slivka.com > Wine > Bistecca alla Fiorentina

This recipie is fool-proof.
Your butcher cuts a T-Bone steak as directed, you follow the instructions, and the result is perfect rare (and some medium rare) beef!

Traditionally, this is served with sauteed spinach.
But I prefer to roast peeled halved shallots and baby potatoes (2:1 ratio by weight) -- tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper -- in a 400F oven for 30-40 minutes.

I typically like to prepare two steaks.
This amortizes the effort of preparing the herb rub over two steaks, and the leftovers are so tasty the next day.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine-Style Steak)
Total Time: 60-90 minutes (40 minutes prep + prepare hot coals + 21 minutes cooking)
Serves: 4-6 adults (meat will be RARE to MEDIUM RARE -- and delicious that way)
Ingredients
1T-Bone steak, 3.25" thick, 3.5 lbs to 4.5 lbs.
Ask your butcher to cut your T-Bone from the thick end of the short loin, so it will be larger.
Certified Angus (available from your QFC) is perfect.
1Tablespoon Rosemary, fresh and finely chopped
1Tablespoon Sage, fresh and finely chopped
1Tablespoon Thyme, fresh leaves
1.5Tablespoons Salt, Kosher
1.5Tablespoons Pepper, freshly ground
2Tablespoons Olive Oil
Instructions
Remove steak from refrigerator ~1 hour before you plan to grill it. Use a very sharp knife to trim off any thick extra fat (to reduce flaring on the grill while cooking).

Combine the salt and freshly ground pepper and fresh finely chopped Rosemary, Sage and Thyme in a small bowl. Use a metal teaspoon to thoroughly mix the five ingredients. Pat the steak dry, place on a large dinner plate, and apply roughly 1/3 of the spice rub to one side. Using tongs, grasp the sides of the steak, flip it over, allowing extra spice rub to fall on the dinner plate. Flip it back, rub and rotate the steak (all the time holding steak on its sides with tongs), to adhere the spice rub to the underside of the steak. Flip it over again, apply roughly 1/3 of the spice rub to the second side.

Put the charcoal on the Charcoal grate, heaped against a side, apply lighter fluid, ignite, and wait until most of the coals have some grey ashes on their edges (20-25 minutes typically). Distribute the coals evenly, place the Cooking grate over the coals. Allow the Cooking great to get hot (3-4 minutes), then use a metal brush to brush off any residue from prior usage.

Drizzle roughly 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over the spice rub on the top of the steak, sprinkle half of the remaining spice rube on top of the steak, and use a metal teaspoon to distribute the oil evenly. Use cooking tongs to grasp the side of the steak and flip it over on the dinner plate. Apply the remaining spice rup, another 1 Tablespoon of olive oil, and use the metal teaspoon to distrubte the oil evenly.

Use the cooking tongs, grasp the side of the steak and place it on the Cooking grate over the hot coals. Cook for precisely 12 minutes on the first side. Carefully use the tongs to flip the steak onto the other side. Cook for precisely 9 minutes on the second side.

Note: You want to avoid the fat/oil from flaring up on the coals, which will lead to excessive blackening of the steak. Most likely, you will need to reduce the oxygen supply to the coals by placing the cover on the grill. My ["old-school"] Weber Grill has a rotating round metal airflow restrictor on the cover, with four round holes. I find if I set it at 40-50% open, there is enough airflow for combustion, but not enough for flaring.

After cooking, immediately remove the steak and place it on a serving platter, and allow the steak to "rest" for 5 minutes, so the juices retreat into the meat.

Cut the two large pieces of meat (the tenderloin is on one side of the T-bone, and the strip/NY steak is on the other side) off the bone. Position each piece with the long axis perpendicular to your sharp knife, then slice into pieces roughly 1/2" thick. Return the slices to the serving platter, and serve immediately!

Last updated Monday, July 30th, 2018.
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