Grilled Flap Steak with Cilantro Chimichurri
On November 14, 2022 (Updated October 24, 2023)
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Flap steak is an excellent and affordable way to enjoy steak. Even though it’s not as highly valued as other cuts of beef, it’s still completely delicious and tastes amazing served alongside fresh chimichurri. You’ve gotta give this meat a try!
What is Flap Steak?
Flap steak is a 1-inch thick steak cut from the bottom sirloin of a cow. The meat will either be available as the whole muscle that is 12-14 inches long, or it will be cut into individual 4-6 inch steaks.
The flap meat steak is cut from the sirloin, so it will not have the same melt-in-your-mouth texture as a rib eye or a tenderloin. Despite this, it’s packed with awesome beef flavor. And when it’s cooked right and cut appropriately, it’s incredibly delicious and extremely tender.
One of the perks of this cut of meat is it’s not a highly requested cut at the butcher counter, so it is often rather affordable. Even though it’s not as prized as other steaks, it is still an awesome steak for a family dinner. You can feed your entire family steak without breaking the bank!
You can usually find beef flap meat in the grocery store labeled as “flap steak” or “sirloin flap steak.” Both names refer to the same cut of meat, and you can feel confident you’re getting the same thing no matter its name.
Flap Meat Steak
Oftentimes, people disregard cuts from the sirloin because they are not the most marbled or tender, and the flap meat steak is one of these. I personally believe that we should consume all cuts from the entire animal. (Waste not, want not, right?) Purchasing and consuming flap steaks is a great way for you to jump into a lesser-known cut of beef.
Unlike many other popular steaks, flap steak is not as tender as many other cuts, but that’s okay! It’s okay to have to chew your food. Many people just want the steak to be so tender, you don’t have to do much but move it in your mouth and let it fall apart. While the flap meat is not shoe leather texture, as long as you are cooking and cutting it correctly, it will be tender enough to enjoy.
Flap steak tastes great when cooked on the grill. Allowing it to cook for 4-6 minutes per side (about 8-12 minutes total) over high heat on the grill ensures that the steak cooks well to help it stay as tender as possible and maintain plenty of juice. I also like to top it with a super simple chimichurri to add an additional punch of flavor and add more moisture to the beef.
How to Cook Flap Steak
Flap meat steak cooks quickly and easily. It only takes a few steps to get your steak cooked to delicious perfection. Here’s how to cook the best flap steak ever.
- Preheat the grill. Preheat your grill to Medium-High heat (aim for 450-500 degrees F).
- Season the flap steak. Season the steak on all sides with my Beef Rub (available for purchase from the Hey Grill Hey Store), or equal parts salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Grill! Place the flap steak on the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F (for medium-rare).
- Remove and rest. Remove the steak from the grill and rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the chimichurri. While the steak is resting, combine all ingredients (except the olive oil) in a food processor or a blender jar. Blend the ingredients. While the blades are spinning, drizzle in olive oil. Blend the chimichurri until it is nice and smooth and there are no large pieces of herbs remaining.
- Slice and serve. Slice the steak against the grain. Drizzle chimichurri over the steak and serve. You can also have extra chimichurri on the side for those who want some extra flavor.
More Steak Recipes
Now that you’ve ventured into the adventurous world of unique cuts of beef, try out these other grilled steak recipes. For even more beef inspiration, head over to our Home Page and browse all our beef recipes.
Best Flap Steak Recipe
Follow the recipe below and let’s make something delicious! I’m all about helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a BBQ hero. If you want to see more of my recipes, tips, and behind-the-scenes action, follow along on my social channels. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!
This post was originally published in September 2019. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Flap Steak
Video
Ingredients
- 1 2-3 pound flap steak
- 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub
Cilantro Chimichurri
- ½ cup fresh Italian parsley packed
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat. Turn on the grill and allow it to preheat to Medium-High heat (450-500 degrees F).
- Season. Season the steak on all sides with Beef Rub or equal parts salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Grill. Place the seasoned steak on a hot grill, and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 degrees F for medium rare steak.
- Rest. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Make the chimichurri. While the steak is resting, make the chimichurri. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a blender jar or food processor. Turn on the blender. While it is spinning, drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until there are no large pieces of herbs left and the sauce is a smooth consistency.
- Enjoy. Slice the steak against the grain and serve with chimichurri.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Flap meat is delicious on the grill. I used your recipe exactly as is and it turned out super delicious. I normally buy flank, hanger, flap or flatiron for tacos but grilled whole, well, thanks, it was delicious.
You and me both, totally addicting
I make this entire recipe every week. I found flap steak at Costco a few months back and didn’t even know what it was, but I bought it. Now when I’ve gone back to get it during my weekly shopping trips, IT ALL OUT! People are catching on to how delicious it is! I also love the chimichurri in this recipe. It’s my go to for beef and chicken dinners. Delicious!!
Love following your page and share many of your recipes.
This was an absolutely GREAT recipe. First time making chimichurri and it turned out amazing! Used a cple of flank steaks instead of flap steaks and used a Jack Daniel’s Steak Rub on them. It really was a great dinner for my wife and me. Thanks Susie!
Had to try a different cut of meat but the cut was similar and cooked almost exactly the same. Chimichurri was AMAZING.
I recommend a little less oil and also finished it off with a squeeze of lime
Rubbed the flank steak w garlic cumin onion powder oregano chili pepper and salt. Went very well together
Went well w the cilantro. Very nice dish
Adding oregano and onions to the chimichurri sauce gets closer to the original Argetina salsa
I found this steak about 6 months ago at Costco. I did an Asian style with fish sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and,sambal. Marinate for 1-4 hours. Cook on very hot charcoal to IT of 125 and rest for 15-20 minutes. I cooked the marinade down on low heat and added a little coconut oil for a sweeter taste and drizzled it over the sliced meat. I made tacos the next day with the very thinly sliced leftovers. Looking forward to cooking it your way with the chimichurri.