Tuscan steak - how not to char?

Large Marge

So I was reading this really cool story in Raichlen's BBQ Bible about his trip to Tuscany to try bistecca alla florentina, this really cool prep method done by the old man at Villa Roncalli, where he gets wood coals stoked to 900 degrees and sears the crud out of the steak using a blower (sounds familiar). A departure from TRex method in that he does 6 full minutes a side over such high heat, then pulls and immediately drenches in olive oil (he also holds off salt/pepper until after he turns the steak). Sounded so good, I had to try. I pulled out my shop vac, reversed the hose to make my blower, and off I went. Here's how mine turned out:


...coated with EVOO before searing, and flipped after 3 minutes. Six mins sounded WAY too long and the heat was too intense with the blower.


...about time to flip again, but only six minutes in...do I cook the other side again? Tough one!


...I decided to cook a little more before pulling, and you can see the char that resulted. I had to pull, sit a few minutes, then finish on a (slightly) cooler surface to get to 12 mins med-rare, but in my opinion too charred. What is this guy in Tuscany doing differently? Cooking grate must be higher up to withstand such a long cook at 6mins a side?


...even with the char mishap, it turned out very tender and flavorful. Highly recommend the olive oil bath the second you pull the steak. I want to try this TRex style with the oil at the end and see if there's any difference (other than no char!)

-Marge

stike

your thermo may read 900, but the radiant heat from the lump is easily 1200, more like 1400 with the blower going.

that would toast anything.

olive oil won't last long at those temps, too. best to go dry.

remember, forget what the dome temps says when searing. '600' means nothing other than you have a roaring fire, '750' a little more roaring, etc. When it says 800, it's a lot hotter than 800.... Like you said , distance to the coals is what is important. and we have no idea what his setup is.

better to sear to your liking and then roast to finish it. (Trex).

a little oil (usually veggie) is good for pan searing because it will conduct heat to the steak from the pan, but olive oil will burn at low temps, and can't handle the sear. better to have a dry steak.

Large Marge

Thanks - that's great feedback on the heat, had no idea it got that hot with a blower!

JLOCKHART29

Well not everything we try ends up right but gets old doing a spatchcock yard bird and ribs everytime (not that I don't like both! ) Sounds like a little lower temp might do the trick.

Buxwheat

Maybe some good info here: TuscanT-Bone.

thirdeye

Perhaps the little old man uses something like the hand bellows used in a fireplace.