OMG STEAK, originally uploaded by roboppy.
My first experience was at home, My father would buy big Porterhouse Steaks.
He would then slice small slits into the body of the meat and fill the holes with fresh garlic and fresh Italian parsley.
The Porterhouse Steaks
He made a Porterhouse for each of us! I loved the flavor of the Fresh Garlic, Italian Parsley and seared beef!
We would fight for the juices left on the platter so we could soak it up with Italian Bread and savor the intense fatty juicy beef essence!
The image is from Osteria Bepo which was the same restaurant where I experienced the classic Florence version.
The Steak was dry aged and around 24 oz. I was able to see the Chef carrying beef on his shoulder into the kitchen so I knew it was cut in house! The Steak was sliced table side and presented on a platter with the natural jus, wonderful simple rich deep beef flavor!
Here is my version, you may use a boneless Strip Steak or Ribeye Steak. I like the Porterhouse because it has the Strip Loin and the Filet cut plus the bone. By the way my Mother would never leave a bone not cleaned!
To this day it kills me not to be able to clean the bone of a great Steak when eating out at a Steak House!
Porterhouse Steak Florentine
Porterhouse Steak Florentine Recipe print version
Ingredients
1 each 24 oz center cut Porterhouse Steak
3 cloves of garlic sliced into slivers
20 whole leaves of Fresh Italian Parsley (not curly parsley)
1/2 fresh lemon
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Whole Unsalted Butter
Method
Place the Porterhouse Steak on a clean surface.
Cut small slits 3 to 4 into the Strip side not going all the way through, about half way. Do this to the Filet side as well with only 1 cut.
Stuff the Garlic and Italian Parsley into the slits then place it in a suitable sized container so you may marinate the Steak .
Rub the salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the Steak evenly. Cover and refrigerate the for an hour before grilling.
Prepare a very hot grill using your favorite grilling method. If possible it should be a clean hot charcoal flavor or hardwood like Oak.
When the ash is white hot place the steak onto the the grill. To control flair up have a spray bottle with water or some ice cubes place on hot spots.
Do not cover the grill, the char grilled flavor of the Steak is produced by the fat hitting the embers causing the flash and smoke flavoring the meat.
Start with 5 min on each side, don't over turn the Steak, allow the charred crust to form sealing in the juices. Turn the Steak and continue.
The Filet side will cook faster so if your Strip side is Medium Rare your Tenderloin side may end up Medium.
Once your Steak is finished transfer it to your serving platter place the unsalted butter on top and squeeze the half lemon over the steak and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes.
Resting prevents all the hot juices from flowing out of the hot steak.
If you choose to carve the steak, start by chiseling the Strip Steak side from the bone followed by the Tenderloin side. Slice the Steak in 1/2 inch slices place it back onto the platter next to the bone so it resembles a whole Porterhouse Steak.
VERY RARE
Internal Temperature: 130° Fahrenheit, 55°C
Red, almost translucent center. Cool.
RARE
Internal Temperature: 140° Fahrenheit, 63°C
Reddish pink, with the slightest translucency at the
very center.
MEDIUM RARE
Internal Temperature: 145° Fahrenheit, 64°C
Almost uniformly pink, beads of juice on cut surface.
MEDIUM
Internal Temperature: 160° Fahrenheit, 71°C
Opaque with a slightly rosy hue. Still juicy.
WELL DONE
Internal Temperature: 170° Fahrenheit, 77°C
Grayish pink, opaque. Somewhat moist.
VERY WELL DONE
Internal Temperature: 180° Fahrenheit, 82°C
Uniformly light in color
