overview
We’re excited to share this “hidden gem” of a steak – it’s super versatile and one of the more inexpensive cuts: flap meat. Sure it doesn’t sound so great, and frankly neither do its other names: flap steak, faux hanger, beef bavette (bib/flap in French). Regardless of its less than appetizing name and almost unwieldy shape, we think this cut is a game changer.
Especially if you’re not all that comfortable cooking steak, this is the perfect cut to practice and incorporate on the regular. Flap Meat is found in the short loin, just next to the flank. With its grain and loose fibers, it takes marinades really well, making it easy to incorporate tons of flavor.
Tips for Handling Flap Meat
Flap Meat is kind of awkwardly shaped: pretty long and the tips are thinner than the center. This will make cooking and cutting the steak a little trickier, so you can either separate these pieces prior to cooking or you can simply fold the thinner parts on top of the thicker part when they’re done cooking. When serving the steak, you can first cut the larger sections smaller along the grain to the width of the slice you prefer, then turn it 90 degrees and cut your slices against the grain. For the thin tips, try slicing at a diagonal for a better looking piece.
Because flap meat doesn’t have all that much marbling or fat, it tends to be chewy when rare and dry when overcooked, we recommend the sweet spot of medium rare. You can check for an internal temp of 130F, make sure to insert the thermometer at a diagonal for a more accurate reading. Flap meat lends itself really well to high heat applications, like grilling, broiling, and pan searing. That said, check out this simple recipe for delicious garlic honey marinated flap meat.
Carlienne’s Garlic Honey Marinated Flap Meat
Ingredients
- 2LBS Flap Meat
- 3TBS Garlic Paste
- 2TBS White Balsamic
- 2TBS Honey
- 1/4C Olive Oil
- Pinch Salt
- 1TBS Dill (optional, use any herb you prefer)
Instructions
- Combine garlic paste, balsamic, honey, olive oil, salt and herbs, we like to put everything in a jar and shake it up.
- Marinate the flap meat with the mix, make sure to really massage the marinade into all the cracks. The longer you allow the marinade to sit, the stronger the flavor it’ll have.
- Heat up a cast iron or stainless steel pan on high. Oil your pan and brown both sides of your flap meat.
- Cook to your desired doneness – we recommend medium rare, or internal temp of 130F.
- When they’re finished cooking, allow steaks to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tools Used To Make This Dish*
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Camera Gear List*
- Sony A7III
- Sony A7rIII
- Sony SEL2470GM Lens
- Sony SEL90M28G FE 90mm f/2.8-22
- Deity V-Mic D3
- Audio-Technica AT4040 Cardioid Condenser Microphone
- Blue Compass Premium Tube-Style Broadcast Boom Arm
- Sirui ET Series Tripod
- White Balance Card
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