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Words by Tim Hayword. Photo by Sam Folan.
A proper Bistecca Fiorentina is taken from the Chianina draught cattle native to Tuscany. It’s a Porterhouse cut, so effectively a T-bone taken from the thick end. This means that there is substantial sirloin and fillet on either side of the main bone. It’s a spectacular cut, rare and expensive, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t cook a more regular T-bone the same way. The key thing is the thickness. In Florence, they say a bistecca should be as thick as the length of a matchstick.
Get more inspiration on how to cook on a Big Green Egg with Big Green Egg Feast by Tim Hayworth.
‘Florentine’ Steak
Ingredients
- 1 T-bone steak about 800g–1kg/ 1lb 12oz–2lb 4oz
- flaky sea salt or fleur de sel
- coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Steak cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of the steak and the cooking temperature, so it’s useful to understand internal temperatures. The meat will continue to cook as it rests, so use the guidelines below to know when to remove from the grid.
- Internal temperatures to remove from the grid:Rare: 45–48°C/113–118°F, to serve about 50°C/122°FMedium-rare: 50–52°C/122–126°F, to serve about 55°C/131°FMedium: 55–58°C/131–136°F, to serve about 60°C/140°FMedium-well: 60–63°C/140–145°F, to serve about 65°C/149°FWell-done: 68–70°C+/154–158°F+, to serve 70°C+/158°F+
- Season the steak generously with salt (searing steak with pepper turns it bitter and burns; just salt the night before, which caramelizes and creates the perfect crust, the Maillard reaction) – preferably the night before you intend to cook. Refrigerate it uncovered and standing upright on the bone. This will dry the surface of the meat for a crisp crust.
- Bring the steak up to room temperature before cooking. Preheat the EGG, with the cast-iron or stainless steel grid.
- Burp and open the EGG. Start by pressing the fat edge, if the steak has one, onto the grid until browned, then move to the flesh side. Cook, with the dome closed, for about 2–3 minutes on each side, pressing down, until both sides are very nicely browned.
- Turn the steak every minute until it’s done to your liking. Season with pepper. See cooking times and internal temperatures on the left.
- Allow the steak to rest somewhere warm for 20 minutes, with a big blob of the porcini butter.
- Slice off the bone, then slice the steak into 1.5–2cm/5/8–3/4in slices, adding more porcini butter.
Notes
EGG SET UP
Direct set-up with the stainless steel grid or cast-iron grid on top.
TARGET TEMP
220–260°C/425– 500°F
Direct set-up with the stainless steel grid or cast-iron grid on top.
TARGET TEMP
220–260°C/425– 500°F
Big Green Egg Feast by Tim Hayworth. (Hardie Grant), Photography © Sam Folan.