Perfectly grilled with a hint of smoke and a touch of char, a Grilled Bavette Steak is a meat lover’s dream. This fabulous cut is perfect for the grill, producing a tender, beefy, and juicy steak recipe that pairs deliciously with so many different sides.
Bavette steak is the French word for bib, or thin cut, which also refers to flank steak. Also called a Butcher’s Cut steak because, for a long while, butchers would keep this fantastic cut of beef for themselves. Today, you can find bavette steaks – often labeled as flank steaks – in most grocery stores and butcher shops.
Sources disagree on if the bavette steak is just another name for flank steak, so I checked with the beef pros at the beef council, and according to the North American Meat Institute Meat Book, bavette comes from the sirloin primal, above where the flank steak would be cut from. However, a quick internet search for bavette and it appears synonymous with flank steak.
I love this cut – it takes well to big bold seasonings, steak marinades, and sauces. It goes so nicely with plenty of beefy flavor and it is delicious on its own or as an ingredient in other dishes.
Bavette Steak Vs. Skirt Steak
These two steaks are somewhat similar in appearance – both being long and thin with visible muscle strands, but the similarities stop there. They are cut from different areas of the cow, and skirt steak is pretty tough and fibrous, while a good bavette steak is meaty and tender.
How To Buy Bavette Steak
Good steaks will be well-aged so that they’re tender and delicious. Count on about 8 ounces of uncooked steak per person.
Go to a reputable butcher or busy meat counter at your grocery store and look for steaks that are uniform in shape and size (so they cook evenly). You also want to watch for meat that is bright red, and firm to the touch.
They may be labeled as flap steak, bavette steak, or even flank steak. This bavette steak was ordered from PorterRoad, where they also sell whole bavette.
What You Need To Make The Best Grilled Bavette Steaks
You need delicious butter and a fresh slab of meat for this delicious campfire Grilled Bavette Steak. You can make the compound butter recipe ahead of time so it is ready to go.
For the umami butter:
- Butter – Salted butter is fine; at room temperature.
- GirlCarnivore Oomami seasoning
For the steak:
- Bavette steak – about 1 pound (to feed two people). Feel like splurging? Look for an American Wagyu bavette steak!
- Salt – I like using coarse salt, like kosher salt.
- Parsley – Chopped fresh herbs add a lovely pop of flavor.
- Salt and pepper – Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to garnish the steak.
How To Make This Grilled Bavette Steak Recipe
Mix the butter and GirlCarnivore Oomami seasoning in a bowl. Chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
When you’re ready to grill the steak, prep the charcoal grill by lighting the coals and letting them burn down to 70% ashed over.
Arrange the coals in a pile in the center of the grill for direct heat, and open the air vents to allow the grill to heat up.
Once the grill reaches 425 to 475-F, clean the grill grates.
Place the steak over direct heat over the hot coals and grill for 3-5 minutes, rotating once before flipping. Rotate as needed to avoid flare-ups. Cook the steak until it reaches 130-F for medium-rare (or until the desired doneness) with an instant-read thermometer. Move the steak to indirect heat if it gets too charred.
Remove the steak from the grill, place the butter on top of the beef bavette, tent with foil and let it rest for a few minutes.
Slice the steak across the grain and serve.
How To Serve Char-Grilled Bavette Steaks
I love this steak on a plate with tasty sides, but I will also make enough for leftovers just so that I can use the leftover steak in other ways, including:
- Sliced on top of salads, like my favorite grilled romaine salad with these steaks!
- Sliced thinly for tacos
- It’s excellent in sandwiches
- Try it diced on top of baked potatoes
- Jazz up your nachos with leftover steak
