Before you cook
Background Recipe story & origin
Bistecca alla Fiorentina is Florence's signature dish, traditionally made with Chianina beef and grilled over chestnut wood. The preparation is deliberately simple: thick-cut bone-in steak, high heat, and minimal seasoning. Olive oil and lemon are added after cooking. The steak is always served rare.
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- grill — Provides high direct heat for grilling steak until charred outside and rare inside
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Steak must be at room temperature.
- High heat; expect flare-ups from dripping fat.
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Use bone-in ribeye.
Florentina is always bone-in; it's part of the definition
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Keep seasoning minimal.
Salt, olive oil, lemon only; the beef is the star
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Grill over high heat.
Char on outside, rare inside is traditional
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Serve rare.
Florentina is traditionally rare to medium-rare maximum
Prep Get set first
About 5 min of prep
- Temper steak 2 hours
- Build hot fire
- Have olive oil and lemon ready
This recipe takes about 30 minutes total.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Temper to room temp
Remove steak from fridge 2 hours before cooking. Do not season yet.
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On the grill
Grill over very high heat (400-450°F surface) 5-6 minutes per side for rare interior. Stand on bone edge for 2 minutes to cook bone side.
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Let rest
Rest 5 minutes. Season generously with flaky salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges and rosemary.
Chef's notes
SHOPPING: Bone-in ribeye (or porterhouse) at least 2 inches thick, 2+ lbs. This is traditionally made with Chianina beef in Tuscany.
In Florence, the steak is never cooked past rare.