flap or bavette

Let’s say you are reading a menu at a high-end restaurant and you have the choice between ordering a Marinated Flap Steak or a Marinated Bavette Steak. Which would you order based on the name alone? My guess is that the majority of you would order the Bavette over the Flap.

Well, as you may have already guessed, based on the leading question, flap and Bavette are the same cut of beef.

The flap is an extension of the T-bone and Porterhouse steaks. Texture-wise, the flap is similar to a flank or skirt steak and as with those two cuts, it needs marinating first and then to be cooked over high, dry heat such as grilling. What makes it more distinct is the flavor and richness of the flap over the other two.

In our part of the country, the flap needs to be specially ordered. I was able to call the butcher at A.J.’s and special order the beef I needed for my Friday the 13^th Dinner Party.

I tripled the recipe so don’t be alarmed by the price of the meet in my photo.

This dish had nothing to do with the Lucky/Unlucky theme. I chose it solely based on the wish to treat my guests to something different and special.

One last party detail I wanted to share was the notion of a 14th dinner guest.

There are French socialites called Quatorziens (fourteeners), who are available to fill in as a 14th dinner guest to rescue the other 13 attendees from bad luck. Franklin Delano Roosevelt believed in this superstition and refused to have 13 guests at dinner parties.

My original intention was to have 13 but one invited guest, my dear friend Anne, wasn’t able to commit until the last minute due to illness earlier in the week. Knowing that she may be able to come, I was planning on Anne being our Quatorzien. She did and she was and Peggy made the cute name tag for her, even though the word wasn’t spelled quite right, everyone got the gist of it.

Grilled Marinated Bavette Steaks

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds beef flap steaks

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, syrup, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Pour the mixture into a gallon-size Ziploc bag and add the steaks, turning and tossing to coat the steaks with the mixture. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 8 hours ahead.

Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking. Remove meat from the marinade, pour the marinade into a saucepan and pat the steaks dry. Bring marinade to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce into a sauce.

Oil grill rack, then grill steaks, covered, turning occasionally, 8 to 12 minutes total for medium-rare. Let rest on a plate, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Then cut the meat very thinly across the grain.

Serve with the sauce on the side.

Serves 6