Straccetti

Straccetti di Manzo al Rosmarino

A traditional Italian beef dish from the Lombardy and Veneto regions, featuring thinly sliced strips of beef quickly seared with garlic, rosemary, and black pepper. The name 'straccetti' means 'little rags,' referring to the torn, irregular strips of tender meat.

Prep

10 min

Cook

10 min

Total

20 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) beef sirloin or tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin, the traditional choice; flank steak works as a substitute
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing
• •3 g (3 cloves) garlic, lightly crushed but kept whole so they flavor the oil without burning
• •1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only, about 1 tbsp minced
• •3 g (1 tsp) black pepper, freshly cracked, coarsely ground
• •5 g (1 tsp) sea salt, or fine salt, to taste
• •80 ml (1/3 cup) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio; sub with beef stock if preferred

Steps

1. 1 Remove the beef from the refrigerator 20–30 minutes before cooking so it loses its chill. Pat the meat very dry with paper towels, then slice across the grain into 5 mm (about 1/4 inch) thick steaks, and finally tear those slices by hand into rough strips 3–4 cm (1¼–1½ inches) wide. This hand-tearing is the defining step that gives straccetti its name.
2. 2 Season the beef strips generously on both sides with the salt and cracked black pepper. Toss with your hands so the seasoning adheres evenly.
3. 3 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron or carbon steel) over medium-high heat until it just begins to shimmer. Add the crushed garlic cloves and the minced rosemary and cook for 30–60 seconds, swirling, until fragrant. The garlic should turn pale gold, never brown.
4. 4 Discard the garlic cloves (they have given their flavor to the oil) and immediately raise the heat to high. Add the beef strips in a single layer, working in two batches if needed so the pan stays very hot; crowding will steam the meat instead of searing it.
5. 5 Sear the beef for 45–90 seconds per side without moving it, until a deep brown crust forms but the interior remains pink. Do not overcook - traditional straccetti is served rare to medium-rare. Target an internal temperature of 52°C / 125°F for medium-rare. The whole cook should take no more than 2–3 minutes total.
6. 6 Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half, which takes 30–45 seconds.
7. 7 Pull the pan off the heat. Drizzle with a final thread of raw extra-virgin olive oil and let the meat rest in the pan for 1 minute so it reabsorbs the pan juices.
8. 8 Serve immediately on warm plates, spooning the rosemary-scented pan sauce over the top. Traditionally accompanied by peppery arugula salad dressed with olive oil and lemon, or with simple roasted potatoes.