La Fiorentina : the grill par excellence
100% Italian meat: choose what you like
Organizing a barbecue is a complicated business. Friends are never lacking, not even alcohol, what is usually difficult to choose with the right dose is the meat to grill.
The meat must be:
- good enough to scare
- marinated to perfection
- present in quantity
- cooked to perfection
Now, professional grillers are not born but you can become one. At the same time, practice allows you to evolve into perfect selectors of meat ideal for the barbecue rather than cuts of Italian beef suitable for the everyday rib-eye . For a respectable barbecue you need to bring something special, particular and spectacular to the table: the Fiorentina steak , for example. In short, the choice of what to put on the grill is important, but basically you need to turn to online butchers who can guarantee excellent quality of meat and certain provenance.
The summer barbecue. Leave with a bang!
Beef to be grilled is divided into two categories: the good one and the bad one. In fact, some cuts of beef lend themselves perfectly to barbecue cooking, offering in exchange perfect smoking and a sublime flavour. Other parts of the animal, however, are more suitable for slow cooking with a lot of water, such as roast Asado or rolled meat. Summer, however, rhymes with barbecues in the garden, or in the farmhouse or under the porch.
In short, it doesn't matter where the fire is lit, what is important is the barbecue meat to remember! The Fiorentina and the Florentine Porterhouse are the undisputed queens for which a self-respecting master griller must necessarily be present. But how is Fiorentina cooked? Here are some simple rules gleaned from those who have made cooking meat for barbecues a work motivation!
Beef to be grilled: the temperature
The first rule to take into consideration when preparing everything you need for the barbecue is the temperature of the meat and compliance with a certain procedure. Marinated meat must be placed on the stove at room temperature, always! Removing it from the fridge and placing the still cold Fiorentina on the heat means losing at least 30% of its flavor and taste potential.
Italian beef: the intermediate step
The typical crust of grilled meat begins to form when the meat is placed on the fire. To ensure that no snags arise due to humidity, you need to dab the cut of meat lightly with a dry cloth. The Maillard reaction, which allows the creation of the crust, is given by a series of factors including the internal temperature of the meat and a perfect marinade, perhaps obtained from excellent RUB .
Grilled meat: when softness has its purpose
The moment before putting Fiorentina on the fire we need to make a small step. Using your fingertips, spread a little extra virgin olive oil, immediately after dabbing it with a cloth. This will increase the flavor of the meat and create a crunchy and tasty crust.
Wagyu beef and Maldon salt
Fiorentina is the cut of meat that best lends itself to a barbecue. Meat marbled to perfection is - only for the most expert - the highest demonstration of how sublime a piece of meat can become. Adding salt to season or define the complex flavor of a particular cut of beef is the master's touch. Be careful to choose a suitable salt such as Maldon salt which allows a very respectable stage presence and does not interfere excessively with the taste as a whole.
Fiorentina: the cooking temperature
Temperature is the Achilles' heel for all master grillers because the smallest mistake could compromise the entire dish. This is why everyone can grill, but few call themselves masters. If you choose a cut of meat such as Fiorentina or a T-bone, remember to also consider the side, cooking should be: 8 minutes per side and 4 minutes for the flank. As for the temperature, it depends on how you prefer to eat the Fiorentina: rare 55 degrees, medium rare 65, for generous cooking 75 degrees.
Barbecue meat: the tools of the trade
Tongs are tools that master grillers have in their emergency kit. The tool is essential for moving the beef to be grilled before, during and after cooking. The usefulness of the tools is given by the ability not to pierce the meat and not to disperse the juices contained within, an integral part of the flavour.
Meat for barbecue: the recap
Therefore, to perfectly cook 100% Italian beef on the grill you need to follow easy rules that start with paying attention to the chosen cut and move towards the cooking method:
- Room temperature to avoid thermal shock.
- The Maillard reaction and the fantastic and tasty crust are the result of a great little secret.
- For the less experienced, olive oil becomes a sort of guarantee for those who want a Florentine steak that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
- Salt at the end. To be chosen with care and attention.
- The thermometer is the tool that moves hand in hand with the grilled meat, chooses the cooking time and monitors the result.
- Tongs are a panacea to avoid dispersing the meat juices and bring the perfect grilled meat to the table!
Follow the advice. Choose healthy, genuine meat and experiment with the BBQ Box , or try single cuts like Fiorentina , Porterhouse and T-bone and amaze everyone!