The bavette is a lesser known cut every steak lover needs to know. Popular with Asian, Latin American and French chefs who love its full-bodied beef flavor, it’s grown in popularity here in the U.S. Our American Wagyu bavette is packed with more marbling and richness.
Also know as the less flattering name “flap meat,” this is a steak worth exploring. Like skirt steak, the bavette has a pronounced grain and it’s critical to cut against the grain. Bavette loves high heat so sear on a hot grill or cast iron pan and serve medium rare. This delicious cut loves to be marinated, so feel free to use your favorite profile for a delectable meal.
The bavette is cut from an irregular shaped section of beef so each one is a little different. No matter what shape, this is a butcher’s secret to be enjoyed.
Beef Grading 101
The Snake River Farms bavette is American Wagyu Black Grade, rated 6 to 8 on the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS)
Beef sold in the U.S. is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are eight total grades and the top grade is USDA Prime.
All Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef grades above Prime. Special breeds of cattle like Japanese Wagyu are capable of producing marbling beyond their American counterparts. To grade this high level of marbling, we adopted the Japanese Beef Marbling Score.
Using BMS, beef marbling is measured on a scale from 1 to 12, with a 1 being Select beef and a 12 being the highest level of marbling possible.
BMS 4 to 5 USDA Prime
BMS 6 to 8 SRF Black Grade
BMS 9+ SRF Gold Grade
Meatology
The bavette is also called the bottom sirloin flap or flap meat. Although it is not highly marbled, it’s very flavorful and has a wide coarse grain. This cut comes from the bottom of the sirloin primal near the flank, specifically the obliquus abdominis internal muscle, which supports the surrounding muscles. Since it does not receive a large amount of use, it maintains a good level of tenderness.
Fast fact: Bavette means “bib” in French and describes the way this steak looks when whole.
