Bavette is the cut Argentine grills were made for — deep beef flavour, an open grain that drinks up chimichurri, and a price that makes it a regular rather than an occasion. Grilled hard over charcoal, pulled at medium-rare, and sliced properly across the grain, it stands up to steaks at twice the cost. The corn ribs in chilli and lime butter come close to stealing the plate.
Ingredients
- For the steaks
- 2 (500g) Bavette steak, roughly 250g each, or skirt or flank
- 7.5 g Fine sea salt
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- For the chimichurri
- 15 g Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 0.5 Red chilli, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 3 g Fine sea salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
- 20 g Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15g) Water, warm
- 40 g Extra virgin olive oil
- For the chilli and lime butter
- 40 g Butter, softened
- 25 g Fresh lime juice
- 1 Lime zest
- 1 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 3 g Fine sea salt
- 0.5 Red chilli, finely diced
- For the corn ribs
- 2 Corn on the cob, quartered lengthways or kept whole, see notes
- 1 tbsp (13.5g) Neutral oil
- Fine sea salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Charcoal grill or barbecue
- Digital probe thermometer
- Wire rack
Method
The day before, season the steaks generously on both sides with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Place on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
Combine the parsley, dried oregano, red chilli, garlic, fine sea salt, and black pepper and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Stir well and leave for 10 minutes.
Add the warm water and extra virgin olive oil. Stir thoroughly and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Light the barbecue and let the charcoal reach a high, even heat — see how to cook on charcoal. Remove the steaks from the fridge so they come to room temperature while it heats.
Mix the butter, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, fine sea salt, and red chilli together until combined, then set aside. The lime juice will not fully incorporate into the butter — it comes together once tossed through the hot corn.
Drizzle the corn with the neutral oil and season with fine sea salt and black pepper. Place on the barbecue — cut-side down if quartered — and leave until charring in places before turning. Continue until charred and tender all over.
Transfer to a tray, add the chilli and lime butter, and toss to coat. Keep warm in a low oven, or set the tray aside to reheat on the barbecue while the steaks rest.
Get the barbecue as hot as it will go. Lay the steaks over the hottest part of the coals and flip every minute, building an even, deep crust, until the internal temperature at the thickest part reads 50°C (122°F) — this is the pull temperature for medium-rare. See how to cook steak to temperature for a full guide.
Transfer the steaks to a board and rest for 5–10 minutes. If reheating the corn on the barbecue, put the tray on now and close the lid.
Slice the steaks across the grain — perpendicular to the direction the muscle fibres run — into slices around 1cm thick. Lay over warmed plates, spoon the chimichurri generously over the top, and pile the corn ribs alongside.
Notes & Substitutions
The cut: Bavette, skirt, and flank are interchangeable here — all open-grained, quick-cooking cuts that reward high heat. They must be served medium-rare; cooked further, the fibres tighten and the steak turns tough regardless of technique. If you prefer your steak more done, use a ribeye or sirloin and follow the same method.
Salt: The salt quantity is 1.5% of the meat weight. If your steaks are heavier or lighter than 250g each, scale the salt to match — weigh the meat, multiply by 0.015.
Corn ribs: Quartering the cobs lengthways is optional — the finished result is almost identical if you keep them whole. The cut is genuinely difficult and the cob can slip under the knife, so if you are not confident, keep them whole. If you do quarter them, use a large, heavy knife on a stable board and keep your guiding hand well clear.
Make-ahead: The chimichurri improves overnight and keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge — bring it to room temperature before serving so the oil loosens. The chilli and lime butter can also be made a day ahead and softened before use.
Chimichurri: The chimichurri here is a half quantity of the standalone chimichurri recipe — make the full batch instead and keep the rest for the week. It only improves.
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Bavette Steak with Chimichurri
Bavette is the cut Argentine grills were made for — deep beef flavour, an open grain that drinks up chimichurri, and a price that makes it a regular rather than an occasion. Grilled hard over charcoal, pulled at medium-rare, and sliced properly across the grain, it stands up to steaks at twice the cost. The corn ribs in chilli and lime butter come close to stealing the plate.
Ingredients
- 2 Bavette steak (roughly 250g each, or skirt or flank)
- 7.5 g Fine sea salt
- Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
- 15 g Flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 0.5 Red chilli (finely diced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 3 g Fine sea salt
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)
- 20 g Red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Water (warm)
- 40 g Extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g Butter (softened)
- 25 g Fresh lime juice
- 1 Lime zest
- 1 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 3 g Fine sea salt
- 0.5 Red chilli (finely diced)
- 2 Corn on the cob (quartered lengthways or kept whole, see notes)
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- Fine sea salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
Equipment
- Charcoal grill or barbecue
- Digital probe thermometer
- Wire rack
Method
Season the steaks
The day before, season the steaks generously on both sides with the fine sea salt and black pepper. Place on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
For this step: 2 Bavette steak, 7.5 g Fine sea salt, Black pepper
Start the chimichurri
Combine the parsley, dried oregano, red chilli, garlic, fine sea salt, and black pepper and red wine vinegar in a bowl. Stir well and leave for 10 minutes.
For this step: 15 g Flat-leaf parsley, 1 tsp Dried oregano, 0.5 Red chilli, 2 cloves Garlic, 3 g Fine sea salt, 0.5 tsp Black pepper, 20 g Red wine vinegar
Finish the chimichurri
Add the warm water and extra virgin olive oil. Stir thoroughly and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
For this step: 1 tbsp Water, 40 g Extra virgin olive oil
Light the barbecue
Light the barbecue and let the charcoal reach a high, even heat — see how to cook on charcoal. Remove the steaks from the fridge so they come to room temperature while it heats.
Make the chilli and lime butter
Mix the butter, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, fine sea salt, and red chilli together until combined, then set aside. The lime juice will not fully incorporate into the butter — it comes together once tossed through the hot corn.
For this step: 40 g Butter, 25 g Fresh lime juice, 1 Lime zest, 1 cloves Garlic, 3 g Fine sea salt, 0.5 Red chilli
Grill the corn
Drizzle the corn with the neutral oil and season with fine sea salt and black pepper. Place on the barbecue — cut-side down if quartered — and leave until charring in places before turning. Continue until charred and tender all over.
Transfer to a tray, add the chilli and lime butter, and toss to coat. Keep warm in a low oven, or set the tray aside to reheat on the barbecue while the steaks rest.
For this step: 2 Corn on the cob, 1 tbsp Neutral oil, Fine sea salt, Black pepper
Grill the steaks
Get the barbecue as hot as it will go. Lay the steaks over the hottest part of the coals and flip every minute, building an even, deep crust, until the internal temperature at the thickest part reads 50°C (122°F) — this is the pull temperature for medium-rare. See how to cook steak to temperature for a full guide.
Rest the steaks
Transfer the steaks to a board and rest for 5–10 minutes. If reheating the corn on the barbecue, put the tray on now and close the lid.
Slice and serve
Slice the steaks across the grain — perpendicular to the direction the muscle fibres run — into slices around 1cm thick. Lay over warmed plates, spoon the chimichurri generously over the top, and pile the corn ribs alongside.
Notes & Substitutions
The cut: Bavette, skirt, and flank are interchangeable here — all open-grained, quick-cooking cuts that reward high heat. They must be served medium-rare; cooked further, the fibres tighten and the steak turns tough regardless of technique. If you prefer your steak more done, use a ribeye or sirloin and follow the same method.
Salt: The salt quantity is 1.5% of the meat weight. If your steaks are heavier or lighter than 250g each, scale the salt to match — weigh the meat, multiply by 0.015.
Corn ribs: Quartering the cobs lengthways is optional — the finished result is almost identical if you keep them whole. The cut is genuinely difficult and the cob can slip under the knife, so if you are not confident, keep them whole. If you do quarter them, use a large, heavy knife on a stable board and keep your guiding hand well clear.
Make-ahead: The chimichurri improves overnight and keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge — bring it to room temperature before serving so the oil loosens. The chilli and lime butter can also be made a day ahead and softened before use.
Chimichurri: The chimichurri here is a half quantity of the standalone chimichurri recipe — make the full batch instead and keep the rest for the week. It only improves.
Free guide: How to Cook Properly
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Equipment worth having
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
£10-£25
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
£10-£25
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
The wok costs £25. The heat underneath it is what you're really paying for.
£10-£25
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