Italian grilling — arrosticini, grigliata, and bistecca | The Rub Kitchen
Italian grilling is about good ingredients, charcoal and simple seasoning. A grigliata brings meat, sausages, vegetables and sometimes fish to the table. Italy also has regional grilling specialities, including arrosticini from Abruzzo and bistecca alla Fiorentina from Tuscany. Discover the differences and learn how to make small lamb skewers at home.
A grigliata is about sharing a meal
Choose a few good ingredients and serve them in rounds, straight from the grill. Not every dish needs the same marinade or rub. Simple seasoning allows the different flavours to stand on their own.
What is a grigliata?
A grigliata is a grilled meal or barbecue. The word does not refer to one fixed recipe, but to grilling and eating together. A grigliata mista combines different meats, sausages and vegetables.
| Ingredient | Italian speciality | Example seasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Sausage | Salsiccia | Fennel seeds, pepper and salt |
| Pork | Costine | Salt, rosemary and garlic |
| Chicken | Pollo alla griglia | Olive oil, lemon and garlic |
| Vegetables | Verdure grigliate | Olive oil, salt and fresh herbs |
| Beef | Bistecca alla Fiorentina | Simple seasoning, without a heavy marinade |
The selection varies by region, season and butcher. Everything does not have to be ready at once: serve smaller rounds so each dish reaches the table warm.
Grigliata mista: a mixed Italian grill
Meat and sausages
- Salsiccia: Italian sausage, flavoured with ingredients such as fennel seeds or chilli, depending on the variety.
- Costine: pork ribs with simple seasoning.
- Pollo alla griglia: grilled chicken, for example with lemon and garlic.
Vegetables and side dishes
- Courgettes, aubergines and peppers with a thin coating of olive oil.
- Mushrooms with herbs.
- Bread and a fresh salad to complete the mixed grill.
What order should you grill a grigliata in?
Plan around the cooking time each ingredient needs, rather than just the type of meat. Thick sausages and ribs take longer than thin vegetables or small lamb skewers. Use direct heat for browning and an indirect zone to finish cooking with more control.
Keep raw and cooked food separate and check doneness with a clean thermometer where possible. Serve in rounds instead of trying to keep everything warm for a long time.
Arrosticini: small lamb skewers from Abruzzo
Arrosticini are small cubes of mutton or lamb threaded onto thin skewers, originating in Abruzzo. The classic approach focuses on simple seasoning and cooking over charcoal. Below is a practical method for making them at home, followed by our own variation with Toscana Fire.
Small skewers for an Italian grill night
The grilling time is a guide. The size of the cubes and the heat determine how quickly they cook. Check earlier if the pieces are small or the heat is intense.
Ingredients for 4 servings
- 600 g boneless leg of lamb, with a little fat and any tough silverskin removed
- Salt to taste for the simply seasoned version
- For our variation: 1–2 teaspoons Toscana Fire BBQ Rub and, optionally, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- About 16–20 thin skewers, depending on their length
- Bread and a fresh salad to serve
Choose one seasoning approach: just salt for the simple classic direction, or a thin coating of Toscana Fire for our variation. Do not automatically add extra salt when using the rub. Check the packaging and taste after cooking.
Cut evenly sized cubes
Cut the meat into cubes about 1–1.5 cm across. Remove tough silverskin, but leave a little soft fat. Keep the pieces as even as possible so they cook at roughly the same rate.
Season and thread the skewers
Making the rub variation? Apply a thin coating of rub to the meat. A little oil can help it stick. Thread the cubes close together without tightly compressing them.
Leave enough space for a handle and keep the skewers covered in the fridge until the BBQ is ready.
Set up a direct and a cooler zone
Use glowing coals without flames and keep a cooler zone available. Traditionally, the skewers are cooked on a narrow grill, suspended above the coals.
On a regular BBQ, protect the wooden ends from direct heat. Keep tongs ready for turning the skewers easily.
Grill and turn regularly
Place the skewers over the direct zone and turn regularly to brown all sides. Allow roughly 5–8 minutes, checking earlier for small cubes or intense heat.
Move the skewers to the cooler zone if dripping fat causes flare-ups or the seasoning darkens too quickly. Aim for browned meat, not blackened spices.
Check doneness and serve
Check a few of the thickest pieces, using a thin thermometer probe where possible. Time and outside colour alone are not reliable checks.
For pregnant people, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, serve the meat fully cooked. Transfer the cooked skewers to a clean dish and serve straight away with bread and salad.
Our variation with Toscana Fire
Toscana Fire combines fennel seeds, smoked paprika, allspice and cayenne. It gives the lamb skewers an aromatic, lightly smoky twist. This is not a classic spice mix from Abruzzo, but our own flavour variation. Use a thin coating so the flavour of the lamb still comes through.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a thick T-bone or porterhouse, traditionally associated with Tuscany and Chianina cattle. Unlike arrosticini, it is a large cut of beef that is shared after cooking.
- Choose a thick cut. A thin steak needs a different approach from a substantial bistecca.
- Keep seasoning simple. A heavy marinade is not the starting point for this dish.
- Check the centre. A browned exterior does not tell you how cooked the middle is. The meat is traditionally served rare to medium-rare; that is not suitable for everyone.
- Rest briefly. Then cut the meat away from the bone and divide into slices.
Fully cooked meat is the safer choice for pregnant people, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Which seasonings are used in Italian grilling?
Rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, black pepper, lemon and olive oil appear in different Italian preparations. Not every dish uses the same combination. Seasoning should support the meat or vegetables rather than make everything taste the same.
Toscana Fire is our own BBQ blend
Our Toscana Fire Italian BBQ Rub with Fennel combines fennel seeds, smoked paprika, allspice and cayenne, among other ingredients. Use it sparingly on lamb and grilled vegetables. It is our own BBQ interpretation, not a traditional seasoning for every Italian grilled dish.
Frequently asked questions about grigliata and arrosticini
What does grigliata mean?
Grigliata is Italian for a grilled meal or barbecue. It can refer to both the grilling occasion and the grilled dishes.
What is grigliata mista?
A mixed grill featuring ingredients such as sausages, pork, chicken, beef and vegetables. The selection varies by region and season.
What are arrosticini?
Small skewers of cubed mutton or lamb from Abruzzo. The simple classic approach uses little seasoning. The Toscana Fire version on this page is our own interpretation.
Why should the cubes be the same size?
Small pieces dry out sooner, while larger pieces still need time to cook. Evenly sized cubes make cooking easier to control.
Which side dishes go with a grigliata?
Bread, a fresh salad, potatoes and grilled vegetables all work well with an Italian mixed grill.
Lamb skewers with fennel and a little heat
Choose Toscana Fire for the rub variation on this page. Prefer the simple classic direction? Use just salt and let the meat and charcoal take centre stage.