What are the 10 best Italian and foreign meat breeds at various degrees of dry aging, to be cooked rare on the ancient charcoal grill?
Each breed has its own story and different requirements. Come with us to discover the best meats, strictly cooked on an ancient, authentic, sizzling charcoal grill: the embers of Braciere Malatesta.
The 10 best types of meat
In our restaurant-trattoria in the center of Florence, we only select the best meats to cook: let’s discover them together.
Chianina IGP
Italy is known for its rich culinary heritage, and one of its most cherished gastronomic treasures is the Chianina IGP: this rare and exquisite cattle breed is appreciated not only for its meat but also for its cultural significance.
Renowned for its exceptional quality, this cattle breed is raised in Tuscany, in central Italy, where it thrives in lush green pastures and the unmistakable Mediterranean climate.
Venerated for its strength and endurance, the Chianina was traditionally used in agricultural work, playing a fundamental role in plowing fields and pulling carts. Today, this majestic animal has become a symbol of Italian excellence and is protected by the status of Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), which guarantees its authenticity and compliance with rigorous standards.
The Chianina is the tallest cow in the world at the withers and originally was a working cattle breed, used for plowing fields with the plow or for pulling carts.
Over time, its uses have changed, and it has been bred to make it suitable for slaughter; nowadays, the Chianina is only a beef cow.
This transformation in the use as a cattle breed has taken place in the last century, so the Chianina is still genetically a very tough and hardy breed, which is why it needs a long aging process.
Chianina meat is red and very rich in iron. Its organoleptic characteristics are excellent, which is why it is also recommended in children’s diets.
Chianina IGP meat is not tender per se, but it becomes tender if aged: at Braciere Malatesta, the aging of Chianina IGP meat is carried out in dry-aged refrigerators for at least 30 days.
Limousine Aveyron national
The Limousine national cattle breed is a cattle breed native to the French region of Aveyron.
These cattle, raised on lush pastures with ample space to roam and graze, develop tender, flavorful, and marbled meat with the right amount of fat.
The Limousine we offer at Bisteccheria Braciere Malatesta is not a highly marbled meat; it has very little marbling.
We offer 3 lean breeds: Limousine, Piemontese, and Chianina.
The others are marbled, but our Limousine is not, it is often soft, with a slow texture and consistency, and if aged for the necessary time, it becomes even more tender.
It is not too flavorful compared to other breeds, but it has a balanced taste that pleases most customers.
Until five years ago, it was the most requested meat for its good balance of tenderness, consistency, and flavor.
Italian Piemontese (heifer)
The Italian Piemontese, also known as heifer, is a cattle breed native to Piedmont. Known for its exceptional meat quality, the Italian Piemontese is highly sought after by meat connoisseurs worldwide.
These cattle have a distinctive appearance, with a muscular build and an elegant coat.
The Italian Piemontese breed is known for its tenderness and lean meat, making it an ideal choice for steaks and other premium cuts.
Extra Italian (marbled) Italian Breed
We include in this selection all the Italian meat breeds that we get from Italian farms: Friesian and red pied breeds in particular, are milk breeds at the end of their career.
What characterizes this type of cattle? They are very lean cows with very large udders, which due to their diet and milk production develop a lot of intramuscular fat, the marbling is defined by their age: the closer they are to the end of the breeding cycle, the more marbling they have.
Extra Prussian (marbled)
Extra Prussian meat (marbled) is a top-quality meat known for its exceptional marbling.
This type of meat comes from a specific cattle breed; the meat is highly sought after for its unique consistency and flavor. Its superior quality and exceptional taste make it the best choice for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
Angus from Maremma
Angus from Maremma meat is a highly sought-after type of beef originating from the Tuscan Maremma. Known for its exceptional quality and taste, it is produced from Angus cattle raised in a traditional and sustainable manner.
These cattle roam freely in the lush pastures of the Maremma countryside, feeding on natural herbs, resulting in tender and flavorful meat.
With its exquisite taste and high quality standards, Angus from Maremma meat is a true culinary delight that showcases the region’s rich agricultural heritage.
Queen of the Alps
The secret to its unparalleled taste lies in the pristine environment where the animals graze, feasting on lush alpine pastures and wild herbs.
This natural diet, combined with the rustic lifestyle of the animals, results in tender, succulent meat rich in distinct alpine flavors.
The queen of the Alps is not a specific cattle breed, at Braciere Malatesta we usually choose: Friesian, Bavarian, Simmental, and Alpine Brown.
Certified Bavarian
Certified Bavarian cattle breed meat is in high demand, with significant and well-balanced covering fat with marbling.
The taste is complex but not extremely intense, it is very popular because it manages to be the right compromise between a lean meat like Limousine and a very strong Holstein.
Holstein G. Yellow
The Holstein beef we serve at Braciere often comes from England and Ireland.
These animals are raised free-range for much of the year, highly sought after in restaurants because they have yellow fat – yellow fat depends on the type of feed they have: fresh grass, carotenes, accumulated.
The Holstein type is very fashionable at the moment, but beware: it is not a specific breed but rather several breeds that can have this characteristic given by the breeding method.
It has an extremely strong and intense flavor and is a meat for connoisseurs because the strong flavor may not be liked by everyone, moreover, it has less intramuscular fat: there is less connective tissue to cut during the meal, and the meat is more tender.
