More commonly known in North America as a flap steak, bavette steaks used to be one of the more popular cuts available at local butchers. However, as industrialization of the meat market took hold and local butchers gave way to large supermarkets the once popular bavette has slipped from its rightful place as a customer favorite steak. A remnant of this popularity can also be found in another common name for the steak: the butchers cut. So named because the butcher often reserved this steak as a treat for their own family.
Bavette, or flap, steaks are cut from the lower abdominal area of the cattle and composed of somewhat tough but loosely textured muscle fibers. Because this is a hard-working area of the animal, the meat can be tougher than say a filet, however all this work leads to deeper flavor and a unique texture not replicated elsewhere on the cattle.
Flap steaks are what we consider a “better with marinade” steak. That is to say: 25-60 minutes in a simple oil and seasoning marinade will go a long way towards tenderizing the meat and making it easier to cook.
When cooking a bavette steak, cooking time and fat availability is the key. You’ll want to make sure there’s plenty of butter or oil in your pan to develop a nice crust and transfer heat between the loose muscle fibers. You will also want to make sure your bavette steak is not cooked above medium. The easiest way to achieve this is to make sure your steak is at room temperature before cooking, your pan is fully up to temperature before adding the steak, and your only cook your steak for a few minutes on each side (flipping only once). Once overcooked the steak will seize up and become less than ideal to eat. After cooking allow your flap steak to rest for a few minutes before slicing thinly against the grain and serve while still hot.
Flap steaks make excellent steak sandwiches, fajitas, or hold up well as a main course; served with potatoes, a compound butter, pesto, or any other side your family will enjoy. When you choose grass fed flap steaks from Acabonac Farms you are doubling down on the beefy flavor that this cut is known for. Grass fed beef is well known for having a more earthy and deeply beefy flavor when compared to grain fed beef. So, if you’re looking for the best flap steak – Acabonac’s grass fed steaks are the smart choice for you and your family.