Have you heard about Steak Florentine? It’s unbelievable. Also known as Bistecca Fiorentina, this steak is first grilled and then placed on a bed of peppery arugula. It’s loaded with fresh shaved parmesan and drizzled with a light lemon vinaigrette. The combination of flavors are magic.
This Bistecca Fiorentina recipe is: Low Carb, Gluten Free and Remarkable.
Experience the bright lemon vinaigrette, the peppery arugula, unctuous Parmesan and beefy steak. Soul satisfying.
Bistecca Fiorentina (Grilled Steak Florentine)
During October of 2016, my family and I were traveling through Northern Italy. It was a fantastic trip through Milan, Lake Como, Venice, Florence and Cinque Terra. We not only loved all the sights but the food was magnificent in its simplicity. I absolutely fell in love with just how pure Italian cooking really can be.
One of our first meals was in a small restaurant hanging over the shore of Lake Como. We were exhausted after trudging around in the rain, navigating the small streets and trying to park a medium sized car in a tiny garage. We asked the owner of our AirBNB where was a good restaurant that was within walking distance. He told us we were in luck and pointed next door.
Apparently the restaurant is a favorite haunt for George Clooney as we gazed upon picture after picture with his gleaming, toothy grin. We sat at a table overlooking the water and ordered four different meals. Everything was delicious, but my order of Bistecca Fiorentina forever changed my life. I asked the owner of the restaurant exactly what they did to make the steak taste so incredible… and he told me everything.
A good cut of beef which is well seasoned doesn’t need to be cooked more than rare plus… it is just so damn good.
How to cook Bistecca Fiorentina
There are 4 secrets to making a delicious Steak Florentine:
- The Meat: Buy a nicely marbled steak such as a Delmonico or the Ribeye (which are largely the same cut). Season the meat well in advance of when you are going to be using it. At a minimum for 2 hours up to about 24 hours in advance. Salt and pepper only. Bring the meat to room temperature an hour before cooking.
- The Cheese: Find a nice chunk of parmesan cheese and lovingly grate it with a microplane, shearing off tiny tendrils of delight with each pass. Forget the ground parmesan, the stuff in a green can or pre-shaved. It is all too coarse and will not dance across your tongue.
- The Acid: To balance the unctuous cheese and fat from the steak, acid is a necessity. Making a light lemony vinaigrette with just lemon, olive oil and salt is good enough. Find the best olive oil available without bitterness to compliment the steak perfectly.
- The Bed: Once our beautiful slab of beef is perfectly cooked and rested, we’re going to want to lay it on a bed of peppery arugula. Make sure in each bite to have some greens, parmesan, vinaigrette and steak.
Grilling Recipes:
Looking for some other great recipes made just for your grill? Great. Here are some of the most popular on the blog:
Grilled Pork Chops with Peaches
Dead Sexy Leg of Lamb
The Perfect Porterhouse Steak
Flat Iron Pan Seared Steak
Grilled Beer Can Chicken
The first bite will make you a believer for life. Steak Florentine is absolutely fantastic.
A completely incredible steak recipe that will melt in your mouth.
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
- 2 Lbs Ribeye Steaks
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese Shredded
- 2 Cups Arugula
Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt to a bowl. Mix vigorously with a fork until emulsified. Set aside.
Season the steaks (there should be 2 steaks approximately 1 Lb each) with the salt and pepper well in advance of cooking them. At least 2 hours up to 24 hours if possible.
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat your grill on high heat.
When the grill is hot, add the steaks to the grill. Rotate 90 degrees after approximately 2 minutes.
Flip the steaks and rotate again after 2 minutes. If your grill is very hot, you will have a steak cooked to "Rare Plus" after approximately 8 minutes on the grill.
Remove the steaks from the grill and allow to rest.
While the steaks are resting, shave the parmesan with a microplane.
Place the steak on a bed of arugula.
Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette onto each steak. Sprinkle half of the grated parmesan cheese on each steak.
Slice each steak and serve family style. Keep the vinaigrette and any extra parmesan at the table.
This recipe shows 4 servings with 2 steaks simply because each steak will provide two 80z servings. With a side of veggies and some mushrooms, it is a really filling meal.
Please note that the cooking time suggested in the recipe are for 1" thick steaks cooked on a very hot grill. Your cook times may vary based on the initial internal temperature of your steaks, the heat on the grill and thickness of the meat.
Here is a handy Internal Core Temperature chart to determine the doneness of steaks:
Rare: 120-125 F
Mid-Rare: 130-135 F
Medium: 140-145 F
Medium Well: 150-155 F
Remember that your steak will continue to cook as it is resting approximately 5 degrees.
PLEASE NOTE: The nutritional data is provided by NutriFox and may not be 100% accurate.
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