Bistecca alla Fiorentina

  

It’s time to stop calling your steak ‘bloody’, because that juice on your plate isn’t what you think it is.

HOLY COW That red liquid on your steak plate isn’t blood… here’s what it REALLY is. The pinkish juice we often see oozing out of red meat, both cooked and raw, is actually a different substance altogether

Did you know?

The red liquid on the plate when eating a rare steak is not blood. It is a protein called myoglobin, which distributes oxygen to the muscles.

All blood has been removed from the carcass during the slaughtering process. There is no such thing as a bloody steak. If you think about it, steak doesn't taste like actual blood - if it did it probably wouldn't be such a popular dish.

The red in steak is actually myoglobin - which carries oxygen through the muscle and contains a red pigment. Most meat is made of 5% fat/carbs/minerals, 20% protein, and 75% water. When you freeze the meat, that water expands and turns into ice crystals. The crystals' sharp edges rupture muscle cells. When the ice thaws, it carries some myoglobin with it. Myoglobin contains iron — that's what gives red meat its color. It's also what turns the water a "bloody" red.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina is an impressive dish of Porterhouse steak done Florentine style. Traditionally, the meat for Bistecca alla Fiorentina comes from an ancient breed of Tuscan cattle, called the Chianina. This breed of cattle is known for their incredibly flavorful meat. Bistecca alla Firoentina is all about choosing quality beef. And, while we might not be eating ancient Chianina beef, we’d be willing to bet that Certified Angus Beef brand beef comes pretty close the quality and flavor that Florentines expect when eating this special steak.