TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: An easy-yet-refined main dish of bavette steaks seasoned with salt and pepper, grilled using the two-zone method, and topped with thyme-caramelized shallots.
- Why you’ll love it: It highlights the intense beef flavor of the bavette cut. The shallots can be prepped up to three days in advance, so just a few minutes of grilling time before serving.
- How to make it: Slow-cook shallots with thyme and sugar until caramelized. Grill seasoned steaks over direct heat to sear, move to indirect heat to finish. Rest for 5 minutes. Warm the shallots, then slice against the grain to serve.
Jump To
- TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- Why this Grilled Bavette Steak recipe works
- Notes on ingredients
- Video: How to grill steak
- Your Grilled Bavette Steaks questions, answered
- Grilled Bavette Steak pro tips & troubleshooting
- What to serve with bavette (or any grilled steak)
- Storage & reheating
- More juicy steak recipes
- Write a review
- Grilled Bavette Steaks with Caramelized Shallots Recipe
What I love about this recipe is how drop-dead easy it is. The shallots are made ahead of time on the stove, so you’re standing facing the grill for all of 5 minutes while grilling the bavette steaks.
Why this Grilled Bavette Steak recipe works
What I love about this recipe is how drop-dead simple it is. Because the bavette is a relatively thin cut, it cooks in a flash. By making the shallots ahead of time on the stove, you aren’t stuck in the kitchen or hovering over the grill all night. You’re standing facing the fire for all of 5 minutes while grilling the steaks, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy your guests. The steaks have a pure, robust beef flavor—nothing more than beef, salt, and pepper—which is perfectly balanced by the buttery, achingly sweet shallots.
Notes on ingredients
- Bavette steak: Also known as flap meat or flap steak, this cut is similar to flank or skirt steak but often more tender because it comes from the sirloin butt. If you can’t find it, a flank steak or skirt steak is a perfectly fine substitute.
- Shallots: I use them because provide a more delicate, garlicky sweetness than onions when caramelized.
- Fresh thyme: This adds an earthy, floral note to the shallots that complements the beef superbly. Pul-lease, don’t swap it for dried; the fresh sprigs make a difference.
- Sugar: Just a pinch helps jump-start the caramelization process, ensuring the shallots get that deep, mahogany color.
Video: How to grill steak
Your Grilled Bavette Steaks questions, answered
In the U.S., bavette steaks are perhaps one of the least-known cuts of beef, which is a shame because they’re marvelously flavorful and versatile. Bavette, which translates as “bib,” is the French name for what we know here as flap meat or flap steak. Bavettes are similar to flank and skirt steaks, and like them, it’s a boneless cut of meat from the lower part of the animal. But unlike them, it’s taken from the loin or sirloin area, making it more tender.
Like flank and skirt steaks, bavette is best cooked quickly over high heat, and not much beyond medium-rare (125°F to 130°F / 50°C to 54°C) or it’ll get tough.
Since flap steaks are like skirt and flank steaks, always cut them across the grain for maximum tenderness.
Cut into slices, flap steak is amazing in beef fajitas and steak tacos. Also, top a cool salad with warm slices or stuff them into a slurpy hot French dip sandwich.
(I’ll try not to take offense to this.) Not only can you zhuzh it up, you can go crazy. Consider stirring cooked bacon bits into the shallots—or stir in some bacon jam. Or drizzling good balsamic vinegar over everything just before serving. You could even crumble blue cheese over the steaks during their final minutes of cooking. Because these bavette steaks are so deeply flavored, they can stand up to it all.
Of course! Simply cut 6 ounces (170 g) of sweet onion, such as Vidalia, into 1/4-inch slices and proceed with the recipe. Or use a bit of each.
Grilled Bavette Steak pro tips & troubleshooting
☞ Splash in water
If the shallots start to brown too quickly, they’ll burn and become bitter. A splash of cold water will cool the pan and get you back on track, helping them soften and brown evenly.
☞ Cut across the grain
When slicing bavette, look closely at the direction of the muscle fibers. Slice perpendicular to those lines. If you slice with the grain, the meat will be chewy no matter how perfectly it was cooked.
☞ Dry the steaks (moist steaks = steamed steaks)
For that perfect crust, make sure you pat the steaks very dry with paper towels before seasoning. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
☞ Use an instant-read thermometer
Because bavette is thin, it can go from medium-rare to overdone in a minute. Pull it at 125°F (52°C) for a perfect medium-rare after resting. (Have I finally convinced you to get one?)
What to serve with bavette (or any grilled steak)
Toss some Mexican-Style Street Corn (elote) on the grill alongside the meat, add a crisp fennel and orange salad, and you’re good as gold. For a more classic French vibe, serve it with a pile of crispy frites or some buttery mashed potatoes to soak up the shallot juices.
Storage & reheating
Fridge: Tuck leftover steak and shallots in an airtight container in the icebox for up to 3 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the cooked steak for up to 2 months, though the texture is best when fresh. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: To avoid overcooking the steaks, reheat them gently in a skillet over medium-low heat in a tiny bit of butter or oil until just warmed through. But… you can also let them sit out for 30 minutes, slice them, and serve them over a hot salad or in a sandwich.
More juicy steak recipes
Write a review
If you make this grilled steak recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Featured Review
To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time I ever had Bavette Steak, and now I am a huge fan. The steak is incredibly tender, juicy, and delicious—and amazingly quick and easy to prepare. I really enjoyed the sweetness of the shallots – a nice contrast with the full flavor of the steak.
For me, a fairly generous sprinkling of sea-salt and a bit of pepper – cooked rare to medium rare and WOW. Bavette is my new steak love.
Madison
Grilled Bavette Steaks with Caramelized Shallots
Ingredients
For the caramelized shallots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 7 shallots, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the bavette steaks
- Two (8-ounce) bavette steaks (or skirt steak), patted dry
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- sprigs of fresh thyme, for garnish
Instructions
Caramelize the shallots
- Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the butter stops foaming.
- Add the 7 shallots, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and a pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to coat the shallots.
- Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are a deep caramel color, 20 to 25 minutes.
☞ TESTER TIP: If the shallots start to brown too quickly, they’ll burn and become bitter. A splash of cold water will cool the pan and get you back on track.
- Scrape the shallots into a small bowl and let cool. They can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.
Make the bavette
- Prepare your gas or charcoal grill for two-zone grilling aka direct/indirect method.
- Generously season both sides of the Two (8-ounce) bavette steaks (or skirt steak) with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Grill the steaks over direct heat for 2 minutes or until you see a sear develop. (Take a peek by carefully lifting the edge with long-handled tongs.)
- Flip the steaks over and grill for another 2 minutes.
- Slide the steaks over to indirect heat and close the cover of the grill. Check the internal temperature after 5 minutes. You’re aiming for a temperature of 125 to 130°F (52 to 54°C) at the thickest part.
- Transfer the steaks to a plate, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Warm the shallots
- While the steaks are resting, transfer the shallots to a small skillet. Place the skillet over indirect heat and close the grill cover to allow the shallots to warm through.
Serve the steaks
- Slice the steaks against the grain. Serve with the shallots on top or in a small bowl on the side. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme.
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To the best of my knowledge this was the first time I ever had Bavette Steak and now I am a huge fan. The steak is incredibly tender, juicy, and delicious – and amazingly quick and easy to prepare. I really enjoyed the sweetness of the shallots – a nice contrast with the full flavor of the steak.
For me, a fairly generous sprinkling of sea-salt and a bit of pepper – cooked rare to medium rare and WOW – Bavette is my new steak love.
Thanks, Madison. We’re so pleased that you enjoyed it.
Nice recipe, and I might add that in my experience in France a bavette is always served with chips!
Thanks for that, lapin_rouge.