Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Selezione Maremma Impestata)

Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Selezione Maremma Impestata) is a regional variant of the classic Florentine T-bone steak, originating in the Maremma area of southern Tuscany. While the canonical version from Florence uses Chianina beef, this rendition highlights the local Impestata breed, a rustic bovine raised in the wild pastures of Maremma. The name "Impestata" derives from a historic pestilence that led to crossbreeding with Podolica and Maremmana cattle, yielding lean, intensely flavored meat.

Key ingredients: a thick-cut, bone-in porterhouse (between 4–6 cm thick), typically aged for several weeks. Preparation follows the traditional *bistecca* method: grilled over glowing hot wood embers (often olive or oak) for a brief time, seasoned only with coarse salt after cooking. A great version achieves a deeply charred, crunchy crust while maintaining a cool, ruby-red rare interior, allowing the sinewy, minerally Impestata flavor to shine.

A distinguishing factor is the breed’s lower fat content compared to Chianina, requiring precise heat management to prevent toughness. At Antico Casale di Scansano, located in Scansano, Italy, chef and butcher (known as *Braciamiancora*) sources directly from local Impestata farmers, emphasizing the meat’s “intensely earthy” profile and “never gamy” finish. Regional variations exist even within Tuscany: northern versions might use Calvana or crossbreeds, but the Maremma Impestata remains prized for its grass-fed, aromatic richness. Properly made, it needs no embellishment—just a drizzle of estate-pressed olive oil, recalling the pastoral terroir of its homeland.