| PREP TIME | REST TIME | COOK TIME | TOTAL TIME |
| 5 mins | 45 mins to 6 h | 10 mins | 1 to 6 hours |
This pan-seared bavette steak is tender and full of flavor with a nice crust. Bavette is a thinner cut, which means it cooks quickly. The goal of this recipe is to achieve a decent crust on the outside while keeping the inside at medium doneness so it stays juicy and tender. After removing the steak from the pan, you will melt butter with garlic and herbs right in the same skillet. Then, spoon that buttery mixture over the sliced bavette steak (flap steak) just before serving – it’s such an easy step, but it makes the flavor so much better.
There are many recipes for grilled bavette steak. But you don’t have to fire up the grill to make this cut shine. Bavette (also known as flap steak) is just as good pan-seared – seasoned simply with salt and pepper, cooked hot and fast, sliced against the grain, then finished with melted garlic-herb butter for that extra hit of flavor. This recipe is perfect for those days when the weather keeps you inside and grilling isn’t an option.
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bavette Steak (Flap Steak): If you have a whole muscle, cut it into smaller steaks that fit comfortably in your pan.
- High-smoke-point oil: 3-4 tablespoons (45-60 ml), I recommend refined avocado oil
- Kosher salt: 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper: 1 teaspoon (finely ground black pepper)
- Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons (28 g)
- Garlic: 2–3 cloves, peeled
- Fresh herbs: 2 thyme or rosemary sprigs
The Tools You’ll Need
- Pan: Cast-iron, carbon steel, or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet.
- Tongs
- Instant Read Thermometer
How to Pan Sear Bavette Steak – Step by Step Photos
Gather your ingredients and tools first, then follow the steps below.
Step 1: Prepare the Bavette Steak
If you’re working with a whole bavette muscle, start by trimming off any excess fat and silver skin. Then cut it into a few smaller steaks of even thickness – they’re much easier to cook evenly in a pan this way.
Pat each piece dry on all sides with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt on both sides and place the steaks on a wire rack. For best results, leave them uncovered in the refrigerator for 4–6 hours. About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the fridge to let them rest at room temperature. If you’re short on time, you can salt them and let them rest at room temperature for 45–60 minutes instead.
Note
Bavette steak is a relatively thin cut, about 0.5 to 1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm) thick, which makes it challenging to achieve both a good crust and medium doneness on the inside. This is why I focus on getting the steak ready before it ever hits the pan.
The steak’s surface must be dry to achieve a nice sear. That’s why I always recommend dry-brining bavette for 4–6 hours. It dries out the surface and enhances the steak’s taste. Sure, you can get away with a 45–60 minute rest after salting, but if you’ve got the time, go for the longer dry brine – it’s 100% worth it for this cut. Just don’t go past 6–8 hours. The longer it sits salted in the fridge, the thicker the gray band under the crust becomes, and with a thin cut like bavette, that gray band can be pretty noticeable (and not very appealing).
And please don’t sear any steak just a few minutes after salting it. Trust me, it’s not worth it. Right after you salt a steak, the salt draws out liquids to the surface (the peak occurs around the 15–20 minute mark). Then, over the next 45–60 minutes, that moisture gets pulled back in. That’s when the surface is finally dry enough to sear properly. Skip the wait, and you’ll end up steaming your steak instead of searing it.
Step 2: Preheat the Pan
Place the pan over medium-high heat and let it heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 3–4 tablespoons of a high-smoke-point oil (like refined avocado oil) and give it another minute to get hot. While the pan is coming up to temp, pat the bavette dry one last time with paper towels, then season both sides with freshly ground black pepper. By the time the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, you’re ready to start cooking.
Note
A hot pan is the key to a great sear. The Maillard reaction (browning) proceeds rapidly in roughly the 140–165°C (284–329°F) zone, but because the pan temperature drops the moment the steak hits it, I preheat the skillet hotter, to about 450–500°F (232–260°C), so that after the initial temperature drop, the surface remains in the browning range.
On my gas stove, it usually takes about 4–5 minutes over medium-high heat to bring a cast-iron skillet to a temperature of around 450–500°F (232–260°C).
At these temps, skip butter and extra-virgin olive oil because they’ll burn. Use a high-smoke-point oil. I prefer refined avocado oil for its neutral flavor and high smoke point of 510°F (265°C). I listed a few good alternatives below.
| Type of Fat | Smoke Point ºF | Smoke Point ºC |
|---|---|---|
| Refined Avocado Oil | 520ºF | 270ºC |
| Refined Safflower Oil | 510ºF | 266ºC |
| Beef Tallow | 480ºF | 250ºC |
| Pecan Oil | 470ºF | 243ºC |
| Refined Peanut Oil | 450ºF | 232°C |
Step 3: Pan-Sear the Bavette Steak
Gently place the bavette in the hot pan and press it down with tongs to ensure even contact with the surface. From there, keep cooking the steak, flipping every 30 seconds, until the internal temperature is about 15°F (8°C) below your target doneness (I recommend not going lower than medium for this cut). Then remove bavette from the pan and place it on a cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes. While it’s resting, move on to the next step.
Here’s a simple temperature chart showing when to remove the steak from the pan to reach your preferred doneness:
| Doneness | Remove at temp: | Final temp: |
| Rare | 105–115°F (40–46°C) | 120–130°F (49–54°C) |
| Medium Rare | 115–125°F (46–52°C) | 130–140°F (54–60°C) |
| Medium | 125–135°F (52–57°C) | 140-150˚F (60–66°C) |
| Medium-Well | 135–145°F (57–63°C) | 150-160˚F (66–71°C) |
| Well Done | 145–155°F (63–68°C) | 160°F+ (71°C+) |
Note
Turn on your exhaust fan or open a window to ventilate the area. Searing at high heat creates a significant amount of smoke. With a thinner cut like bavette steak (flap steak), I prefer to start by pressing it with tongs or a weight to ensure full contact with the pan, and then flip it every 30 seconds. This method helps build a much better crust.
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature as you go. Don’t rely solely on cooking time, as there are too many variables that can affect how quickly a steak cooks in a pan. Since bavette is a thinner cut, insert the probe from the side, not from the top. This way, you’ll get a much more accurate reading of the steak’s center temperature.
And forget the popular “remove it 5°F (3°C) below target doneness” rule. That rule works for gently cooking methods, such as reverse sear, smoking, or oven-roasting, but not for steaks cooked in a very hot pan. Carryover cooking is much more intense here. With bavette, expect about a 15°F (8°C) rise as it rests within 5-7 minutes. So please remove it from the pan when it’s 15°F (8°C) below your target doneness to prevent overcooking.
Step 4: Prepare the Aromatics
With the pan still over medium-high heat, add a few peeled garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary or thyme. Let the garlic sear just until it starts to turn lightly golden. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter has melted and started to foam, turn off the heat to prevent it from burning. Then, move straight to serving the steak.
Note
Always lower the heat before adding the butter. With its low smoke point (around 300°F / 149°C), butter burns quickly at high heat, resulting in a bitter flavor. By waiting until the garlic is golden, then reducing the heat and adding butter, you get all the flavor without the risk.
I prefer to keep the aromatics step separate from searing the steak, especially with thinner cuts like bavette steak (flap steak). Thin cuts cook so quickly that trying to do both at the same time makes it easy to overdo the steak.
Step 5: Serve the Pan-Seared Bavette Steak
Once the steak has rested, slice it thinly against the grain to keep every bite tender. Right before serving, pour the melted butter from the pan (along with the seared garlic and herbs) over the top. This final touch brings together the rich aromatic flavors with the bold, beefy taste of bavette.
Note
Slicing against the grain is key for bavette steak. The muscle fibers run long and clearly across the cut, so if you slice with the grain, the steak will turn out chewy. Cutting across those fibers shortens them, making each bite more tender and enjoyable. Bavette steak is a cut with long and coarse grain, so spotting the grain direction shouldn’t be hard. I’ve included a photo to help you learn how to slice it properly (see the FAQ section).
FAQs
How to slice pan-seared bavette steak (flap steak) properly?
Always slice bavette steak thinly and against the grain. The first step is to spot the grain direction. With bavette, this is usually easy—the muscle fibers are thick, long, and mostly run in the same direction across the cut. Once you see the grain, angle your knife across the grain and slice.
See the picture below:
- The yellow lines show the natural direction of the grain.
- The red line shows the correct cutting angle, which is the line you should follow to slice against the grain.
Why does this matter? Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making every bite easier to chew. Technically, it doesn’t make the meat more tender. It just feels that way because your knife does the work your teeth would otherwise have to do. If you slice with the grain instead, you’ll end up with long, stringy fibers that are much tougher to break down as you chew.
Below is an example of how bavette looks when sliced against the grain versus with the grain.
What is the best doneness for a pan-seared bavette steak?
In my experience, the sweet spot for bavette steak is medium-rare to medium, leaning closer to medium. At this doneness, the steak has a firmer texture but stays juicy and tender. Bavette has long, coarse muscle fibers, so avoid cooking it too rare as its texture turns mushy and unpleasant. On the other hand, overcooking it past medium will make those fibers tough and chewy. Stick to medium-rare or medium for the best balance of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.
When’s the best time to remove bavette steak from the pan?
Remove bavette steak when its internal temperature is about 15°F (8°C) below your target doneness. As the steak rests, residual heat (carryover cooking) will continue to raise the steak’s internal temperature, bringing it to the perfect level within a few minutes.
Here’s a simple temperature chart showing when to remove bavette steak from the pan to reach your preferred doneness:
| Doneness | Remove at temp: | Final temp: |
| Rare | 105–115°F (40–46°C) | 120–130°F (49–54°C) |
| Medium Rare | 115–125°F (46–52°C) | 130–140°F (54–60°C) |
| Medium | 125–135°F (52–57°C) | 140-150˚F (60–66°C) |
| Medium-Well | 135–145°F (57–63°C) | 150-160˚F (66–71°C) |
| Well Done | 145–155°F (63–68°C) | 160°F+ (71°C+) |
Many people overlook this step and end up with an overcooked steak. You’ll sometimes see advice to remove it just 5°F (3°C) below your target doneness, but that margin is far too small for a steak seared in a very hot pan. In fact, the internal temperature can rise 15 to 30°F (8 to 17°C) in just a few minutes, depending on thickness, cooking temperature, and searing time.
Since bavette is a relatively thin cut, about 0.5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) thick, it doesn’t spend much time in the pan. That’s why the safe approach is to remove bavette 15°F (8°C) early and let carryover cooking finish the job.
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Pan-Seared Bavette Steak (Flap Steak) Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Rest Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Description
This pan-seared bavette steak is tender, juicy, and packed with strong beefy flavor. Finished with garlic, herbs, and melted butter, it’s a simple recipe that highlights the bold taste of bavette.
Ingredients
For Steak:
- Bavette Steak (Flap Steak): If you have a whole muscle, cut it into smaller steaks that fit comfortably in your pan.
- 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 ml) of high-smoke-point oil (I recommend refined avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (about 28 g)
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- A few thyme sprigs or rosemary
Tools:
- Pan: Cast-iron, carbon steel, or heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet.
- Tongs
- Instant Read Thermometer
Instructions
- Prepare the Bavette Steak: If you’re working with a whole bavette muscle, start by trimming off any excess fat and silver skin. Then cut it into a few smaller steaks of even thickness – they’re much easier to cook evenly in a pan this way.
- Pat each piece dry on all sides with paper towels. Season generously with kosher salt on both sides and place the steaks on a wire rack. For best results, leave them uncovered in the refrigerator for 4–6 hours. About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the steaks from the fridge to let them rest at room temperature. If you’re short on time, you can salt them and let them rest at room temperature for 45–60 minutes instead.
- Preheat the Pan: Place the pan over medium-high heat and let it heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 3–4 tablespoons of a high-smoke-point oil and give it another minute to get hot. While the pan is coming up to temp, pat the bavette dry one last time with paper towels, then season both sides with freshly ground black pepper. By the time the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, you’re ready to start cooking.
- Pan-Sear the Bavette Steak: Gently place the bavette in the hot pan and press it down with tongs to ensure even contact with the surface. From there, keep cooking the steak, flipping every 30 seconds, until the internal temperature is about 15°F (8°C) below your target doneness (see notes for temperature chart). Then remove bavette from the pan and place it on a cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes. While it’s resting, move on to the next step.
- Prepare the Aromatics: With the pan still over medium-high heat, add a few peeled garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary or thyme. Let the garlic sear just until it starts to turn lightly golden. Next, lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter has melted and started to foam, turn off the heat to prevent it from burning. Then, move straight to serving the steak.
- Serve the Pan-Seared Bavette Steak: Once the steak has rested, slice it thinly against the grain to keep every bite tender. Right before serving, pour the melted butter from the pan (along with the seared garlic and herbs) over the top. This final touch brings together the rich aromatic flavors with the bold, beefy taste of bavette.
- Slicing against the grain is key for bavette steak. Cutting across those fibers shortens them, making each bite more tender and enjoyable. Bavette steak is a cut with long and coarse grain, so spotting the grain direction shouldn’t be hard. I’ve also included a photo in the FAQ section to show exactly how to slice it properly.
Notes
