Bavette is an underrated cut of meat perfect for grilling. For what it is, how to cook it, and the best way to smoke it, check out our Bavette Steak Upside Down recipe.
There aren’t many cuts of meat that are as versatile as steaks. Whether it’s filet mignon or ribeye, flank or brisket , you have so many recipes to choose from.
The bavette steak is a unique but underrated cut of meat that deserves way more attention than it gets. It’s tender, it’s juicy and most importantly, it’s simply delicious.
Let’s take a look at what you need to know about this unusual cut of beef and give you one of our favorite smoked bavette steak recipes.
What is bavette steak?
Bavette steak is a large, long piece of meat that lies on top of the beef on the underside of the sirloin steak. It is characterized by its rich grain, which keeps it tender and allows flavors to be absorbed.
It is often confused with flank and skirt steak because of their similar appearance. They are now so confused with sirloin and tri-tip steaks due to their proximity to one another.
However, what makes Bavette stand out is its flavor and texture. It can retain flavor much better than flank and tends to remain tender when cooked.
Confusingly, Bavette often goes by different names. One is loin flaps while another is bottom sirloin. Neither of these names do the cut of beef justice, and might even be one of the reasons why this beautiful cut of beef remains so elusive.
Where to buy bavette steak
Unlike many other cuts of meat, bavette is not always easy to find in stores. Some butchers can be arranged in advance on request.
Unfortunately, bavette isn’t as popular as flank, brisket, or top sirloin, so it’s not as widely available. However, it is GETTING more and more popular, so it’s likely to be a lot to find in regular supermarkets in a few years.
The best wood for smoking bavette steaks
A rich hardwood pairs well with red meats like bavette, so we recommend oak, hickory, or mesquite.
For our recipe we use oak. It has a classic, medium-bodied flavor profile that delivers a robust smoke without overpowering the steak’s natural flavors.
Hickory provides a smoky, slightly sweet aroma. Plus, mesquite adds a bold touch. Both are good options, but make sure you don’t overdo it with the amount of chunks.
Times and temperatures
We smoke our bavette at 107 °C until the desired doneness is reached. This is usually between 70 and 90 minutes but depends on the internal temperature of the meat.
- Rare: 115°F; about 70 minutes
- Medium Rare: 125°F; about 80 minutes
- Mid: 135°F; about 90 minutes
After we’ve smoked it, we’ll sear it to complete our Reverse Sear Cook(this recipe is quite similar to our Reverse Sear Flank Steak ). Then we let it sit for 10 minutes to allow it to reach our final target temperature. This should raise the internal temperature of your steak by about 10°F.
If you don’t have a smoker thermometer , I highly recommend investing in one. They are the most accurate method of measuring meat temperature and are much more reliable than touch.
How to prepare bavette for smoking
First wash the steak under cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel.
There should be little or no fat on the steak, but if you lose or see excess fat, simply trim it off with meat shears.
Then we will simply rub our bavette and let it rest in the fridge to absorb as much flavor as possible.
Our rub ingredients are only kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder. That’s all. We mix them in a small bowl and apply the mixture to the surface of each fillet. Be sure to rub them firmly, both on the top and bottom of the meat. Leave in the fridge overnight.