Italian grilling — arrosticini, grigliata, and bistecca | The Rub Kitchen

In Italy, they don't grill for fun — they grill as a ritual. The Sunday grigliata is a family institution that spans generations: the nonno behind the fire, the smell of charcoal and rosemary, a long table in the garden. Italian grilling is the antipode of American BBQ — no heavy rubs, no thick sauces, no marathon sessions. Good ingredients, simple preparation, maximum flavor.

Arrosticini — Abruzzo's lamb skewers

Arrosticini are small cubes of lamb meat threaded onto thin wooden skewers — and they are Central Italy's most iconic street grilled dish. Origin: the Abruzzo region in the Apennines, where sheep farming has shaped the economy for centuries. The traditional version uses castrato — castrated ram, marbled and full of flavor — but lamb neck or lamb shoulder also work excellently.

The technique

  • Cubes of 1–1.5 cm — small, so they cook quickly and don't dry out
  • Only coarse sea salt — no rub, no marinade, no oil. The fat from the lamb is enough.
  • Cooked on a canala — a long, narrow cast-iron grill specifically for arrosticini, where the skewers rest on the edge and the meat hangs in the hot slot
  • High direct heat, 5–7 minutes total, turning regularly
  • Served in a piece of aluminum foil, as a bundle of skewers — eat immediately, standing

Side dishes: red wine from Abruzzo (Montepulciano d'Abruzzo), bread. Nothing else — arrosticini are the meal.

Grigliata mista — the mixed grill platter

The grigliata mista is Italian BBQ in its most complete form: a large platter with a mix of meat, sausage, vegetables, and sometimes fish, all grilled over charcoal. No fixed composition — what comes to the table depends on the region, the season, and the butcher.

Typical contents:

  • Salsiccia — Italian pork sausage, fresh and uncooked, with fennel seeds or chili
  • Costine — pork ribs, simply with salt and rosemary
  • Pollo alla griglia — chicken thighs or wings, marinated in olive oil, lemon, and garlic
  • Verdure grigliate — grilled vegetables: zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes
  • Porcini o champignons — large mushrooms on the grill with olive oil and garlic

Bistecca alla Fiorentina — the queen of Italian grilling

The bistecca alla Fiorentina is a T-bone or Porterhouse from Chianina beef (a specific Tuscan breed), at least 4–5 cm thick, cooked over a glowing hot charcoal fire. The rules are strict:

  • Only Chianina — any other beef is technically not Fiorentina
  • Never well-done — al dente: dark roasted on the outside, red-pink on the inside (core temperature 50–52°C)
  • No sauce, no marinade — only coarse sea salt, olive oil, and lemon after grilling
  • Grill standing — the bistecca is placed upright on the bone on the grill for the final phase

Tuscan BBQ spices

The Toscana Fire BBQ Rub is inspired by the herb traditions of Tuscan cuisine: fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic, black pepper, and a hint of chili — the profile of Italian salsiccia and the mixed grigliata.

Rub Kitchen

The Toscana Fire BBQ Rub is directly inspired by Italian grilling tradition. Fennel seeds, rosemary, garlic — excellent on lamb skewers (arrosticini-style), pork sausage, and grilled vegetables. Use sparingly: Italian grilling is all about restraint.

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