Flank

Flank meat comes from the belly muscles of the animal, and is divided into two sections: the thin flank and the thick flank. The meat from both sections is coarse, containing plenty of fat.

Thin Flank

Also known as the skirt, the thinner end of flank is cubed or minced and used for stock, curries, casseroles and stews. The best cut is usually the rump skirt, which is thick and heavy with membranes and gristle that must be removed before cooking.

Thick Flank

The flank becomes more tender towards the leg end and is suitable for either roasting as a joint or cut into steaks and braised or fried over a low heat. It is often also called top rump.

In North America, this muscle is called London broil or flank steak; after it has been tenderised by scoring, it is slowly grilled and sliced thinly across the grain.