Bistecca alla Fiorentina on the Big Green Egg

Bistecca alla Fiorentina on the Big Green Egg 


Have I mentioned that we visited Florence? Well, we did. We learned that Florence is beef country known for their cattle. It is the Texas of Italy? Famously, the Chianini breed, bred for the marbled beef and therefore unique flavor is the meat used to make the true Bistecca alla Fiorentina or the Tuscan Porterhouse.

We don't have easy access to Chianini in the US. So, we are going to use a regular breed, not sure what breed you get at ye olde generic whole food but we will have them custom cut us a porterhouse and we are going to attempt this refined steak using the Big Green Egg.

Research:

We used this site to remind us of the ingredients but we followed the reverse sear technique to get the perfect rare steak. Check out the technique on our perfect steak post here.

Plan:

Gather the following ingredients:


1 - 2 inch thick porterhouse. Ours was about 2 pounds and we had Whole Foods cut it for us.
1/3 cup of high temp olive oil. (not the EVOO)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
A couple of sprigs of rosemary

We will heat the egg to 250, cook the steak to 95 internal, pull it off and rest while running the egg up to 600. Then sear each side 1.5 minutes. The reverse sear technique.

Just an update on portioning. A good rule of thumb is that the porterhouse will be about 1 lb per inch of thickness (precooked) and a large serving size (counting teenage boys) is about a pound a person. Our last effort was 2 three inch thick porterhouses that was about 7 pounds total to feed 6 and we had leftovers. Assume about 1/3 of weight will be lost to cooking and bone.

Execution:

Let the porterhouse warm to room temperature

Salt, Pepper, chop up some rosemary and rub in. Brush with olive oil.

Precook to 95 degree internal temp with the egg at 250

Then pull it off to rest while letting the egg heat up to 600

Sear both sides for 1.5 minutes

Lightly brush with olive oil then slice the steak from the center bone into about 1" strips

Serve!

Don't be a luddite. Pair it with a wine that you can't pronounce. This is a good one, Julie picked it. An Italian blend to go with our US/Italian blended Bistecca Fiorentine.

Verdict:

This is the best steak we have made. Absolute perfection. The rosemary, the pepper, salt and olive oil combine with the char to make an amazing flavor. The only thing better would be to be eating it in Florence.

Please help support our site, buy something you like on Amazon. Simply click through the links below and though you can pick anything, I suggest the thermometer and knives below:


So apparently Thermoworks doesn't sell through Amazon anymore. You must buy direct. Still the thermometer to have. Go here and order direct. 

Aaron Franklin's Favorite trimming knife:

Dexter-Russell (S131F-6PCP) - 6" Boning Knife - Sani-Safe Series

Aaron Franklin's Favorite Brisket cutting/serving knife:

Sani-Safe S140-12SC-PCP 12" Scalloped Roast Slicer