Umay FR

Beef cut: where it is, price, recipes

Flank steak

Long parallel fibres you can read at a glance: the cut that teaches you to slice across the grain. France serves it rare with shallots; the same muscle is what Americans marinate for fajitas.

  • Grilled
  • Pan-seared
Marguerite in profile, with the Flank steak outlined$11/ lb
Marguerite · Loin
In French
Bavette d'aloyau
US side
Flank
Around the world
Vacío (Argentina), Fraldinha (Brazil)
Where it sits
Loin. The tenderloin is the laziest muscle of the animal, which is exactly why it is the most tender.
Tenderness
3/5
Flavor
5/5
Marbling
2/5
Price
$11 / lb ·
Actual size
~30 cm

Compared with its neighbors

Compared with Hanger steak, Flank steak is less tender (3/5 vs 4/5), leaner (2/5 vs 3/5) and costs $1 a pound less.

Compared with Tenderloin, Flank steak is less tender (3/5 vs 5/5), more flavorful (5/5 vs 2/5), more marbled (2/5 vs 1/5) and costs $13 a pound less.

CutTendernessFlavorMarblingPriceHow to cook it
Flank steak3/55/52/5$11 / lbGrilled, Pan-seared
Hanger steak4/55/53/5$12 / lbGrilled, Pan-seared
Tenderloin5/52/51/5$24 / lbPan-seared, Roasted, Grilled

Recipes that name the Flank steak

Traditional vacío relleno al hornoTraditional vacío a la parrilla (Argentine-style grilled flap meat)Traditional oven-broiled London broilTraditional grilled carne asadaCoffee-Crusted Bavette Steak, Strong Coffee-Cocoa Jus, Roasted Baby Potatoes and Red Onion PicklesMoo Nam Tok (Thai Grilled Beef Salad)Lomo saltadoGrilled flank steak, Thai basil chimichurriGyū Dashi Udon with beef and katsuobushiBonito dashi, mirin, and daikon gyudon