only, finished with a drizzle of olive oil at the table.

The steak is cut thick, 5 to 6 cm, specifically so the center stays rare while the outside chars; a thin steak cooked this hard would be ruined.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is one of the twenty most famous Italian foods.

method

  1. Bring the steak to room temperature, at least an hour out of the fridge. Pat it completely dry.

  2. Get a charcoal or very hot grill blazing hot. Salt the steak generously just before it goes on.

  3. Sear the steak standing on its fat edge for a minute to render some fat, if the cut allows.

  4. Grill each flat side for 4 to 5 minutes without moving it, until well charred.

  5. Stand the steak on its bone for a few minutes near the edge of the heat so the bone area cooks a little more.

  6. Rest for 10 minutes. Slice the two sides off the bone and cut on an angle into thick slices.

  7. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a little more salt, and lemon wedges if using.

chef's tips

  • Thickness is the whole trick: a steak this thick can char hard outside while staying rare in the middle.
  • Salt only, nothing else. No marinade, no pepper before cooking, no sauce.
  • A meat thermometer reading 45 to 50°C (115 to 120°F) in the center before resting is where Tuscans stop.