meat

Fiorentina - Florentine Steak

What is that

The Florentine steak is a typical Italian product, belonging to the 1st food group; its roots are Tuscan, to be precise, sinking in the Florence area. However, as can be seen by comparing the Florentine steak to other similar preparations (mainly Anglo-Saxon), the doubt arises that one could have caused the birth of the other.

This dish is one of the founders of national cuisine, as well as the pride of the very proud Tuscans. Precisely for this reason, following the trade restrictions imposed by the European Union due to the discovery of BSE (Bovine Spongy Encephalopathy), and the consequent banishment of the bovine vertebral column from 2001 to 2005, the breeding and gastronomic market of Florentine steak has undergone a remarkable decline.

The Florentine steak is a cut of the bovine back. Its nutritional composition varies greatly depending on the animal of origin but, due to its size (from the whole), it certainly does NOT represent a food suitable for the contemporary lifestyle.

Historical notes and etymology

The Florentine is the "true Italian steak", not so much for the antiquity of its origins, but for the etymological roots of the term itself.

The term "steak" represents the Italianization of the English noun: T-Bone steak . This word, which indicates a cut of meat ≥1.3 cm thick obtainable from the second half of the animal's loin (towards the tail), may have settled in the common Tuscan language between 1400 and 1800 AD Obviously, an oscillation of 400 years is not negligible and it is difficult to confirm hypotheses. A theory on the naturalization of the term T-Bone steak attributes the merit to the massive presence of English knights on the territory of the Medici; another, places the development of the name around the nineteenth century, at the "colonization" of Florence by European foreigners (of whom about 30% were Anglo-Saxon in origin).

In practice, the name "bistecca" derives from T-Bone steak, or the English version of Italian Florentine. Obviously, the fact that the origins of the term are Anglo-Saxon, does NOT ensure that the Italian cut (perhaps with other names) cannot have much older roots.

However, the first "boom" of the Florentine steak came from the consecrations of the festivities of San Lorenzo, during which (thanks to the availability of the Medici) large quantities of beef were cooked and distributed.

Cut

The Florentine steak cut

The sacredness of the Florentine steak has always made it very difficult to define its essential characteristics. Obviously, being a Tuscan food, only the greatest connoisseurs of the place can have the last word on the matter. Below we will try to give a more respectful definition of food, without detracting credibility from one rather than another.

First of all, the Florentine steak is a cut of meat obtained from the lower lumbar region of the bovine belonging to the genus Bos, Species taurus : this, also called ox (adult) or bullock (younger), is classified with the binomial nomenclature of: Bos taurus . There are many breeds but, out of respect for the origins of the Florentine steak, it is undeniable that the favorite is the Chianina one. However, they do not disappoint the meat of other animals such as: the Marche, the Scottish angus (very fat), the Argentine beef (with particularly uniform meat) etc. The choice of one or the other breed varies considerably based on the desirable characteristics of the Florentine steak (marbling, softness, succulence, fatness or thinness, etc.).

From a "general" perspective, the Florentine steak must have some basic characteristics common to the various cuts of beef. First of all, a proper slaughter. The slaughtering procedure must allow to drain as much blood as possible ( iugulation ) which, if retained by the muscles, would give a taste and aroma that is anything but pleasant. Secondly, the division into halves, quarters, and finally of the various parts destined for consumption, must respect the integrity but also the trimming of the whole loin (from which the Florentine steaks will be obtained). The loin, from FULL, then undergoes a process of maturation during which the intrinsic enzymes of the muscle cells will modify the consistency, taste and aroma of the meat. It is a process (at least 15 days long, to be carried out in a cold room) ESSENTIAL for the Florentine steak which, being high and slightly cooked (as we will see later), requires greater chewiness and digestibility than other cuts.

The Florentine steak is therefore derived from the "loin", a section included in the rear quarter and which marks it with respect to the front. Behind the loin we find the rump, under the "royal cut" and the "belly". Ultimately, the Florentine steak is a "slice of loin" ... but unfortunately it is not so simple. The loin, which includes: muscle of the loin, muscle of the fillet, a part of the vertebrae and the animal's ribs, can give rise to different cuts. Without separating the muscles from the bones and respecting the natural subdivision of the vertebrae and the coasts, we can obtain very thick steaks (a peculiarity of the Florentine which, as the Tuscans say, must stand upright if placed on the bone). However, these are not all Florentine steaks. The slices obtained from the front of the loin, therefore provided with the "loin" muscle attached to the bone, in the portion where the ribs are joined (generally eliminated) but without a thread, are called "ribs". This is not a real Florentine steak even if, applying the "Florentine style" cooking method, they certainly do not disappoint. In parallel, the slices obtained from the back of the loin, therefore provided with the "loin" muscle and the "fillet" muscle attached to the bone, in the portion where the ribs are no longer joined, are called "Florentine steak". It is also possible to separate the fillet and loin from the bones to obtain muscular portions intended for other recipes.

In general, the Florentine steak should be about 5cm thick and weigh about 1.0-2.0kg. Personally, I believe that an optimal Florentine steak should weigh 1.2-1.6kg; obviously, following the guidelines of the portions, several portions correspond to a single Florentine.

Cooking

Florentine steak cooking

Florentine cooking is "to the blood"; to all those who do NOT appreciate the taste of semi-raw or raw meat, I strongly advise against eating this steak. As we have described above, the preparation of the meat is a real ritual that starts from the maturation and ends with the service.

The guidelines for cooking and serving the Florentine are:

  1. Guarantee the perfect condition of the steak of origin: intended as cut, absence of dust or bone splinters, maturation and temperature (strictly "environment") of the meat.
  2. Apply the right cooking: to be performed ONLY on wood embers (possibly also from a good coal) long-lived and "violent", but without flame; the temperature must be very high because from it (with a very short distance between the food and the thermal source) the glow of the grill depends first, and then the healing of the meat. This process is essential both to give the meat the typical "lining" and to preserve the organic fluids (responsible for succulence, softness, aroma and taste) inside the muscles. In short, the Florentine steak should be cooked for about a minute attached to the embers, on one side; then, raise the grid (at a double or triple distance from the previous one) and continue cooking on the same side for about 2 or 4 minutes. The same procedure must be carried out on the opposite side, taking care NOT to puncture it to avoid dehydration. Finally, the Florentine steak should be placed on the bone for another 5 minutes.
  3. The service of the Florentine steak must respect some rules: first of all it is necessary to guarantee the maintenance of the temperature of the meat without cooking it further (to discard the service plates heated with a persistent flame; useful instead those already hot and without flame below). Then, the meat must NOT be scalped or cut by the operator in the kitchen. This leads to early cooling, dispersion of liquids and free handling. The Florentine steak should ALWAYS be served whole, tasteless and without condiments. The following must be made available to the diner: robust extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper mill, rosemary and fresh garlic; the lemon and the sauces are not among the condiments useful for the preparation. The most suitable side dishes are: boiled and sautéed cannellini beans, baked potatoes (traditional), cooked and sautéed herbs (chicory - beet - spinach etc.) or, more simply, sweet leaf salads. It is advisable to accompany the Florentine steak with red and full-bodied wines; an excellent grape variety is that of Sangiovese (useful also: Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot ). The most popular products are Chianti and Brunello or Rosso di Montalcino.

Food hygiene

The Florentine steak "in the viewfinder"

With regard to the food hygiene aspect, in the past the Florentine has been subject to a considerable restriction on trade. Not so much for meat as for bone (and marrow), at the end of the 1990s the sale of this product suffered the discovery of BSE (Bovine Spongy Encephalopathy). Obviously, this concerned all the foods that involved the use of similar cuts or of the fifth quarter (which also includes the head, the ossobuco etc.); unfortunately, being one of the founders of Italian cuisine, the commercial impact on the Florentine was remarkable. Since 2001 the sale of steaks has been completely banned and only in 2005 (when the wholesomeness of the food was ascertained) did the Florentine resume frequenting the tables of the Bel Paese.

The Florentine steak is however a product that does not lend itself to "global" nutrition. Insufficient cooking (at the heart of the food) makes the meat unsafe from a microbiological and parasitic point of view. It is true that the raw materials obtained from certified farms and slaughterhouses undergo various veterinary checks, ranging from the animal's life cycle, to pre- and post-morten analysis. Moreover, the bovine (unlike the pig and the poultry) is decidedly less prone to the parasites; however, an incorrect slaughter could infect the meat to free the intestinal contents of the beast. In conclusion, to minimize the risk of infection, pregnant women are strongly advised NOT to eat Florentine steak "cooked by hand". Having already emphasized that this product does not deserve to be cooked otherwise, it is advisable to prefer other well-cooked cuts to eat.

Nutritional characteristics

Finally we come to the nutritional content of the Florentine steak. This is certainly a subject as vast as it is difficult. The chemical properties of this food vary by:

  • Breed and age of cattle
  • Subjective characteristics and state of nutrition of the bovine
  • Position of the cut with respect to the loin, by virtue of the percentage of fillet or loin
  • Level of trimming and trimming.

To summarize, we say that, in general, the Florentine steak is NOT a lean meat. In itself, fillet and loin are not even fatty cuts (compared, for example, to the belly); on the other hand, since it is a steak that has to preserve the lipid layer and external connective tissue (instead eliminated in the sliced ​​fillet and loin) it is inevitable that the fat percentage is decidedly higher than the desirable. However, visible fat can be removed at the time of assembly.

The Florentine is therefore a rather energetic food, with a discreet supply of lipids (as well as cholesterol), but also of proteins with high biological value. Carbohydrates are totally absent, as muscle glycogen is degraded during the maturation period.

As for vitamins, an excellent vitamin content emerges. PP (niacin), while iron and potassium stand out for mineral salts.

The frequency of consumption of the Florentine steak should not be greater than once a week; the average recommended portion is about 150-250g of meat (raw, but then deboned and suitably degreased). Florentine scorpassees are particularly contraindicated to hyperuremic (gout) and hyperlipidemic subjects (high cholesterol and / or high triglycerides). The obese or overweight subjects will take care to limit the seasonings and to combine the Florentine steak with a side dish of fresh vegetables (useful also to favor the elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other carbonization products developed during cooking at high temperatures) ; therefore, avoid the more fatty dishes such as fried or baked potatoes and dessert after a meal.