Smoked Cajun Butter Finished Canadian Wagyu Bavette Recipe
Canadian Wagyu beef is well-marbled, tender, and delicious. It is also expensive. I was incredibly lucky to get my hands on a lovely Canadian Wagyu Bavette from Chophouse Steaks and this is what happened when I made Smoked Cajun Butter Finished Canadian Wagyu Bavette Recipe.
First of all, what is a Bavette? Bavette is French for bib and it’s also known as the flank steak in some places. It’s from the abdominal group of muscles in the lower chest on a cow. How do you cook a bavette? Bavette and flank steaks can be notoriously tough if cooked incorrectly and they take marinade very well. However, you don’t want to mask the delightful flavor of Wagyu Beef by soaking it in flavorful liquid. This incredible Wagyu meat should be treated with respect, and while a marinade could do some incredible things, a simple seasoning with a flavor-enhancing finish would be better in this case. For the cooking part, a fast and hot sear with a slower finish is ideal. So, hitting it with direct heat, then moving the bavette to indirect heat to finish will be the best solution. Remember, never cook a flank or bavette steak past medium. Ideally, serve it between 130°F and 140°F or medium-rare, and never exceed 150°F or the very top end of medium.
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
2 lb.Canadian Wagyu Bavette
1 tbsp.+kosher salt
½ tbsp. dehydrated garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
Hickory wood chips or chunks
Cajun Butter
½ cup butter, softened
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp.cayenne powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
Method
- In a bowl, combine the butter and seasonings to create the Cajun Butter mixture. Drop the mixture onto some plastic wrap and roll it into a thick log, sealing both ends of the wrap, sort of like a gigantic butter-flavored jolly rancher. Place it in the fridge or freezer to re-solidify.
- Build a two-zone fire using your charcoal grill and piling lit coals to one side of the grill, leaving the other open for an “indirect” area. If you are using a gas grill you can do the same with the Charcoal Tray or even by lighting two, side-by-side burners to high. If you are using gas, use the Napoleon Smoker Pipe or Napoleon Smoker Box, fill either one with soaked wood chips and place over the burners being used for this recipe. Preheat your grill for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the grill is warming, season the bavette thoroughly with the salt, garlic, and freshly ground pepper.
- For charcoal (because with gas you already have the smoke going) add a small handful of hickory wood chips or a single hickory chunk to the charcoal. Sear the beef over direct heat for 2 minutes or until beautiful grill marks have formed. Flip the meat and sear the other side in the same fashion. Once fully seared, move the bavette off direct heat, whether that means moving it away from the coals or the burners, and allow it to finish. This takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. Check every few minutes with an instant-read BBQ thermometer or use the Napoleon Bluetooth Digital BBQ Thermometer to keep an eye on the meat for you.
- Once the bavette reaches 130°F remove it from the heat and allow it to rest on a board. Just before slicing, slice 2 or 3 discs of butter from the now solid Cajun Butter and place it on the meat to begin melting before you slice and serve.
- Serve with garlicky Cajun Butter green beans and fresh cornbread.
Source: napoleon.com