There are many who, seeing the blood-red pattern of raw meat on the cover of Tim Hayward’s Steak: The Whole Story, might understandably flinch a little. And I’m not just talking about vegans and vegetarians; after all, even those who eat meat can shy away from confronting its living, breathing animal origins. I dare say that, at one level, the book’s design is intended as a provocative challenge, a bit of red-blooded swagger, for all that Haywood is undeniably a respectful eater and a beautifully elegant writer. On top of which, he is a steak obsessive. And I do love the food-writing of obsessives. Of course, it helps that Hayward, unlike many restaurant critics, seems to be of a bouncingly enthusiastic disposition; his phrase-making can be rather deliciously dry, and his writing has a certain stylistic suavity, but essentially, he’s in the glee rather than grumble business.
And this is what makes this book come alive. I didn’t think I wanted to know everything there is to know about steak, but so gloriously infectious is his rapt absorption in the subject that even a casual reader quickly becomes an avid pupil. But then, it is always interesting to learn, and the book covers, as the subtitle promises, the whole story: the nitty gritty of it, the science and methodology, as well as the cultural symbolism and mythology.
As for recipes, there is a considered collection of accompanying sauces but few actual recipes for the steak itself. This makes perfect sense, as cooking a steak is about method rather than recipe, and the suggestions that are in the book are just what’s needed. But of the formal recipes in the book, I’ve chosen the glorious Bistecca alla Fiorentina to share with you today.
From Steak: The Whole Story by Tim Hayward, published by Quadrille, 2024.
Photography by Sam Folan.
