The bisteccaallafiorentina, literally translates as “bone to bone” steak, is an Italian beef prepared by braising the veal or ox, or both, in tomato sauce, along with the special preparation. It’s usually a medium-cut containing the entire bone, from the shoulder down to the hip joint, to be browned on the grills or over the open fire, with a nice measure of “oglobin” cooking inside it. From a rich, creamy sauces and thick soups, this dish became an icon of Italian fine dining cuisine. To make this dish you will need:
Bistecca fiorentina
Steak Preparation Time: 20 minutes per side. You would be amazed to know that this dish can be found at Casual Italian Restaurant St Louis which has a fine and eye-catching ambience.
Cooking Time: varies depending on size of piece of meat being cooked.
Florentine Steak Recipes use different levels of seasonings, but some basic ones are usually used. Depending on what flavor you are trying to achieve, different amounts of salt and oil are added, depending on what thickness you are trying to achieve. Usually, you don’t need any extra seasonings such as garlic or onions.
Florentine Steak Recipes usually start with medium-cut, thinly sliced meat on a grid. Then, the sauce is prepared by combining tomatoes, olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little extra dry hanging, rubbed with olive oil. At this point, your fiorentina steak recipe will call for the meat to be rubbed with fat and salt.
As for marinating the meat, I would say that a mild Italian dressing, made from dry mustard, garlic, a little hot sauce, and maybe some chopped fresh parsley or lemon wedges, is sufficient. The meat should be marinated for at least two hours, or overnight. Also, another way to prepare your florentine steak is to use a dry hanging rack in which the meat is hung by its terminal end, making sure it is completely covered. As you cook the meat in a pan over medium heat, make sure to keep stirring, as it cooks evenly and thoroughly.
Florentine steak recipes normally call for half an inch thick meat for a three-ounce serving. Although I prefer to have medium-cut meat, I have also cooked well over one-inch-thick meat. Normally, I cook it on indirect heat using a pressure cooker. Florentine beef is very tender, so be sure to slice it very thin all the way down to the fat! If you are looking for low fat ideas, then check out the low carb beef jerky ideas here.
My family loves florentine steak, although it is not exactly a traditional meal. We usually opt for a Bistecca instead. A bistecca is a type of polenta dish. Polenta is a great source of protein and iron. Although typically not considered a hearty meal, a bistecca beats pasta, rice, and even grain-based foods in terms of having more nutrients in a dish.
Another way to prepare florentine steak is to serve it with my baked tortilla chips. Since I like to snack on something before going to bed, it is the perfect alternative to potato chips, which are loaded with preservatives. Florentine steaks come in different cuts, so depending on how you prepare them, a serving could contain thigh, rib, breast, or fish. I typically sprinkle some coarse salt on top.
Although I love beef as well as pork, my Italian friends absolutely refuse to eat florentine steak. They claim it tastes like rubber, which is definitely an insult when compared to the fresh, crunchy bread they get every night at my house! If you have a chance to try tuscan cuisine, I recommend trying this aged beef with fresh lemon wedges.
If you want to make an authentic Tuscan dish, start with the meat itself. This would be beef, preferably rump, but if you don’t have that kind of meat, you could use venison, lamb, chicken, or duck. The bread is what completes the old world Tuscan cooking perfectly, and you should use Italian bread. You can bake it in the oven until the outside crusts and the inside is golden brown. Serve the beef with the bread, and you’ll have a tasty meal that uses real Italian flavor.
You also need to use the right wine. Sauvignon Blanc goes great with any meat, but you really need to find a good, age-aged wine that is made exclusively for making this type of dish. For younger meat, choose a light Pinot Noir or a good young Chardonnay. For red meat, a good red Sauvignon Blanc is exactly what you need. The white wine you should use will depend on the region of Tuscany where you are cooking: if you’re cooking in the South, you should use a white wine such as Syrah or Muscat; if you are cooking in the North, a whites from the Sangiovese region would be appropriate.
The next step is to add the meat, puree it well, and add any herbs or seasonings that you like. Then, you simply add the wine, cover the top, let it cure for at least two hours, and serve it up with the crusty, buttery Florentine steaks. Although this may seem like an overly simple preparation, it is surprisingly easy to make, and it makes a delicious meal. So, the next time you are up for some serious eating, try cooking up a batch of Florentine steak. You will not be disappointed!
Tips for Making Fiorentina Steak
You must by now understand the recipe of making a delicious Fiorentina steak, however, there are some tips that you must follow so that you can make the perfect Fiorentine-style steak and impress your loved ones.
Here are some useful tips:
1. Use fresh and quality ingredients:
This tip is a no-brainer, and you will come across this tip in almost every recipe you are following. Since the Fiorentina steak is simple dish with mainly five ingredients, there are not many layers of seasoning that might mask any poor-quality ingredients.
As such, the taste of each ingredient will be prominent. So, try that you use fresh and high-quality cut of meat and the top extra virgin olive oil you can get your hands on so that your Fiorentina steak comes out the best every time.
2. Grill pan works instead of a grill:
If you do not have a grill available that you can cook your Fiorentina steak on, a grill pan or a cast iron pan on the stove can also work and do as well. Although this type of steak is cooked on a grill with an open flame, the same can mostly be replicated well on a stove. Because of this, many fans of the Fiorentine-style steak can cook it quite easily at home within the confines of their kitchen.
3. Keep the steak’s doneness to rare or medium rare
The traditional Fiorentina steak is served in between rare and medium rare which has an internal temperature of around 120 to 140 Fahrenheit. However, if you really are not a fan of the reddish meat then you can also go with different recipes that call for a more done steak.