Flank
A broad, lean steak from the belly with a long, obvious grain. Treated well it is excellent; overcooked it is chewy.
- Also called
- Bavette, London broil
- Section
- Flank
- Fat
- Low, lean
- Best cooked
- Marinate, then a hot grill, then slice thinly
- Best doneness
- Medium rare
Tap a section to explore its cuts.
Chuck
The shoulder. Hard working muscle and rich flavour, where the short ribs begin.
Rib
The richest marbling on the animal, and the home of the scotch fillet.
Striploin
Along the back. Firm, beefy steaks with a fat cap down one edge.
Tenderloin
Tucked under the loin, doing almost no work. The most tender cut there is.
Rump
The hip. Big beef flavour for the price, and a favourite on the grill.
Plate
Below the ribs. Loose grained, intensely flavoured and quick to cook.
Flank
The belly behind the plate. Lean, long grained steaks made for a marinade and a hot grill.
- FlankAlso called Bavette, London broilYou are here
Round
The hind leg. Lean, hard working muscles such as topside and silverside, used for roasts and corned beef.
Shank
The hind leg from below the round to the knee. Very lean and tough, so it is slow cooked or minced rather than served as a steak.
What is flank steak?
Flank is a broad, flat, lean steak with long muscle fibres running clearly along its length. It is leaner and tighter in texture than skirt, with a clean beefy flavour and very little fat. In France it is sold as bavette, and in the US it is the classic cut for London broil.
What part of a cow is flank?
Flank comes from the belly of the cow, behind the plate and in front of the hind leg, below the loin.
Location and anatomy
It is cut from the abdominal muscles, which is why it is flat, lean and long grained.
The flank steak is the whole flat muscle, sold as bavette. The flank skirt is a thinner, looser muscle from the inside of the flank.
How to cook it
Flank benefits from a marinade, which adds flavour to the lean meat. Then cook it over high heat, quickly, to medium rare at most. Because there is so little fat, it dries out fast if taken further.
Slice it thinly across the grain
The fibres are long and strong, so rest the steak, then cut it in thin slices across the grain, holding the knife at a slight angle. Done properly, it eats tender; cut with the grain, it eats tough.
Where to have a good steak in Sydney?
Sydney has plenty of places to order a good steak, and our pick of the best steak restaurants in Sydney is a good place to start. For a steak cooked over charcoal, Elements Bar and Grill in Walsh Bay and Pyrmont is a harbourside favourite.
Cuts to compare with flank
Frequently asked
What is flank steak best for?
Marinated and grilled hot, then sliced thinly across the grain. It suits steak salads, sandwiches and tacos.
Is flank the same as skirt?
No. Flank comes from the belly behind the plate and is leaner with a tighter grain. Skirt comes from the plate and is looser.
Is wagyu flank still chewy?
Wagyu flank is noticeably more tender than Angus flank thanks to its marbling, but it still has a long, strong grain, so slice it thinly across the grain either way.
