The bavette and skirt steaks, which sit further up the cow, across the ribs, can often be interchangeable as they are a similar, long, flat shape, but the bavette is the superior cut as it is slightly thicker and therefore more tender and harder to overcook. It also contains less sinew and fat.
Bavette is a cut of beef also called flank steak.
Flap meat or flap steak is a thin, relatively lean, coarse-grained steak that comes from the belly of the steer, near the same area as flank steak.
The hanger steak is sometimes known as 'butcher's steak'. It is taken from the upper belly of the cow which is an area that does very little work, making this a very tender cut. A hanger steak is best cooked in the pan or on the BBQ.
What is Flank Steak? Other names for flank steak include London broil and skirt steak, which is actually a different cut (more on that in a moment). This cut of steak comes from the abdominal muscles of the animal, right behind its chest.
There are two types of skirt steak: inside and outside. The inside skirt comes from the transverse abdominal muscle and is rather tough; the more desirable outside skirt comes from the diaphragm and is quite tender.
Flank steak is a large, flat cut that's from the underside of the cow just like skirt steak. It's also very beefy with a coarse grain.
Flank. Also known as bavette, this long flat steak is taken from a single muscle beneath the loin in the abdominal area.
The Bavette steak, also known as flap steak, is a long, flat and tender cut of meat that comes from the bottom sirloin, near the flank steak. It is a lean cut with a long, thin shape and a rich, beefy flavor, very similar to the flavor profile of a flank steak.
Bavette is the French word for flank steak, a highly flavorful, loosely textured flat cut of meat taken from the abdominal muscles of the cow.
It's often known as a cheap, but just as delicious, alternative to ribeye steak. Also, this cut's flat, uniform width makes it perfect for filling tortillas in dishes such as fajitas or tacos or tossed with similarly sized items such as in a steak salad or stir fry.
The bavette and skirt steaks, which sit further up the cow, across the ribs, can often be interchangeable as they are a similar, long, flat shape, but the bavette is the superior cut as it is slightly thicker and therefore more tender and harder to overcook. It also contains less sinew and fat.
True bavette steak is hard meat cut to find in the U.S., despite its popularity across the pond. Flank steak is taken from the flank primal and is generally cut whole, and not divided into smaller portions. Skirt steak packs an even beefier flavor than flank steak, due to its connective tissue and fat content.
Also known as Flank Steak.
If for some reason you can't find flank steak at your local butcher ask for skirt or hangar steaks.
Skirt and flank steaks are especially tough, so it's especially important to cut against the grain of the meat. They're used for similar dishes. Since both pieces of meat contain a similar beef flavor, they can be used interchangeably (such as with steak fajitas, London broil, steak salad, or carne asada tacos).
Flank Steak
This slightly less popular cut of steak can oftentimes be confused with skirt steak. Though the two are very similar, flank steak is a wider, shorter, and thicker cut of meat. It comes from the flank region of the cow (even lower on the abdomen than skirt) and possesses slightly less fat than skirt steak.
Skirt steaks are usually less expensive than flanks. However, the price difference is minimal. If you want to try a flank, it's worth paying a little extra.
Flank steaks have tighter muscular fibers and less marbling than skirt steaks, which make them a bit tougher and less fatty. That being said, a flank steak is slightly healthier than a skirt steak for anyone who is avoiding excess fat.
Skirt steak (fraldinha do diafragma in Portuguese) is an inexpensive yet versatile, thin, and long cut of beef. It's perfect for fajitas, Philly cheesesteak, pizzas, skirt steak flatbread, pizza pinwheels, sandwiches as well as tacos, arrachera, Brazilian churrasco, Chinese beef stir-fry, BBQ, and many more dishes.
Flank steak is generally one of the most affordable cuts of beef you can find. Yet it tends to come at a slightly higher price than the Skirt steak. This is largely because the Skirt cut is a little more tender, and therefore easier to cook with different methods.
Flank Steak (aka London Broil, Plank Steak, Jiffy Steak, Bavette in French and Arrachera in Spanish) Flank steak is a cut taken from the underbelly, or the flank, of the cow. It is sometimes used interchangeably with skirt steak but they are different cuts (though the textures are similar).