Fraldinha na Brasa (Brazilian Bottom Sirloin Flap Steak)

Fraldinha — the flap cut from the bottom sirloin — is Brazil's workhorse grill steak: deeply beefy, wide-grained enough to soak up seasoning, and forgiving enough that it comes off the grates tender even when you're managing a crowd and a beer at the same time. This version is built for a gas grill: preheat long and hot, keep the lid closed during searing to compensate for the lower radiant heat, and you'll still pull a deep mahogany crust. Salt it heavy, cook it over real fire, slice it thick across the grain, and that's the whole secret. The vinagrete uses red wine vinegar for a bolder, more savory tang — classic to the Brazilian tradition — and will take on a light pink tint as it rests.

Ingredients

• ripe tomatoes, diced small (about 1 medium) – ¾ cup
• white or yellow onion, finely diced – ⅓ cup
• green bell pepper, finely diced – 3 tablespoons
• fresh parsley, finely chopped – 1½ tablespoons loosely packed
• red wine vinegar – 1 tablespoon
• neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or vegetable) – 2 teaspoons
• fine salt – ¼ teaspoon
• fresh-ground black pepper – ⅛ teaspoon

• whole flap steak (bottom sirloin flap / fraldinha), untrimmed (about 1 steak) – about 1¾ lbs
• coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt – ¼ cup
• coarsely ground black pepper – 2 teaspoons
• garlic powder – 1 teaspoon

Instructions

1. Make the vinagrete at least 1 hour before grilling (ideally 2–3 hours ahead). Combine tomatoes, onion, green bell pepper, parsley, red wine vinegar, neutral oil, fine salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine, taste, adjust vinegar and salt, and let it sit at room temperature so the flavors collapse together. This is not a fresh pico — it softens and improves with time. The red wine vinegar will tint the salsa a light pink as it rests, which is normal.
2. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and let it sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes before it hits the grill. Flap steak is thick and uneven — starting it cold means the outside overcooks before the center comes up.
3. Mix the coarse salt, black pepper, and garlic powder together. About 15–20 minutes before grilling, coat the steak on all sides with a generous, even crust of the salt mixture — more than feels comfortable, less than a snowstorm. Press it in lightly so it adheres.
4. Preheat your gas grill with all burners on high for at least 15 minutes — this is critical for building the crust. Once hot, turn one side down to low to create a two-zone setup: high heat on one side for searing, low heat on the other for indirect finishing. You want the high side running at 450–500°F / 230–260°C at the grate. Keep the lid closed during preheat to saturate the grates with heat.
5. Lay the steak over the high-heat side. Close the lid and sear without moving it for 4–5 minutes per side. Closing the lid traps heat and compensates for the lower radiant output of a gas grill, helping you build a deep mahogany crust rather than a grey, steamed surface. Open briefly to check — you should hear an aggressive sizzle when you lift the lid. If flare-ups occur, shift the steak slightly rather than dousing with water.
6. After searing both sides, check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. For medium-rare (the target for fraldinha), pull at 128–130°F / 53–54°C. The cut holds well at medium (135°F / 57°C) if you prefer — don't push past that or it tightens up. Move to indirect heat to finish if the steak needs more time without more crust.
7. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest uncovered for 8–10 minutes. Then look at the grain direction — the long muscle fibers run diagonally and visibly across the cut. Slice perpendicular to those fibers, at a slight angle (about 45°), into ½-inch thick slices. Fan them onto a platter, spoon some vinagrete over the top, and serve the rest alongside.