Flank steak

Flank is a much under-loved cut.

It's been popular in mainland Europe for years – but it's catching on here now. 

You'll usually see Flank listed as Bavette steak on a restaurant menu. And if you've ever tried Bavette, you'll know just how good it is.

Flank belongs to the same group of steaks as Flat iron and Denver. And that's the “not too tender – not too tough” group of steaks. Which means, when cooked right, it's tender with a strong beefy flavour – but beyond Medium it gets tough and dry.

Flank's a very lean, coarsely grained steak, with a colour that's deeper red than many other steaks. The coarse grain is perfect for marinades and rubs as they can get right into the meat (but don't marinade it for more than two hours).

In many ways Flank's similar to Skirt steak. It looks much the same – with the same coarse graining. But it's leaner and more tender.

The best description we've seen of Flank steak is this:

“Flank steak is the boneless, skinless chicken breast of the beef world. It cooks quickly, there are no bones to fuss with, and you can use it to make everything from fajitas to stir-fries.”