Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (2024)

Published August 23, 2022.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Meet the king of all steaks, Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe. Seasoned 3-pound porterhouse steak grilled to perfection and brushed with butter and fresh herbs.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (1)

Also known as Florentine Steak, this large cut of meat has been a traditional dish served for years across Italy and Italian restaurants in the US.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina

This is a classical Italian recipe that you’ll see at any traditional Italian restaurant. The Bistecca Alla Fiorentina is a huge 2 ½ to 3-pound porterhouse steak with a New York strip steak on one side and a filet mignon on the other.

It was originally founded in Florence, Tuscany, and to be true to this recipe. It must feature the porterhouse steak. Anything else strips it of its authenticity. Classically it’s seasoned with salt, brushed with olive oil, and grilled. That’s it.I, of course, changed this recipe up a little bit just to put my little touch on it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Steak – You will need a 2 to 3-pound bone-in porterhouse steak.
  • Herbs – I like to use a combination of fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme.
  • Seasonings – In addition to salt and pepper, you can use a little granulated garlic and onion to enhance the flavor.
  • Fat – You will need some good olive oil and unsalted butter for this recipe.

How to Grill Bistecca Alla Fiorentina

I’ve been grilling meat since the first restaurant I worked in 25 years ago, and I’ve changed how I like it cooked over the years. I’m a rare + guy these days, so I’m grilling this for just a few minutes per side.

Classically Florentine steak is grilled over the open flame, but it’s ok to do it in a grill pan or even just a big cast-iron skillet.

Make the baster by wrapping the fresh herbs up in butcher’s twine.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (2)

Next, brush both sides of the steak with olive oil.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (3)

Season the steak on both sides with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic granules.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (4)

Make sure your griddle is hot before placing down your meat, and cook it for 4-6 minutes per side for a beautiful rare steak. If you like more of a medium-rare internal temperature, then add 2 minutes per side when cooking.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (5)

While the meat is cooking, be sure to baste it with the butter and brush it with the fresh herbs for just an awesome little added touch to this recipe. Once the steak is done, let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (6)

Serving a Florentine Steak is as simple as brushing it one last time with the butter and herbs and carving the cuts of steak away from the bone. Slice the strip steak and filet mignon away from the T-bone and then slice those cuts on a bias and serve it all next to the bone for a cool rustic look.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (7)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This steak is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.

How to Store: You can keep this covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.

How to Reheat: When reheating any piece of meat, it will raise the internal temperature. Re-sear it in a hot pan with lightly smoked oil or on a hot grill until warm.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (8)

chef notes + tips

  • You can use different herbs than what I used for brushing the Florentine steak.
  • For sure, try cooking this on an open flame grill.
  • You can purchase up to a 3-pound or 3″ thick steak for this.

My Favorite Steak Recipes

  • Grilled Carne Asada Steak Fajitas
  • Grilled T Bone Steak Recipe
  • Steak Frites Recipe with Lemon Butter
  • Bone-In Ribeye Steak Recipe
  • Chopped Steak Recipe

Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram,andPinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this, then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (9)

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Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak)

Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (10)

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5 from 7 votes

Meet the king of all steaks, Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe. A seasoned 3-pound porterhouse steak that is grilled to perfection!

Servings: 3

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons of onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 ½ to 3- pound porterhouse steak
  • 2 sprigs each of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme wrapped with butchers twine at the root end.
  • 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.

  • Brush the olive oil all over the porterhouse steak, then season it generously with the spice blend you just made.

  • Place the steak on a hot grill 450° to 550°) or griddle pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side for a rare internal temperature. Add 2 to 3 minutes of cooking time per side for medium-rare internal temperature.

  • Once you flip the steak for the first time, begin to baste it by dipping the herbs in the melted butter and brushing the steak with them.

  • Once the steak is done cooking, let it rest for 3 to 4 minutes before carving the strip and filet mignon away from the bone and slicing them.

  • Serve warm.

Notes

Make-Ahead: This steak is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.

How to Store: You can keep this covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating and serving.

How to Reheat: When reheating any piece of meat, it will raise the internal temperature. Re-sear it in a hot pan with lightly smoked oil or on a hot grill until warm.

You can use different herbs than what I used for brushing the steak.

For sure, try cooking this on an open flame grill.

You can purchase up to a 3-pound or 3″ thick steak for this.

Nutrition

Calories: 1035kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 79gFat: 77gSaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 242mgSodium: 2534mgPotassium: 1205mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 8mg

Course: dinner, Main

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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19 comments

    • sue
    • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (11)

    Read this out to hubby reckon he’s salivating 😁😋🤩thank you Chief Billy for your recipes

    • Reply
    • Robert

    Mad it this evening however used my favorite cut of meat ( A 2” thick Tenderloin)! Melt in your mouth tasty! Also made Parmesan potatoes and broccoli.

    • Reply
    • Bea
    • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (12)

    Well Chef Billy, I love your recipes but here’s where the rubber hits the pavement. I can’t eat less than a medium steak, which I’ve eaten some beautifully grilled ones but I can’t cook one to save my life! Please advise me on how to get a medium steak that’s juicy & tender. I usually buy ribeye with occasional tbone, or a strip. Thank you!

    • Reply
    • Eben

    Hi Billy, love your style of presenting !! I am not so big on onion and garlic seasoning, so I ground some herbs (fresh rosemary, mint, lavender calyxes and thyme) and mixed this with sea salt, then basted the steak with the herb salt and melted butter which results in an extreme flavour taste. I also serve the herb salt on the side.

    • Reply
    • Vee

    How many times are you flipping the steak? Shows only once which means only one side gets basted….or should I flip it every few minutes to continuously baste both sides? Appreciate your thoughts.

    • Reply
    • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (14)

        I flip once, maybe twice. The basting is just to get some of that herb flavor in there, it’s not going to make it more juicy or tender.

        • Reply
      • roger

      So talking with chefs in Firenze who I thought made the best versions of this, they all claimed that the grilling method was what was crucial (as well as getting your beef from the correct cow, correctly raised, butchered, and aged). They told me the steaks needed to be large because they were cooked over a hot wood fire standing upright on the bone, cooking from both sides at once. Is this folklore?

      • Reply
      • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (15)

          Of course living in Florence Italy helps with selecting the correct cow, but since I live in Chicago that is a no go. It is at least a 3 lb t-bone steak and should be cooked over a grill, and preferably a wood burning one. It is to be marked on all sides, which is why they said standing it up. You do this because the steak is so thick and it should be cooked on all sides. Different methods based on different chefs will still get you what you are looking for. When I made this it was dead of winter in Chicago, so not happening on my green egg 🙂

          • Reply
        • Andie Thueson
        • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (16)

        This steak is absolutely beautiful and looks soo good!

        • Reply
        • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (17)

            Thank you kindly, it was dang tasty!

            • Reply
          • Courtney O’Dell
          • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (18)

          I am DROOLING over this steak – so delicious and perfect every time!

          • Reply
          • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (19)

              Thanks Courtney, I agree!

              • Reply
            • Becky Hardin
            • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (20)

            That steak looks so amazing! I can’t stop looking at it. lol yum

            • Reply
            • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (21)

                Thanks Becky haha, it is nice to look at!

                • Reply
              • lauren kelly
              • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (22)

              Whoa, this is cooked to perfection! Gorgeous!

              • Reply
              • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (23)

                  Thanks Lauren! It’s all about the rare to medium-rare 🙂

                  • Reply
                • Alli
                • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (24)

                Wow this looks heavenly. I can’t stop drooling right now I need this in my life.

                • Reply
                • Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (25)

                    Thanks Alli, it is ridiculous lol!

                    • Reply
                Bistecca Alla Fiorentina Recipe (Florentine Steak) (2024)

                FAQs

                How many grams of Florentine Steak per person? ›

                A portion is generally 600-800 grams, so don't be surprised when ordering a bistecca fiorentina and the waiter brings out a hunk of meat weighing over a kilogram – it's generally meant to be shared amongst the table. It must be cooked over burning hot, red coals.

                What cut is used for Florentine Steak? ›

                Bistecca alla fiorentina is obtained from the cut of the sirloin (the part corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae, the half of the back on the side of the tail) of a young steer or heifer of the Chianina breed: in the middle it has the T-shaped bone, that is, a T-bone steak, with the fillet on one side and the sirloin ...

                What makes Florentine Steak special? ›

                Bistecca alla Fiorentina is different from most steaks because of the cut of meat used and how it's cooked. The cut. The dish has roots in Tuscany's Val di Chiana, where they use meat from young steers (no more than 2 years old) of the Chianina, a breed of grass-fed, white-haired cattle.

                Can one person eat a Florentine Steak? ›

                A good Florentine Steak is not less than 2 inches (5 cm) thick, or 3 – 4 fingers, as the Florentines use to measure. A steak this thick will be around 1 – 1.2 kilos – that's over two and half pounds! Don't worry though! Traditionally a Fiorentina steak is supposed to be shared with at least 2 people.

                How much steak do I need for 2 people? ›

                When Meat Is the Main. When cooking something like steak, turkey or pork, where meat is the main dish of the meal and paired with a few side dishes, we recommend about 1/2 pound (eight ounces) per person, or up to 3/4 (12 ounces) pound for bigger appetites and those who love leftovers.

                How many pounds of steak do I need per person? ›

                A question we often get is “How much meat do I need?” The starting rule of thumb is: Boneless Meat: 1/2 lb. per person for adults and 1/4 lb. per person for children.

                What is the most expensive cut of steak called? ›

                A5 Japanese Kobe Beef

                In fact, it's usually considered the most expensive steak in the world, although prices vary by location, restaurant, etc. In fact, Japanese Kobe is often hailed as having the best marbling of any steak that your money can buy.

                How many ounces is a Florentine steak? ›

                To meet the formal Tuscan regulation, your steak should be between 3/4-inch and 1 3/4 inches thick, and it should weigh between about 20 and 28 ounces. Get the best quality steak you can find or afford; dry-aged, grass-fed beef is best.

                What wine is best for Florentine steak? ›

                The ultimate treat for Florentines is Bistecca alla Fiorentina. I think it deserves a good wine. Foreigners would choose a full bodied Brunello or Chianti Classico riserva, but the locals will say that a simple Chianti Classico is the perfect match. The steak is the star here and the wine is the supporting actor.

                How much is Florentine steak in Italy? ›

                Price of T-bone steak per kg

                The average price per kg of Fiorentina steak can vary from 30 euros to 43 euros, depending on the type of meat. Usually the Chianina steak has the highest price, as it is the traditional meat used for the Fiorentina steak. Check out the best offers in our online store.

                Is Florentine steak chewy? ›

                If you are not happy with a very rare steak, it's probably best not to order a Bistecca alla Fiorentina. In order to get the inside well cooked, the outside will be as tough as old boots and possibly crunchy, too!

                What is the most famous Florentine dish? ›

                Bistecca alla Fiorentina

                This dish is mythical in the Renaissance city and tempting to meat lovers far and wide. It is advertised everywhere, but that doesn't mean everyone excels in making it so just ask us about our favourite spots to find the best piece of Florentine steak!

                How much does a Florentine steak cost in Florence? ›

                How much does Florentine steak cost? The price varies between 35 to 60 euro, depending on the breed of cow (the chianina, for example, is relatively expensive).

                How much is Bistecca alla Fiorentina in Florence? ›

                As for prices of the steak, it is usually a “pay by the kilo” system. The usual portion is one kilo, which sounds as if it is not too expensive, but expect to spend about 40 euros for one kilo! Now that you know the facts, Here are our top 10 places to get Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

                What is the average size of a Florentine steak? ›

                The Florentines tend to measure the thickness of the steak using fingers, where a truly authentic Bistecca will be at least 3-4 fingers or roughly 3 inches thick! The standard portion size is around 1kg of meat, but it can be even more — some restaurants will even let you handpick your cut of steak.

                How many grams of Florentine steak should I order? ›

                The bistecca nel filetto will generally be the less high cut and the bistecca nella costola the higher one; in Florence we like to measure our steaks in terms of fingers, and a good steak should be between 3 and 4 fingers high. It may weigh anything between 800g and 1.2kg.

                How many grams is a serving of steak per person? ›

                When buying steaks the most common size asked for is 225g. 180g is a good size for fillet for the average eater. Mince etc, use 115g per portion in spaghetti but 150g per head for mince and potatoes.

                How many grams is a Florentine steak? ›

                The Florentine beefsteak is an approximately 5-6 cm. slice of beef from the loin, with a weight that may vary from 800 grams to 1500 grams.

                How many grams of steak does one person eat? ›

                In terms of steak, a small palm-sized portion is generally between 70 – 100 grams, whereas a normal dinner-sized steak would be between 150 – 200 grams.

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