Let's start from the (almost) official definition of the cut: a beef steak , cut 3-4 fingers thick in the loin and cooked rare on the grill. Fiorentina derives from Lombata. The loin is the back part where the T-shaped bone separates the fillet and the sirloin, because the classic ribs with the larger, curved shape are obtained from the front one.
Weight: the optimal one, for cooks and believers, is between 1.3 and 2 kg . Aging can not be less than ten days . Our Fiorentine have a maturation of about 40 days, obtained in special controlled climate cells.
COOKING.
First of all, the meat must be removed from the fridge at least three hours before use and dabbed with absorbent paper in such a way as to eliminate surface humidity, which risks creating the boiled effect as soon as cooking begins. For those who have terraces, gardens, any open space, there is the possibility of using a grill - more or less serious - knowing that the best is obtained when only oak or olive coals are used. For those who live in an apartment building, it is necessary to adopt a different technique: low cast iron frying pan, grill plate. The important thing is to bring the utensil to a very high temperature to immediately create the Maillard reaction , the one that forms the delicious external crust and gives the typical aroma of roasted meat.
The cooking times? Usually from 5 to 6 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the meat which must be between 3 and 5 cm. Once placed, the steak should not be moved for fear that it will stick to the plate. After the minutes have passed, lifting a flap and seeing the classic brown/tawny colour, one realizes when it is time to change sides. The meat should only be turned once and without using a fork which could puncture the steak and cause the juices to leak. Once cooked on both sides, the steak should be arranged vertically, placing the bone in the pan for another 5 minutes so that cooking is even, reaching the heart of the meat. The times described above are for rare cooking , if you prefer medium cooking increase by a couple of minutes per side.
For the precise ones, who have a probe thermometer, the core temperature in blood will be 55 degrees, 62-65 for medium cooking, 75 for having it well done.
AND THEN?
Once cooked, wrap the meat in aluminum foil and let it rest: the muscle fibers contracted by cooking relax again and the juices are distributed evenly throughout the steak. After 4-5 minutes, it is placed on a hot plate , in order to contain and slow down the cooling of the meat.
ENJOY YOUR MEAL!
