Hanger Steak

Hanger SteakThe lazy days of summer have begun—which means most likely you will be firing up your grill for easy summer dinners. Summer grilling offers so many possibilities: there are the obvious ones like Rib-eyes and Chateaubriand, but there are some other, less expensive options, that might be just as good without breaking the bank.

If you have been in a restaurant lately, you probably noticed that hanger steak is everywhere. What is Hanger steak? It is the section of meat from the plate section of the cow (meaning the front of the belly), it “hangs” off of the cow’s diaphragm, hence the name. Why is it everywhere? Because it offers a fantastic beefy flavor generally associated with the more expensive cuts like rib eye, with a much more affordable price tag.

There are many names for hanger steak including butcher’s steak, bistro steak or onglet steak but they all refer to the same cut of meat. When in doubt, ask your butcher.
In order to get the best out of your hanger steak, you have to cook it correctly. It is essential that you cook it over high heat, while flipping occasionally. A perfect hanger steak will be cooked to medium-rare or medium. Anything above medium and your steak will be too hard to chew, due to its texture and grain. On the flip side, a rare hanger steak will be mushy and not appealing. Use a thermometer while you grill, and cook it to 125º to 130º F before pulling it off. This gives it a little extra room for the temperature to rise while the steaks rest.

To serve, make sure you slice it against the grain. If cooked the right way and sliced up properly, your hanger steak will be very tender.

Because of its texture, hanger steak is a perfect candidate for marinating. A simple marinade can be great, but this cut of meat does well in most Mexican recipes as well as Vietnamese and Thai recipes.

If you’re looking for a good marinade for your first attempt at grilling a hanger steak, try this one.

Hanger Steak Marinade
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and place them in a gallon size resealable bag or in a covered container. Add the meat and marinate for 12 to 24 hours.

Cook over high heat on a grill or in a hot cast iron skillet about 3 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 125ºF.  Do not overcook.

Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes. Slice the steak into half-inch slices and serve.

Comments are closed.