Steak bavette or Flank, marinated in Worcestershire sauce, garlic and thyme, is the perfect "budget" steak dinner that tastes incredible!
Whilst this recipe benefits from a long marinade time, cooking this steak only takes 6-7 minutes with an 8-10 minute resting time!
Worcestershire Sauce Marinated Flank Steak
People often seem surprised at my general ambivalence to steak.
It's strange, because I don't dislike it! But when faced with a seemingly endless choice of ingredients to cook with when I want to have a meaty dinner, I am much more likely to choose pork belly slices or a Barnsley chop.
Then people get even more confused when I do decide on a steak night... because I really ain't eyeing up the fillet, rib-eye or sirloin.
For me, there are two cuts of steak that make me give that knowing nod. Rump steak, and the stunning steak bavette or flank!
Both are blessed with the most incredible beefy flavour, and with a bit of care and attention, can be amazingly tender.
I like to marinate my flank steak in something acidic, which means Worcestershire sauce to me. It helps tenderise the outer fibres of the meat, as well as giving the crust an incredible flavour. Adding a little garlic and thyme turns that flavour all the way up to 11!
Aside from that, the cooking process is simple. A hot pan, get a nice sear, chuck in some butter, then flip every minute or so whilst basting with butter, for 6-7 minutes.
Rest for a while, slice and dinner is served!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to marinade the steak for a long time?
"Have to" is a strong sentiment, but it really does help with this particular cut of meat.
The acidic nature of Worcestershire sauce helps break down some of the fibres near the outer crust of the steak, leading to a really tender bit of meat. But if you leave it much beyond 8 hours, it risks becoming a little rubbery.
Are Bavette, Flank and Skirt all the same cut of meat?
It really does depend on where you are; here in the UK, flank and bavette generally tend to be broadly the same. Whereas skirt steak is typically more marbled and thinner from a slightly different part of the abdominal muscle.
Skirt is a superb cut of meat, and it's incredibly tasty, but it is a little tougher.
Can I use a non-stick pan?
Yes, although your crust will not develop quite as well.
Do I have to cook steak pink?
Ordinarily, I would give instructions for cooking steaks everywhere from rare to well-done. However, with bavette or flank, you really don't want to go above medium or you will be chewing for weeks.
If you like your steak well-done, take a look at a different cut of meat.
A NOTE ON CARVING THIS STEAK!
It is very important to carve this steak across the grain!
If you look at the steak, you will see fairly pronounced lines running in parallel with each other. You should cut across these lines into thin slices, and you will be rewarded with beautifully tender steak.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my marinated bavette (flank) steak with a delicious soubise sauce and my crushed roasted new potatoes.
The combination of potatoes and some form of sauce is something that I would definitely stick with for this recipe.
Alternative sauces that are absolutely fantastic with this steak include bernaise sauce, the peppercorn sauce from my chicken au poivre or blue cheese sauce.
When it comes to potatoes, then go to town, everything from my chip shop style chips (without vinegar), to fondant potatoes and even mashed potatoes are fair game!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan. Not non-stick if possible.
- Kitchen tongs or spatula.
- Resealable food-grade bag or Tupperware box.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Measuring spoons.
Worcestershire Sauce Marinated Flank Steak Recipe (Steak Bavette)
Ingredients
- 400 g Bavette/Flank Steak 14oz (AKA Bavette, you could also use skirt steak)
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 3 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 35 g Butter 2 Tbsp
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil and Worcestershire sauce into a resealable bag, bash the garlic cloves and throw them in and add the fresh thyme.
- Add the steak, massage the steak in the marinade, seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. To a maximum of 8 hours.
- About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the steak, remove it from the marinade and dry it with some kitchen paper.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan (not non-stick if possible) over a high heat.
- When it is very hot, season the steak all over with the salt, then cook for 1 minute, then flip it and cook for another minute.
- Add the butter and flip the steak again, cooking for 1 minute on each side before flipping, marinating with the butter as you go. Keep flipping after every minute.For a nice rare-medium rare steak, you will want to cook the steak for 3 minutes in total on each side.For a medium steak, flip it another couple of times for a total of 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the steak and rest for 8-10 minutes covered with foil, then carve and serve.It is very important that you cut this steak across the grain (see my FAQ section further up the page).