Sirloin Flap
Unless you are a real steak lover I am guessing you have probably not heard of sirloin flap before. It isn’t one of the most popular cuts of beef on a steer but it can be one of the best. Sirloin flap meat can be very versatile and delicious.
Where does the sirloin flap come from?
Sirloin flap meat comes from the bottom sirloin somewhat close to the flank and short loin. The sirloin flap comes from around the same area as a tri-tip.
Sirloin flap is somewhat similar to hanger steak or skirt steak. It is a fairly thin steak with a very pronounced grain. You might also find it called “bavette” which is the French name (and is frankly a more appealing name than “flap”), faux hanger, or sirloin tip in New England.
2-3 pounds is the common size for sirloin flap meat so you only get about 5 or 6 pounds of this cut per steer. Sirloin flap would make a good replacement for hanger steak or skirt steak in most recipes due to the similar flavor and texture.
Sirloin flap is one of the few cuts I would recommend marinating before cooking. The open grain texture takes very well to a marinade.
One key to getting a good sirloin flap experience is slicing it thin against the grain. Your best bet will be to cut it into 3 or 4 pieces after cooking and then slice it very thin on the bias.
How to cook sirloin flap
Sirloin flap (like skirt steak) is best when cooked on the grill. No need for a dual zone fire, just dump the coals and cook the meat for a minute, flip and cook for a minute, and flip every 30-45 seconds until the internal temperature is 125-135. You do not want a rare sirloin flap steak. When rare this cut ends up very mushy. Definitely cook to medium rare or medium.
Fajitas will be great with sirloin flap. Any sort of Asian marinade would be great as well. Epicurious.com has a good looking recipe that uses a soy, balsamic, and maple syrup marinade.
One of my favorite preparations of sirloin flap meat is a classic cheese steak.
Step 1: Partially freeze the meat. This should take maybe an hour. I cut my flap meat into smaller pieces so they would be easier to slice.
Step 2: Slice the partially frozen meat against the grain very thin. 1/8-1/4 inch thick is what you want to shoot for. This will allow the meat to break up as you cook. I like my cheese steaks with a more chopped texture so you don’t have big pieces of meat to bite through.
Step 3: Add a bit of oil to a cast iron pan and heat until shimmering. Give the meat a nice dose of salt and pepper and add to the pan. Yes, that is a 6 inch drywall knife. I think it is the best tool for the job when you want to chop meat while cooking and it does a great job scraping the flavorful bits off the pan. A good griddle spatula would work as well but most spatulas are just to flimsy to get the job done properly.
Cook the meat until it has a nice color to it. You don’t want burnt and charred but you definitely want some nice color and flavor on the meat.
Step 4: If you want a proper cheese steak you have to go with Cheese Whiz. It has the right amount of tang to cut through the meat and bread and it makes for a nice, sloppy sandwich. Personally I hate peppers and onions but if you like those feel free to pile them on top. And I guess if all you had was American cheese or provolone you could use those but for me it is always Cheese Whiz.
Throw the meat on a nice roll, add the Whiz and you are in business. If you use another type of cheese I would add it to the meat for a minute or two before removing from the pan to make sure it is nice and melty.
My other favorite use of sirloin flap is to grind 2 parts sirloin flap with one part chuck and one part brisket to make some awesome burgers. The sirloin flap brings a nice flavor and texture to the burgers.
Where to buy sirloin flap meat
Sirloin flap meat isn’t the most common cut in your grocery store butcher case. I see it from time to time at my local grocery store so be sure to check and ask the butcher if it is something they carry. I have seen it at smaller “fresh” market type stores. Not really sure what the official name is.
When you have trouble finding a cut like this always talk to your butcher. Specialty butchers can be very helpful with requests like this but even the grocery store butchers can regularly get you what you want, especially if you are willing to buy a lot of it.
Sirloin flap will cost somewhere around $5-6 per pound. It will generally be a few bucks cheaper per pound than skirt steak or hanger steak so it makes a great substitute. If an $9 per pound skirt steak turns you off give sirloin flap a try. You will be surprised at this obscure cut.
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